1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

We celebrate Abrham Lincoln's birthday this Thursday FEB 12th-

In late 1864, a young man was waiting for a train in Jersey City, New Jersey. The platform was crowded, with passengers standing close to the edge as trains arrived and departed. It was an ordinary scene—busy, noisy, and unremarkable. At some point, the young man lost his footing. Accounts differ on exactly how it happened, but what's consistent is the result: he slipped into the narrow space between the platform and a moving train. It was the kind of accident that, in the 19th century, often ended badly. Before the train could pull fully away, someone nearby reacted. A man reached forward, grabbed the young man by the collar of his coat, and pulled him back onto the platform. The incident was over almost as quickly as it began. There was no crowd reaction. No report in the papers. No sense at the time that anything unusual had occurred. Two strangers crossed paths for a few seconds—one falling, one helping—and then went on with their lives.

The man who had nearly fallen was Robert Todd Lincoln. He was in his early twenties and traveling at the time, having recently served briefly on General Ulysses S. Grant's staff. Although his last name was recognizable, Robert generally tried to stay out of the public eye.

The man who pulled him to safety was Edwin Booth. Edwin Booth was already well known. He was one of the most respected stage actors in America, particularly admired for his Shakespearean performances. He was considered serious, disciplined, and professionally dedicated. Neither man knew the other's identity at the moment it happened. Later, when Robert learned who had saved him, he wrote Edwin Booth a letter thanking him for his quick action. Edwin kept the letter and later spoke of the incident as one of the proudest moments of his life. At the time, there was no larger meaning attached to it. That came later.

Several months after the incident on the platform, on April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The man who shot him was John Wilkes Booth. John Wilkes Booth was also an actor—and he was Edwin Booth's younger brother. The assassination immediately made the Booth name infamous. While John Wilkes Booth became one of the most recognizable figures in American history, the effects extended far beyond him. Edwin Booth had no involvement in the assassination. In fact, he had openly disagreed with his brother's political views and was horrified by the crime. Nonetheless, public reaction did not easily separate the two.

In the weeks and months following the assassination, Edwin Booth withdrew from public life. His reputation suffered, not because of anything he had done, but because of his family connection. There are historical accounts suggesting that Edwin considered ending his acting career altogether. He felt a deep sense of shame, despite bearing no responsibility for his brother's actions. Eventually, with encouragement from colleagues and friends, Edwin returned to the stage. Over time, he rebuilt his career and remained a major figure in American theater. He later helped establish The Players Club in New York, a gathering place for artists and performers. Even so, his name was never fully separated from the assassination.

Robert Todd Lincoln's life also continued in public service. He later served as Secretary of War and as the United States Minister to Great Britain. Over the years, people noted that he had been present or nearby during three presidential assassinations—his father's, James Garfield's, and William McKinley's. This led to later speculation and myth-making, which Robert himself dismissed. He disliked the attention and rejected any idea that the pattern meant something more than coincidence.

The brief encounter on the train platform remained a quiet footnote in history. A moment when Edwin Booth saved the life of Robert Lincoln—months before Edwin's brother would take the life of Robert's father.

The episode stands out not because it altered the course of history, but because it reveals how easily history compresses people into names and associations. Two men met as strangers. One helped the other. Neither could have known how their families would soon be linked forever. It's a small moment—but one that history didn't forget.

Todays story explains the controversy which still surrounds the untimely death of 21 year-old Pocahonts, the daughter of a Powhatan chief who, thanks to her trust in Capt. John Smith and willingness to accept English presence in the New World, became a pawn of English colonialism and, according to her tribe's oral tradition, was likely killed for her kindness when she was poisoned while on board a ship leaving Engaland ihn March of 1617- the same ship and Captain which had kidnapped her just a few years earlier to "christianize" her.

Our storyline today: 1616 Pocahontas, with husband JohnRolfe and son Thomas, reach England on a mission to promote the English/Native Indian alliance in the New World and hopefully raise money for a new church and school for native peoples.

