I'm posting general genealogy musing here in hopes some may be of interest...... :) Genealogy is also history. Knowing the social climate of the historical times of my ancestors puts my genealogy research into perspective.......... I am in process of reading "Thirty years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House" by Elizabeth Keckley, (dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln). Wiki's Keckley info is located here<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Keckly> and further information about her is located in another bio here.<http://www.burwellschool.org/resources/ElizabethKeckley.php> Elizabeth Keckley's (originally controversial) book is online: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House<http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/keckley/keckley.html#keckley91> When Lincoln was assassinated, who had they invited to join them in their box seats at Ford's Theater? Henry Rathbone and his finance', Clara Harris. What happened to them after Lincoln's assassination? How the Rathbone's ended up buried in Germany.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Rathbone> And, last but not least, Chicago Historical Society has a very interesting website (Lincoln's assassination, Libby Prison, etc.) here: Lincoln<http://www.chicagohistory.org/wetwithblood/contents.htm>