Buried in Baltimore Trivia Quiz

Answer: John Wilkes Booth

John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 - April 26, 1865) was born into an illustrious Baltimore theatrical family and became a famous actor himself. Ironically, or perhaps as a contributing factor to the tragic course his life later took, he was named "John Wilkes" for a distant relative that was an English radical politician. Also, he was purportedly influenced by a fortune teller's prediction that he would have a brief, but grand life that would end badly. On top of all this he became fiercely pro-Confederate during the Civil War and strongly denounced Lincoln and the North, which led to quarrels with family and friends. At some point these factors in his life converged and he drifted over the line from being able to distinguish reality from fantasy. In his fantasy he would become a hero and effect a cure for the ills of the U.S. by killing the President. To this end he formed a cabal with a group of individuals that followed his misguided lead. The upshot of Lincoln's assassination for the cabal was that that many of the conspirators were hung and/or imprisoned and Booth was fatally shot while on the lam and hiding in a barn. At least he lived long enough after the assassination to realize that he had become a pariah and that nobody that is sane believes that terrorism is a positive force in the universe that actually solves anything.

Reference: Wikipedia: "John Wilkes Booth"

Answer: Fred Gwynne

Frederick Hubbard Gwynne (July 10, 1926 - July 2, 1993) was born in New York City, but spent a great deal of his childhood in South Carolina, Florida, and Colorado as his father was a partner in a securities firm and often traveled. He attended Harvard University where he was a member of the Fly (Alpha Delta Phi) Club, acted in Hasty Pudding theatricals, sang with the "Harvard Krokodiloes", and held presidential office and drew cartoons for the "Harvard Lampoon". During WWII he served in he U.S. Navy and subsequently took advantage of the G.I. Bill to study art.

After finishing school he returned to New York and joined the Brattle Theatre Repertory Company. By the early 1950s he was making appearances on television programs, such as "The Phil Silvers Show". His big break came in 1961 when he was cast in a starring role on the television series "Car 54, Where Are You?". After this sitcom wound down he was then hired to play Herman Munster on another series called, "The Munsters". Both of these series inspired later movies, but "The Munsters" with its kooky take on the spooky seems to have really hit a vein with the American public. Specifically, since the original program went off the air there have been Munster sequels, movies, cartoons, a new television series, toys - the list could go on, but it's so long it's scary. So, most people remember Gwynne as a Munster, rather than for his work in theater, cinema, other television programs, professional singing, painting, and authorship and illustration of children's books.

After years of work Gwynne retired to his Taneytown, Maryland farm where he evently succumbed to pancreatic cancer. Today he rests in an unmarked grave at the Sandymount United Methodist Church Graveyard in Finksburg, Maryland.

References: Find a Grave: "Fred Gwynne" and Wikipedia: "Fred Gwynne"

Answer: Walter Lord

John Walter Lord, Jr. (October 8, 1917 - May 19, 2002) authored 12 books, but the book he is best known for is "A Night to Remember". Lord was fascinated from childhood by the Titanic tragedy, which may have been inspired by having traveled on the RMS Olympic, her sister ship, when only 9 years old. As a youth Lord attended both Princeton and Yale, but left school early to enlist in the Army after the Pearl Harbor attack. After finishing his war service he returned to Yale and earned a law degree.

Lord subsequently wrote 11 bestselling books on a variety of topics. However, it was his second book, "A Night to Remember", that in many ways simultaneously satisfied and fed his lifelong fascination with the Titanic sinking. He researched tirelessly, interviewed and corresponded with anyone involved with the Titanic, and later met and became friends with many of the survivors. He even wrote a second Titanic book, "The Night Lives On", which was also bestseller. Lord was and continues to be recognized as a Titanic expert. He gave lectures at meetings of the Titanic Historical Society, acted as consultant on two movies, Baker's "A Night to Remember" and James Cameron's "Titanic", and "Ghosts of the Abyss" was dedicated to his memory. It may interest Titanic aficionados to know that the movie "A Night to Remember" is held in high regard by Titanic historians due to its accuracy.

Lord passed away while at home at the age of 84. He is buried in a maternal family plot at Green Mount Cemetery that in addition to being marked with a large traditional headstone with a bronze and black plaque also sports a memorial bench inscribed with the titles of all twelve of the books he wrote.

References: Wikipedia: "Walter Lord" and Wilson, Andrew (2011): "Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived", Atria Books, New York.

Answer: Johnny Eck

John Eckhardt, Jr. (August 1911 - January 5, 1991) was born with his twin brother, Robert, in Baltimore, Maryland. At birth John was 8" long and only weighed two pounds due to Sacral agenesis which resulted in him having a truncated torso with unusable, underdeveloped legs and feet. The boys were fraternal twins with only John having Saral agnesis. Both boys were healthy aside from the challenges related that John faced.

