Last Witness to Abraham Lincoln's Assassination 

This man went from witness Lincoln death to end of the old west through Histories 2 World Wars. From horses to automobiles and TV. That's living a full life

History is closer to us than we thought. This man made it from horse and buggy days to modern television times.

Im glad he didnt miss the show, he made history

96yo man fell down the stairs, got up and walked to a tv show the next day, respect.

This made me cry in so many ways. First being five years old witnessed a horrible historical incident, second he fell down the stairs at 96 and still came to the show with his story and third that they gave him the money anyway because he came to tell his story. I applaud all thee above

I love how gentle and kind they were to this sweet old man.

My husband’s grandfather was born in 1896. He was a blacksmith and lived well over 100 years. He was the most interesting person to listen to. In his lifetime he saw technology grow by leaps and bounds. He made all the old wrought iron fixtures in Seattle. In fact they are still there in pioneer square. From electricity, phones, vehicles and space technology, he saw it all. He would slowly shake his head and say “I don’t understand what the world is coming too.” Young boys being disrespectful to their parents really bothered him.

1860-1950’s is such an insane time frame, so much experience so much advancement as a human race in that time.

The old man died two months after this was filmed. Amazing.

The closest thing to a time machine is video recordings of life way back when. We are very fortunate to live in today’s time with all of the modern technologies and access to everything you could imagine at your finger tips. This gentleman could not imagine that his video recording would be accessible to the whole world and we get to learn from it his experience. Thanks for sharing.

The older folks aboard Titanic (1912) witnessed the Civil War and Lincoln's assassination. Harriet Tubman was still alive. Many younger adults on the ship lived to see the Boeing 707 replace the steamship age of world travel. The youngest survivors of the shipwreck witnessed the first iPhone before they passed away. That's "Elapsed time from Marconi Wireless Telegraph to Wireless smartphone: 1 human lifetime." Aboard the ship it was possible for someone who remembered Lincoln to shake hands with someone who would see the first iPhone. When the ship sailed in 1912, there were still a few people who were born before the U.S. Founding Fathers were completely gone. They had witnessed the creation of mass transit (steam trains), the first mass-produced airplane (Wright Aircraft, Model B Flyer), and saw the first telecommunications (electric telegraph) become mass telecommunications (radio telegraph). At the time, engineers were looking for ways to make the airwaves carry sounds and pictures, not just beeps ("Tele-Vision" was in development, only needed another 10 years, but the average person's ability to get one was delayed by the Great Depression and WW2). The last surviving Founding Father of the USA could have met a baby who would live to see the invention of technology that would change the way voters would interact with the new government and its elections. Just one human lifetime.

I’m so glad this game show contacted this gentleman to tell his story. How neat. I’ve always been a huge Lincoln fan. Since I was a little girl growing up in Springfield, IL.

His age gave it away. Fun to see someone who was alive to see Abraham Lincoln. My great grandma was about 102 when I was 9 or 10, which means she was born around 1863. When you look at it that way, doesn't seem so long ago.

He's on Wikipedia. Five years old and in a balcony across the theater from Lincoln's box. Saw Lincoln enter the box. Later heard a shot and saw Lincoln slump. Saw Booth jump and injure himself on the stage. Did not understand what was occurring but was concerned for the man who hurt himself landing on the stage.

Scarred at the age of 5 & carried this trauma for 91 years. Thank you Mr. Seymour and Rest in Paradise.

Talk to old people. Befriend them. My grand uncle was 97 when he passed. He was 45 with a M*A*S*H unit on the heels of the Normandy invasion. Heard stories you'd never hear in history books. He was chock full of wisdom too. They say when an old person dies, it's as if a library burned down. I miss him a lot.

I share Lincoln’s hometown in Kentucky. He’s also my favorite president. I’ve seen this clip numerous times and it never fails to move me. What a strong man to be that age, fall and get hurt, and STILL go on the show. I would’ve enjoyed being in the audience that night. You can tell that the panelists were showing respect for him, and I love it that my favorite actress, Lucille Ball, was a guest panelist that evening. So much to love about this clip! Thank you for sharing it!

I’m 26, and my father was born in 1952. Blows my mind to think there were still witnesses of Abe Lincoln’s murder alive during my dads life time. Cute (and very resilient) old man.

What a trooper. Older than dirt, fresh off of a fall and head trauma, and STILL gets on the stage to allow people to witness the last witness of a historical tragedy.