Pocahontas and 12 of her tribe attached to the delegation tour London! Pocahontas ,now Lady Rebecca, is invited to attend a Chrisatmasplay and meets the King and Queen~Later she meets Capt.John Smith, who comes to see her, and she is initially overwhelmed due to her being told in Virgina thast Smith was dead- later she rebukes him for not contacting her~Likely treachery done by Smith's detractors the reason for his severe injury~Pocahontas works closely with Church ofn England officials to ask them to finance a vchurch and sachool for Indian children, idea which is acted upon~the funds raised during her visit went intio the construction of the Colle of Henrico (Richmond area) which was detroyed in 1622 by a Powhatan uprising- but later renewed at a diffent location- resulting in the beginnings of the College of William &n Mary in Williamsburg.

Then the sudden sickness and death with hours after boarding the ship which was wo take them home- she dies suddenly- some say smallpox?- not believed by historians- Mattaponi Oral tradition states that she told her sister that she has been poisoned~ suspects are Capt Argyll and even her husband- who may have been using her and her notoriety for his own gainThe primary research revealing Mattaponi oral traditions of treachery, poisoning, and sexual violence was conducted by Dr. Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow and Angela L. Daniel (also known as Silver Star). Their collaborative work resulted in the 2007 book, The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History, which published these sacred oral traditions for the first time. Key Researchers & Contributors Dr. Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow: A Mattaponi tribal historian and the eldest son of Chief Daniel Webster "Little Eagle" Custalow. He was designated from a young age to learn and preserve the tribe's sacred oral history. Angela L. Daniel ("Silver Star"): A doctoral student in anthropology at the College of William and Mary at the time of publication. She worked closely with Dr. Custalow and his father, Chief Webster Custalow, who encouraged her to document their history to ensure its preservation. Chief Webster "Little Eagle" Custalow: The late Mattaponi chief who served as a primary source for the researchers. He was instrumental in authorizing the public release of these historically guarded accounts. Significant Findings of Their Research Through their interviews and compilation of oral tradition, these researchers documented several accounts of English treachery: Death by Poisoning: Their research indicates that Pocahontas was murdered by poisoning at a final dinner with John Rolfe and Captain Samuel Argall to prevent her from exposing English deceptions to her father. Systemic Sexual Violence: They recorded clear tribal traditions stating Pocahontas was repeatedly abused during her captivity in Jamestown, specifically by Governor Thomas Dale. Paternity of Thomas Rolfe: The oral history they documented asserts that her son Thomas was not John Rolfe's child but was the result of physical abuse by Thomas Dale. Exploitation of Tribal Members: They noted the tradition that Powhatan women accompanying Pocahontas were exploited, with some sold into servitude or slavery in Bermuda to remove witnesses to these events. While these findings have been debated by conventional historians who rely on written colonial records, the work of Custalow and Daniel remains the authoritative source for the Mattaponi sacred oral history.

In part two we cover the finding of the Pendleton bow section with all hands lost, and the rescue of the Ft. Mercer bow and stern sections in high seas off Cape Cod. At the end- parts of a Cape Cod Times interview with Andrew Fitzgerald; portions of the Coast Guard memorial flag ceremony for Berne Webber with words from USCG Master Chief Petty Officer Jack Downey; also included a Disneyworld tribute for Andrew Fitzgerald. Credits given in this episode to ,The Finest Hour' authors Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. There were dozens of heroes involved in the 1952 rescues and they didn't all make this story but their courage and sacrifices are appreciated, as is the U.S. Coast Guard Service and the men and women who served and who serve today.

The Finest Hours is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman.[9] The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of SS Pendleton, after the ship split apart during a nor'easter off the New England coast

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Part One- Saving the crew of the Pendleton- On February 17th, 1952, a wicked nor'easter tore through New England, leaving 42 deaths n its wake. The cyclone winds, driving snow and sleet, and 70 foot waves caused havoc off Cape Cod, causing two huge T-2 oil tankers to break in half- leaving over 80 crewmen and officers in all 4 ship sections at the mercy of the ocean. The US Coast Guard was alerted first to one of the ships, the Fort Mercer, and sent their cutters and lifeboats out in extremely dangerous waves to try to save any survivors. When the shocking news came that a second tanker had been broken in two- there was only one small lifeboat left to go after it- but first it had to survive what was known as the Chatham Bar- a shoal so dangerous that no one believed this boat would make it. But the unofficial motto of the Coast Guard was and is- "You have to go out there...you don't have to come back". And they went.

