Conger (Everton Judson) Correspondence, 1840-1894

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Summary

Title:
Everton Judson Conger correspondence
Dates:
1840-1894
Creators:
Conger, Everton J.
Abstract:
Correspondence belonging to Union American Civil War soldier Everton Judson Conger, who is best known for assisting in the search for and discovery of Abraham Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth and lighting fire to the barn where Booth was hiding.
Extent:
0.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Everton Judson Conger correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The correspondence includes 40 letters between Conger and his wife Emma Katherine "Kate" Boren Conger, 1861 to 1867; 12 letters from Seymour Beach Conger to his brothers, 1862 to 1864; and seven miscellaneous letters, 1863 to 1867, and undated. The letters cover a range of subjects, including the effort to recruit Virginia Unionists in the first months of the American Civil War; state and national war and political news; and Conger's military and intelligence service in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Everton Judson Conger also references his post-war employment by the "Impeachment Committee" to gather evidence in Washington, D.C. The Conger brothers write primarily from the following locations in Virginia and West Virginia: Camp Carlisle, Fairfax Court House, Stafford Courthouse, Culpeper, Rappahannock River, and a camp near Middleton. Also included is an 1840 photograph of Conger's mother Esther West Conger, and an untitled poem beginning "The clouds were thick and dark...."

Biographical / historical:

Everton Judson Conger (1834-1918) was an American Civil War officer who was instrumental in the capture of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln. He was the son of Esther West and Reverend Enoch Conger, a Presbyterian minister. Conger enlisted in the Union army during the Civil War, initially as a private in the 8th Ohio Infantry. Following the expiration of his term of enlistment, he returned to Fremont, Ohio, and married Emma Katherine "Kate" Boren on October 16, 1861, with whom he had five children. He later joined the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry and was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry. After receiving several wounds, and being discharged, he was sent to join General Lafayette Baker's intelligence service in Washington, D.C., where he helped find John Wilkes Booth after Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Conger set fire to the barn where Booth was hiding. After the war, Conger moved to Illinois and was appointed a United States District Court judge in the Montana Territory. He eventually moved to Hawaii to live with his daughter, where he died in 1918. His brother Seymour Beach Conger (1825-1864) was an American Civil War officer. He served in the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry, rising to Major and commander of the regiment. He was killed in the Battle of Moorefield in West Virginia in August 1864.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Joseph and Holly Poindexter, May 2019.
Processing information:

Processed by Gina C Giang in 2019. In March 2025, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Brooke M. Black
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-05-29 09:00:30 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Everton Judson Conger correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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