(THEATER.) Archive of Ford's Theatre and the theatrical Ford family. More than 1,300 items in 3 boxes (2.5 linear feet), including extensive correspondence, photographs, clippings, programs, artifacts, scrapbooks, and ephemera; various sizes and conditions. Various places, circa 1849-1968
Ford's Theatre became the most famous theater in American history when President Lincoln was assassinated there in 1865. Founded in 1861 by John Thompson Ford (1829-1894), it was a functioning theater for only about four years. However, his family remained prominently involved in theater for two more generations, into the mid-twentieth century. Featured in this collection are not only period documents from Ford's Theatre, but also theatrical memorabilia of John Thompson Ford, his actress daughter Martha "Mattie" Ford Gresham (1872-1933), her husband Herbert "Mike" Gresham (1853-1923), and their two acting children Harry "Mike" Ford Gresham (1895-1970) and Edith Ford Gresham (1897-1976).
One item from 1865 relates to the Lincoln assassination: a letter Ford received from his oldest daughter Anne Edith Ford (1851-1877) dated 1 May 1865. Ford had been jailed on suspicion that he may have conspired with Booth, and his daughter wrote to him in prison: "Am almost crazy to see you. . . . I have a great favor to ask of you. Please get shaved as soon as you are released, or would you like me to buy a razor? I wanted ever so much to go out Maying with you this morning, but it rained, but never mind. If you get out time enough, we will have it next May. . . . Why can't I write more than one sheet? I don't like to write on the sides, and I have so much to say." Other early material includes:
Original playbill for a Ford's Theatre performance of "Daughter of the Regiment," 31 December 1862, which was never held due to a fire in the theater the day before.
Photographic enlargement of an unidentified lithograph, "Assassination of President A. Lincoln at Ford's Theater," 13 1/2 x 16 1/2, enhanced in ink, moderate dampstaining.
Program from Ford's Holliday Street Theater in Baltimore, 1858.
Early photographs include a circa 1893 copy print of an early portrait of Ford with his wife Edith Branch Andrews Ford, thought to be from their 1849 wedding; a worn daguerreotype portrait of Edith Branch Andrews Ford; and Ford's circa 1890 cabinet card portrait.
Scrapbook of Martha Ford's theatrical career, including letters to her father John Thompson Ford regarding her initial engagements in 1891, with additional clippings and ephemera through 1905.
Autograph book kept by Martha Ford circa 1887-1893 featuring signatures of Edwin Booth (signed in 1890), Edward Hugh Sothern (twice), Fanny Davenport, Maggie Mitchell, Louisa Drew, Clara Morris, James O'Neill (father of Eugene), Wilson Barrett, Joe Jefferson, Lillian Russell (signed at "Casino, Nov 9th 1890"), and many others. Civil War admiral David Dixon Porter's clipped signature appears elsewhere.
The most notable autograph is not found in the autograph book: an Autograph Note Signed from Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) to Ford's son: "My dear sir: I am sorry not to be able to write in the book, but in case I shall not have an opportunity to explain to you why, your father will tell you what the trouble was. I talked with him about it to-day. Truly yours, Saml L. Clemens." Dated "Friday," on his monogrammed letterhead.
Among the manuscript material are perhaps 80 letters, including one by actor Frederick Warde; letters Edith Gresham received while touring with a production of Oklahoma in 1948 (and her typescript prompt book for the part of Aunt Eller); plus a small packet of receipts for an 1891 tour in London by Herbert Gresham. Herbert Gresham sent a pack of about 60 postcards home while on tour from 1936 to 1938. Some of the later correspondence relates to the reopening of Ford's Theatre as a National Park Service site in 1968.
The collection contains approximately 140 photographs. Some are of actors and other theatrical figures, usually in cabinet card format, several of them signed or inscribed by figures including Mabelle Gilman, Percy Haswell Fawcett, Adele Astaire (with letter signed "Fred's sister"), and Nigel Bruce, plus many photographs of the Ford-Gresham family ranging from family snapshots to their own theatrical portraits, including 3 of Edith Gresham's panoramic cast photos from 1935-1936. A pair of original caricature illustrations of Herbert Grisham drawn for the New York Sunday Telegraph, 7 1/2 x 7 inches and 14 1/2 x 11 inches, along with a clippings of each as they appeared in published form dated 1904; a poster for a performance of Uncle Tom's Cabin starring Edith Gresham as Eliza, at the Cox Theatre in Cincinnati, 4 November [1928].
Among the artifacts is a stoneware pitcher for the "Shakespeare Birthday Memorial" held at Ford's Theatre in Baltimore, #478 produced by the Haynes Bennett & Co. Chesapeake Pottery in Baltimore, 23 April 1892; plus an advertisement for the same; and a medallion commemorating the career of Edwin Booth and the 330th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth at Ford's Opera House in Baltimore, 1894.
Provenance: by descent to John Thompson Ford's granddaughter Martha Ford Gresham Kiar (1907-1985); consigned by the family via Rare Nest Gallery of Chicago. A more detailed inventory prepared by the consignor is available upon request.