When the boys started school at 7 years of age the environment was a supportive one. John later recalled older students arguing over who would have the privilege of lifting him up the school stairs. The school also arranged for classroom windows to be blacked out to discourage voyeurs with the goal of preserving his privacy and fostering an environment conducive to education. Between the supportive environment he found at home and in the community John (and Robert) found plenty of room to flourish.

At the age of 12 years old John began his professional career by working in sideshows wherein he performed acrobatic feats and sleight-of-hand. It should be noted that his twin's career was closely linked to John's. They always worked together and there was always a role for Robert, too. In 1932, John acted in Tod Browning's movie "Freaks", which led to his later work in three Tarzan films. Over the years he performed at venues, such as, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and with Rajah Raboid's (illusionist and hypnotist) "Miracles of 1937" show.

When sideshows went out of fashion (circa 1940) the twins returned to their Baltimore home and acquired a penny arcade that they operated. Over the years the twins' finances declined and life became more difficult. One of the most traumatic events for them was a home robbery in 1987 wherein the 76 year old brothers were held captive and tormented for hours. After this ordeal the twins became more reclusive and a bit cynical. In 1991, the two brothers passed away with a month of each and were interred under one headstone in Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore.

Reference: Wikipedia. "Johnny Eck"

Answer: Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 - June 7, 1967) may have been an author of poetry, short stories, plays, movie and radio scripts, newspaper and magazine columns, and even musical lyrics, but she was and still is best known for her quick and sparkling wit. Her book reviews for "The New Yorker" magazine under the byline "Constant Reader" were consistently biting and hilarious. In fact a book, "Constant Reader" was published in 1970 that offered a collection of these literary gems. When you consider that the last Constant Reader review she generated was written in 1933 it's obvious that the reviews have had a lasting impact on the public's memory.

While working in Hollywood as a screenwriter she received two Academy Award Best Writing-Screenplay nominations for the blockbuster movies "A Star is Born" (1937) and "The Little Foxes" (1941). However, her political activism resulted in her being blacklisted in Hollywood, so she eventually made her way back to New York where she resided until her death.

So, the million dollar question is, "Why Ms. Parker's ashes went on an epic (ranging from 17 to 21 years depending on the source) sojourn?". Here goes. When Ms. Parker passed away in New York her literary estate was left to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation, but when Dr. King died within a year of her death her estate then passed to the NAACP. The executor of her estate, author Lillian Hellman, forgot to tell the Hartsdale crematory where to send Ms. Parker's ashes, so they remained unclaimed at the crematory for 6 years. Then Hartsdale sent the ashes to Ms. Parker's attorney where they rested in various places around the office over the course of 15 years. It wasn't until 1988 that the NAACP discovered that no one had claimed her remains. Consequently, the NAACP built the Dorothy Parker Memorial Garden at the NAACP's Baltimore Headquarters and thereby provided her with a peaceful and (hopefully) permanent resting place.

The following details the inscription on Ms. Parker's remembrance plaque:

"Here lie the ashes of Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) humorist, writer, critic. Defender of human and civil rights. For her epitaph she suggested, 'Excuse my dust'. This memorial garden is dedicated to her noble spirit which celebrated the oneness of humankind and to the bonds of everlasting friendship between black and Jewish people. Dedicated by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. October 28, 1988."

References: Dorothy Parker Society: "Dorothy Parker Memorial Garden, NAACP Headquarters, Baltimore" and Wikipedia: "Dorothy Parker"

Answer: Howard Rollins

Howard Ellsworth Rollins, Jr. (October 17, 1950 - December 8, 1996) was a Baltimore born actor whose career included film, television, and stage work. Notably he was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the movie "Ragtime". In addition, he received a nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his depiction of Ed Hardy on "Another World". He also delivered noted performances as Captain Davenport in the movie "A Soldier's Story" and as Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs in the movie and television series "In the Heat of the Night".

In late 1996, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Rollins passed away within 6 weeks of the initial diagnosis due to complications from the disease. He was later interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Woodlawn, Maryland (Baltimore County). However, there is also another, unique tribute in recognition of his life and work. Specifically, on October 25, 2006 a wax effigy of Mr. Rollins was unveiled that may now be visited at Baltimore's Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Reference: Wikipedia: "Howard Rollins"

Answer: Francis Scott Key

Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 - January 11, 1843) was not only a lawyer, but also an author, poet, and lyricist. When Key sat down to dinner on September 13, 1812 as a guest on the British ship HMS Tonnant little did he suspect that he was about to pen America's number one song. The Battle of Baltimore broke out while he was on the ship in the middle of negotiating the release of American prisoners. That night of September 13-14 he watched as Fort McHenry was bombarded by the British, but the following morning was greeted by the cheering sight of the stronghold's American flag still waving. After being released from the ship Key penned a poem and set the words to composer John Stafford Smith's, "Anacreon in Heaven". The combination of the two pieces became known as "The Star Spangled Banner", which was first adopted by Executive Order as the national anthem in 1916 and later by a Congressional resolution in 1931.

