A Patch of History

Congressman's Dad Shares Family's Connection to Lincoln Assassin

Herb Peters is the area's oldest-known Rochester-born citizen; his ancestors witnessed the death of John Wilkes Booth.

Editor's note: This story was first published in February 2011, two months before Herb Peters passed away. At 95, Herbert Garrett Peters has a lot of stories to tell. A former English teacher and newspaperman, Peters knows how to tell a good tale – particularly when it’s one of his own. Recently, Peters spoke to members of the Rochester-Avon Historical Society about his ancestry, which reads like an encyclopedia of American history. Not only is he descended from a Revolutionary War soldier, but Peters’ lineage also includes an association with one of the most infamous characters in American history: John Wilkes Booth, an actor best known for assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. Peters, who is the father of U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D-9th …

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