The Finest Hours is a 2016 American action thriller film[ directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman.[9] The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the historic 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the crew of SS Pendleton, after the ship split apart during a nor'easter off the New England coast

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Make Sure to catch Dickens GREAT short story 'The Wreck of The Golden Mary' NOW at 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales!

FOUND IN THE FOOTNOTES CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STAPLEHURST RAIL CRASH Podcast Script – Charles Dickens and the Staplehurst Rail Crash As many of you know,I'm a huge fan of classic literature and four of our 1001 podcasts are packed with My renderings of short stories and novels from the greats like Robert Louis Stevenson, O. Henry, and Charles Dickens- just search 1001 Classic Short Stories and you'll see what I mean. Charles Dickens gave usGreat Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, And many more … This is a mostly unknown story about Charles Dickens which I had never known-- until I found it in the footnotes. Picture this. It's a warm June evening in 1865. The countryside of Kent is slipping past the windows of a train bound for London. Inside one of the first- class carriages sits one of the most famous writers in the English- speaking world — Charles Dickens. He's tired, he's thinking about deadlines, and beside him is something priceless: the handwritten manuscript for a new novel, Our Mutual Friend, not yet finished, not yet safely delivered to the public. Then — without warning — the world breaks apart. The bridge ahead has collapsed. The train plunges into open space. Carriages snap loose and tumble into the river below. Iron screams, wood splinters, steam hisses into chaos. In moments, what was a quiet journey becomes one of the worst railway disasters of the Victorian age. And somehow — impossibly — Charles Dickens survives. He climbs out of a shattered carriage suspended over the river. He tends to the wounded. He witnesses death at arm's length. And before he leaves the wreckage, before he allows himself to process the shock, he does something extraordinary: He climbs back into the ruins to retrieve his manuscript. Tonight's episode is about that moment — the Staplehurst rail crash, the night Charles Dickens cheated death, and how a single train accident quietly reshaped the final years of one of literature's greatest voices.

Join us 3X weekly (M-FW-F ) AT 4-5PM for our hosted episodes of what was America's top radio show for nearly 30 years- The Shadow, at 1001 Ghost, Ciller & Lovecraft Stories at Spotify, Apple, and all the rest- Gizelle( whose voice reminds me of Margot Lane in 'The Shadow' will give you the play by playon every episode, and it won't be long before you discover why audiences were glued to the big bx in their living room every Sunday night.

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In the 1930s, a miracle happened in the American living room. It wasn't a piece of furniture, though it looked like one—a polished wooden box with a glowing dial. For the first time in history, the world was coming inside. Before the 1930s, if you wanted news or stories, you bought a newspaper. But print was cold; it required literacy and effort. Radio was different. It was the first medium to reach a truly mass audience simultaneously. It didn't matter if you were a banker in New York or a sharecropper in Georgia; when you tuned in, you heard the same voice. Radio became a "friend" to a nation battered by the Great Depression. Families would huddle together, staring not at a screen, but at each other, or into the glowing vacuum tubes, as they listened to stories that reinforced old-fashioned family values. From the moral lessons of daytime soap operas to the grit of detective hours, radio promised that despite the chaos of the world, someone was looking out for the "American Way."