After creating "The Star Spangled Banner" Key's career continued on its illustrious path, which does not mean that there weren't some bumps in the road. However, in 1843 Key passed away due to complications of pleurisy at his daughter's home. He was first interred in John Eager Howard's vault at Old Saint Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore, but his remains were later moved to his family plot at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland.

References: Popcrunch: Back from the Dead: 30 Famous People Who Were Exhumed 16-30 and Wikipedia: "Francis Scott Key"

Answer: Spiro Agnew

Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 - September 17, 1996) has the infamous distinction of being the only U.S. vice president to resign due to criminal charges. In 1973, he was charged by the U.S. States Attorney's Office of Baltimore, Maryland with conspiracy, extortion, bribery, and tax fraud, allegedly committed during his tenures in office as a Baltimore County Executive, Governor of Maryland, and Vice President of the United States. The outcome of the case was that Agnew was able to plead "no contest" to one charge and had to resign his position as vice president.

One major impact of Agnew's resignation came to the forefront when U.S. President Richard Nixon found himself in a similar predicament regarding legal issues. Specifically, after Nixon resigned from office the new president was Gerald R. Ford who had not been elected by the Electoral College as either vice-president or president.

In 1996, Agnew passed away after being admitted to the hospital initially for an unknown cause, which later turned out to be undetected, advanced leukemia. He is interred at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Maryland(Baltimore County). Interestingly his memorial marker bears no mention of his having been elected to office.

References: Wikipedia: "Gerald R. Ford" and Wikipedia: "Spiro Agnew"

Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 - December 21, 1940) was named after another denizen of this quiz, his "Star Spangled Banner"-writing cousin, three times removed, Francis Scott Key. Fitzgerald was born in Minnesota, but lived in New York for ten years before again returning to Minnesota. He later attended Princeton, but dropped out and served briefly with the U.S. Army during WWI.

During a party he met his future wife Zelda Sayre, but felt he had to establish his career before wedding the Alabama belle (1921). This was just as well as they led an alcohol-fueled, Jazz Age married life that required plenty of moola to keep things going. Somehow during all this partying and the onset of Zelda's schizophrenia and institutionalization in various psychiatric wards Fitzgerald continued to write novels and short stories.

Due to always living beyond his means in the 1930s he went to work writing screenplays in Hollywood. With Zelda living in mental institutions they eventually became estranged and Fitzgerald ended up moving in with his lover, gossip columnist Sheila Graham. Suffering from the effects of alcoholism, several heart attacks, and possibly tuberculosis, Fitzgerald eventually died of a massive heart attack while at home with Ms. Graham.

Following his memorial service in Hollywood his body was shipped to Baltimore and interred in Rockville Union Cemetery. In 1948, after Zelda's death (during a fire at the mental institution where she was residing) their daughter, Frances "Scottie" Fitzgerald Lanahan Smith, worked to have the Fitzgeralds buried together. To accomplish this end Scottie had to get the ruling of the Archdiocese of Baltimore that her father had died a non-practicing Catholic overturned. In effect, by having the ruling overturned her parents could be interred together in the Fitzgerald family plot at the Roman Catholic Saint Mary's Cemetery. In 1975, the Fitzgeralds' remains were finally reunited in the family plot at Saint Mary's Cemetery, Rockville, Maryland.

Reference: Wikipedia: "F. Scott Fitzgerald"

Answer: Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte

Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte (1785-1879) was born into the second wealthiest family in Maryland. Her childhood and teen years were privileged ones with many material comforts, an outstanding education (unusual for females at the time), high social standing, and such natural gifts as great beauty and charm.

After meeting Jerome Bonaparte through a mutual friend romance blossomed and they married on December 24, 1803. Their marriage was a happy one that soon produced a son, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte. However, Napoleon I continued to oppose the marriage and during a trip that Jerome and Elizabeth took to the continent he finally succeeded in destroying their union. Not being able to obtain an annulment through the Catholic church Napoleon finally issued a state decree of annulment for the marriage in 1806. Elizabeth and her son returned to the United States and a flurry of American outrage over the ill use that she had experienced through association with the Napoleon family.

Elizabeth never did remarry, but by a special Act of the Legislature of Maryland she finally obtained a divorce in 1815. Her later years were dedicated to her family and the management of her estate that was valued at around 1.5 million dollars.

Reference: Wikipedia: "Elizabeth 'Betsy' Patterson Bonaparte"