My father served in WWII with a man whose grandfather was in the bedroom when Lincoln died. James Tanner had lost both legs in the Civil War, and was working for the Ordnance Dept. office in Washington. He and a lieutenant had gone to the theater across from Ford's Theater, when it was announced that Lincoln had been shot, and everyone was to leave that theater. The lieutenant remained in the street, while Tanner went to his room on the third floor of a rooming house. (Nice lodgings for a double amputee.) Down in the street, someone came out of the same rooming house and asked the lieutenant if he could take shorthand. "No," he replied, "but my friend Jim Tanner can." They went upstairs and got James Tanner and took him to the bedroom on the lower floor, where Abraham Lincoln lay mortally wounded. Everything we know about what happened in that room is because Tanner took it down and later transcribed it. The only thing that he couldn't record was after Lincoln died and a chaplain offered up a prayer. Tanner's pencil broke and he didn't have another!

Just amazing!!!! To be able to see on a screen, not just a picture, but a picture with audio and with motion of the last witness of such event shows us how close from us ( chronologically speaking) is the person of Lincoln.

Boy, that shiner was probably so very much more! I am glad that they were able to record this, and get his testimony to history.

Our history is so short we don't realize just how close it is. My mother-in-law was born in 1923 and she's still alive and doing well this 21st of May 2023. She was a bounding little girl of 6 years old when Wyatt Earp died in LA in 1929. I told her that once and she said "I know. Don't remind me!" LOL!!

It's like some people are saying in the comments, history is closer to us than we think. I had this reality check when I watched a brazilian TV show from the 80s. The interviewee was a 116 year old, I think. He was an old man who saw history, he saw slavery abolished, he saw the Brazilian Emperor deposed, two world wars, the end of the Soviet Union and the beginning of the internet. In fact, what impressed me the most was hearing him speak in 19th-century Portuguese. It was like listening to someone from the 19th century speak. I am 25 years old and my father is 77, and I feel this closeness to history, because my grandfather was born before the First World War. I'm using a mobile phone, watching the creation of AI's and the first attempts to colonize space, while my grandfather was a "caipira" (it's like a brazilian redneck) who rode horses and had never seen a television in his life. Do you have any idea what that means?

I love this. What history. God bless Mr. Seymour.

Imagine finding the only living witness to such a tragically historic event like this. Truly fascinating!!!

Amazing that this man lived long enough to give actual testimony to a hugely important historical event on TV.

We are 4 generations away from lincoln 1809 his birth 1860 seymores birth 1956 anyone who witnessed this broadcast 2023 anyone of us with a grand parent old enough to tell us of this broadcast We have so little time to impact the world it’s crazy what we achieve in 1 lifetime and videos like this reminds me there is reason to be alive and be a part of our current world

Wow, that head injury is huge. He took a very hard fall. I see he died a few months later, I wonder if the head injury didn't help but he was 96 years old after all. He got to experience so much. My own Grandmother is 96 now...I should record her telling stories...because they are interesting. I hope to do that this summer when I go see her. Ask about all sorts of things like War's, Politics, Racial Issues, Detroit, MI etc etc. So much stuff that would be interesting not just for family but for everyone so we don't repeat history but learn from it.

It absoloutley blows me away to see this video does not have over 1 million views. this is actually crazy.

I know an elderly woman who has many fond memories of her great-uncle Charlie, Charles Windolph...who fought in Reno's hilltop defense while Custer's five companies were being massacred about four miles away.

My grandmother was born before the Wright brothers first flew. She lived to watch the TV and see men walk on the moon. Amazing.

I remember watching the show that day. It made the event in history come to life at may age then.

Thank you for making this available for everyone. Thank you 🙏

Absolutely Amazing!! I love chatting with the elderly, as they are living history books.

Tough man. Falls down the stairs at 95 and still goes on television. I am glad he did. I enjoyed the video.

DAMN 80 DOLLARS?! I can’t even imagine how much that was back then

This channel just continues to astound me

Still amazing to me that I was 2 years old when someone who saw Lincoln get shot was still alive.

The host is So Sweet! He blamed his (Edit: Mr Seymore) deafness on the desks being so far apart.

Just unbelievable and historic, thank you Mr Seymour!

In the book, "We Saw Lincoln Shot," Mr. Seymour was quoted in a 1950s interview. "When the intermission came Lincoln got up. Mrs. [George S.] Goldsborough [Mr.Seymour's godmother] told me, 'Look he is about to say something.' I think he was standing, not sitting, when he was shot." [Lincoln was actually sitting when Booth shot him.] "There was lots of excitement. People were hollering and screaming and crying. I began to cry and Mrs. Goldsborough took me out of the theater."