Sun 12ET, Wed 5PM ET, Fri after 5PM ET-Catch Dragnet, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Philip Marlowe, Father Knows Best, Dangerous Assignment & 676 more at 1001 Radio Days

Catch Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, Dragnet, Father Brown, Jeff Regan Investigator, Barrie Craig, Nero Wolfe & Others at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers Sn, Wed, FRi at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers

Catch Gunsmoke, Fort Laramie, The Oregon Trail and Tales of the Texas Rangers at1001 Stories From The Old West Sun, Wed

In this episode we discuss the spiritualism movement that lit up the country (but especially northwest and central New York) between 1840 and the 1920's, including the Fox sisters, who were fraudulent mediums who made lots of money cheating bereaved war widows and moms. Spiritualism and Ouija boards rely upon communing with spirits of the dead for advice and counsel. We also cover the history and legacy of the Ouija Board, which sprang from the spiritualism movement and is still purchased by many as a child's game today.

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Join host Gizelle Erickson every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4pm ET at 1001 Ghost, Chiller & Lovecraft Podcast as she introduces the nuances of every episode of America's favorite vigilante radio serial 'The Shadow' as Lamont Cranston and his sexy sidekick Margot Lane bring all the lowlifes and sleazeballs who never thought they would be punished to justice. Take the Shadow challenge and listen to the first five episodes like I did to really get an understanding of the show and you'll be a fan!

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The Winter Olympics are coming FEB 6th- and here's a littleknown story (found in the footnotes) about how they used to give medals for art- you know, painting, writing..creative stuff...provided the art reflected something to do with the Olympics. Its an interewsting story that not many people are aware of so enjoy and share with friends- Thanks!

Our websitefor browsing over 2,000 stories of all different types is www.bestof1001stories.com

Aimee Semple McPherson's "trial" was a highly publicized investigation in 1926 following her mysterious disappearance and reappearance, where she faced charges of conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly faking a kidnapping to cover up a romantic tryst in Mexico. Although evidence mounted against her, including testimony from her secretary and her mother's inconsistent statements, the case ultimately collapsed due to a lack of definitive proof, and the charges were dismissed in early 1927, allowing her to continue her influential evangelistic ministry, however it was never proved that she had made up the kidnapping story, and Aimee never revealed that she did. It has remained an armchair mystery ever since!

From www.resources.foursquare.org SEE BELOW

Aimee Semple McPherson's daughter recalls her mother's courage Roberta Semple Salter, the late daughter of Foursquare Founder Aimee Semple McPherson, shares about her mother's strength and courage to share the gospel and help others, no matter what the cost.

Roberta Semple Salter May 15, 2018

foursquare legacy

It is both a surprise and a privilege when people recognize me as the daughter of a storied evangelist. Complete strangers feel as though they know me because they knew about Mother. However, my stories about her might be just a bit different than others you have seen and read.

When she answered the call of God to preach the gospel, she knew that it would be a difficult, yet joyous, task. Her first challenge came when she and my father were doing missionary work in China. Father, whom I never had the privilege of knowing, contracted both malaria and dysentery, and died before I was born, leaving his wife behind as a soon-to-be single mother in a foreign land.

Not only did she deliver a healthy baby, but she also recovered from the same illness that had taken Father's life. When we were both well enough to travel, she made the arduous journey back to the U.S. and a very different life than she had imagined with Robert on the mission field.

The call of God was strong, and she preached, supported by a growing daughter and my grandmother, Minnie Kennedy. Grandmother was the business mind and was savvier in the ways of the world than was my mother. They locked horns at times, which has gotten more press than it deserves considering that most families have their disagreements.

Grandmother held to her convictions and stood by mother's side through most decisions. However, if Grandmother just could not agree with a decision she thought was wrong, she said so, in no uncertain terms. But she also was a reasonable person.

From the beginning of her ministry, Mother filled meeting halls and revival tents to capacity, and thousands upon thousands of people came to hear her preach. Opposition came most often from preachers whose churches were consistently half-filled. When critics warned people not to attend her meetings, they came all the more.

Perhaps one of Mother's biggest accomplishments was the way she shared the love of Christ with people in need. In the early years, the Angelus Temple switchboard rang directly to a phone by her bed at night. She never wanted to miss a call for help.

Mother believed that the best part of rabbit stew was the rabbit, and said you have to know how to get the rabbit's attention if you ever hope to have the stew. I think she applied this concept to her sermons. She found the way to attract people to hear the gospel, and when they came, she made sure to tell them.

