Lincoln Assassination Tours

[Dave Taylor]

Roger is correct. William W. Kirby was a D.C. native who resided on H St. Originally a cabinet and coffin maker, Kirby became a constable of sorts and later a detective. In 1870, he formed a detective firm with Aquilla R. Allen, who, in 1865, had helped to track down the Lincoln conspirators while on the staff of D.C. Provost Marshal James O’Beirne. After her imprisonment, Mary Surratt actually requested Mr. Kirby to act as a lawyer on her behalf, but, since he wasn’t a lawyer, merely a constable at the time, he declined. There may have been some relationship through marriage between Mr. Kirby and the Holohan family that boarded with the Surratts on H st. In a statement, Anna Surratt claimed Mr. Kirby was Mrs. Holohan’s brother, but her maiden name was Smith, not Kirby. Still there was likely some family connection which is what made Mr. Kirby a familiar visitor to the boardinghouse. William Kirby died in 1905 and is buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Georgetown, the same cemetery that holds one of Mrs. Surratt’s actual attorneys, Frederick Aiken.

[wpbinzel]

(12-05-2025 02:25 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  Roger is correct. William W. Kirby was a D.C. native who resided on H St. Originally a cabinet and coffin maker, Kirby became a constable of sorts and later a detective. In 1870, he formed a detective firm with Aquilla R. Allen, who, in 1865, had helped to track down the Lincoln conspirators while on the staff of D.C. Provost Marshal James O’Beirne. After her imprisonment, Mary Surratt actually requested Mr. Kirby to act as a lawyer on her behalf, but, since he wasn’t a lawyer, merely a constable at the time, he declined. There may have been some relationship through marriage between Mr. Kirby and the Holohan family that boarded with the Surratts on H st. In a statement, Anna Surratt claimed Mr. Kirby was Mrs. Holohan’s brother, but her maiden name was Smith, not Kirby. Still there was likely some family connection which is what made Mr. Kirby a familiar visitor to the boardinghouse. William Kirby died in 1905 and is buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Georgetown, the same cemetery that holds one of Mrs. Surratt’s actual attorneys, Frederick Aiken.

Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown is also where Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton is buried as well.