Hollywood legends Sid Grauman and Charlie Chaplin were just two icons of the movie industry who compared notes with Mother about drawing crowds. I don't believe either of them ever professed Christ as Savior, but who knows, maybe somewhere, somehow, the message she preached reached even them. The truth is, during that time, no theater in town drew the crowds that Mother did at Angelus Temple.

One of the things that most distressed Mother was racial segregation, especially in the Deep South. When she held tent meetings in the South, she was aggravated that the tent was filled to capacity with white people, but black people were kept on the outside. Her heart was touched when she saw clusters of black worshipers singing along outside the tent, and she vowed to do something about it.

Before the next night's service, she met with the sponsors of the meeting and told them to make room inside the tent for black people. They resisted, and she wore them down. When she learned that their plan included putting them on the sides or in the back, she put her foot down. "They will sit in the center section," she demanded. "The white people can sit on the side or in the back, if they want to attend."

One of the things that most distressed Mother was racial segregation, especially in the Deep South. When she held tent meetings in the South, she was aggravated that the tent was filled to capacity with white people, but black people were kept on the outside.

Like my grandmother, Mother held to her convictions like flint. She had a distinctive way about her that some called flamboyance. She dared not go to a restaurant for a hot dog or ham sandwich because just one word out of her mouth gave away who she was.

One Sunday following a water baptismal service, Mother was leaving Angelus Temple through the side door that led to her parsonage. A hullabaloo was stirring outside, and someone explained that a particular woman who had been baptized was missing. She left behind her clothing and other belongings, but her baptismal gown and the woman in it were gone.

The press ate it up, and Grandmother was furious. Some claimed the woman had been translated to heaven after being baptized by Mother. Others just claimed that the Temple was pulling a publicity stunt.

A woman named Tulie knocked on the parsonage door the following day to apologize and explain what really happened. Her cousin dared her to do it, but afterward she couldn't stand the conviction, so she owned up to what she had done. We became friends with Tulie, and ever after she would drop by the parsonage with sandwiches for Mother or a quart of ice cream that she liked.

People tried to take advantage of Mother's good nature by trying to sell her everything from a koala bear to a yacht; because in their pitch, she deserved it or needed it for comfortable living. Grandmother especially disliked such characters because she knew their true motives, while often my mother did not. She trusted everyone to a fault.

One detractor tried to discredit her right to vote in U.S. elections because she had been born in Canada. What they did not realize was that she became a U.S. citizen when she married her second husband, Harold McPherson, my brother Rolf's father. Mother could not locate her marriage certificate to prove her citizenship and called Grandmother, who was always there to help. Grandmother called me because I was living in New York at the time. She knew I could get a copy of the certificate at City Hall, which I did, and that quelled the challenge once and for all.

Perhaps one of Mother's biggest accomplishments was the way she shared the love of Christ with people in need. In the early years, the Angelus Temple switchboard rang directly to a phone by her bed at night. She never wanted to miss a call for help.

About 3 a.m. one Sunday morning, a police officer called. While patrolling his beat outside the city among orange groves and gardens, he heard a woman screaming. He investigated and found a woman with three young children in severe distress. The woman's husband was off looking for work, and she had gone into premature labor with their fourth child.

Mother called friends from the Temple who lived in the woman's area, and they responded immediately to provide food for the children, medical aid for the woman and her newborn baby, and a place for them to live until the husband returned home to help.

That morning during Sunday service, Mother made an appeal to the congregation. "We need City Sisters in each quadrant of the city that will be ready on a moment's notice to reach out and bless people in need," she challenged. From that experience, the "City Sisters" organization was formed, a ministry that later became the Angelus Temple Commissary and would serve the needs of millions during the Great Depression.

Yes, it is indeed a privilege to recount stories from Mother's life and ministry, and to know the amazing things God did through her. Most of all, I am thankful for her being my mother, the one who gave me life, and a lifetime of love and nurture.

Roberta Semple Salter (1910-2007) was the daughter of Foursquare's founder, Aimee Semple McPherson. This article is adapted from a video interview.

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