Amazing!!!

This host was tremendous.

picture in another 30-40 years someone the same age as this man, the last living person to witness the tragedy in dallas that november day appearing on a tv show.

im so glad this channel exists

I love watching old footage like this

Very interesting, but I wish I could've heard Mr. Seymour's account of the experience.

Even way back in 1956, I would imagine that was ABSOLUTELY incredible. I hope he was never discredited, because that would be just about the most extraordinary event I could ever recall any living person recalling in my lifetime...and I'm 51.

I’ve seen this before and it’s nothing short of amazing.

Gosh I haven’t thought about these panelists for years. In those early years of panel shows they were seen so much, their personalities and names were very common. Gary Moore, Henry Morgan, Peggy……., Bill Cullen. Kitty Carlyle,

I love things like this. You have a great channel here.

Mind blowing that he was in the theater that night.

That Was Great That Mr. Seymour Came To That Such A Neat Show. And A Witness Of What Happen To A Very Caring And Respectful President Of The United States Of America. God Bless Mr. Seymour And Lincoln Will Never Be Forgotten.

This was amazing, first that there was someone old enough to be on a popular TV show and be the only person to have a memory of such a historic event. I don't have much memories from when I was 5, but I can see how he could remember this event. Interesting that it was mainly Booth falling on stage (so after the gunshot and before his statement). I would have thought as a child, he would notice the presidential box (being ornate with all sorts of flags). But then, it was off to the side, so maybe he didn't see it from his vantage point.

What a cool old man, excited as hell to be on the game show!

This is nothing short of amazing

It said the tough generations are all gone or dying. My dad just passed away today Vietnam Vet. Mans man. The way a real man should be. They are all leaving this world. They don't make them like they used to. It's very sad.

This video genuinely fascinates me each time I watch it.

Thank you for sharing.

Wow, amazing, props to Mr Seymour for appearing on the show. Amazing he remembers a memory from 90 years ago.

The poor guy died less than 2 months after this Interview, it's amazing he was able to come on the show.

He lived thru the Civil War, Spanish American War, WW1, WW2, & Korean War …. Wow 😮 ! He witnessed and lived life when there was slavery, Reconstruction & Jim Crow.

Amazing that he lived only a little over two more months after this. God bless you, Mr. Seymour

Incredible moment really in the mid 1950's to still have a person of the Mid 1800's there to talk about the period before 1900 and specifically seeing the death of Abraham Lincoln. But you know, this is exactly what is happening today with the last of the World War 2 Soldiers. We are about to see the very last of WW2 survivors passing away. Much the way, in the 1950's were were seeing the last of the Civil War survivors.

He's lived on, and will continue to on the internet for infinity

Its been soon 160 years since this man was a wittness to that event. How crazy it is to think about.

gramps was fighter 💪🏼 wouldn’t miss the interview for nothing

Awe, he's auch a sweetheart 😮 omg what a thing to witness! Absolutely an amazing historical story and witness to one of the worst political crimes ever committed. RIP Mr. Seymour

I’m surprised he’d remember since he was only 5 years old at the time

I’ve watched this video so many times and I just can’t get over the urge to cry. He was 5 YEARS OLD and witnessed something extremely horrific, then lived through 2 world wars and saw everything change. I feel like he deserved more than $80 dollars but it’s good that they respected him.❤❤❤❤❤😢😢

Mr. Seymour died two months after his appearance on _I've Got a Secret,_ two days shy of the 91st anniversary of LIncoln's assassination.

I'm super impressed they were able to figure out what he saw so quickly.

That’s fascinating! And what a fun interested show! Wish it was still on!

I’m gonna take a shot in the dark and guess this show was sponsored by Winston.

1:47 it was very good of Matt Damon to go back to experience this historic moment in person.

This is incredible

This video was amazing to watch.

My grandad fell over at 96, and after that he’s never been good. Broke his hip, was in hospital 6 months, now he’s in a care home. £1700 a week and we’re just here playing the waiting game, it’s horrible.

"I'm tired. Just give me the $80 so I can get out of here."

the value of that 100$ now is $1045.07. for a retiree no small change. i love this show would just give the money to people that had important stored to tell.

"In 2018, Ford's Theatre published an essay expressing skepticism about Seymour's witness account. The museum said it was "curious" that Seymour didn't publicly share his childhood memory until the age of 94. It also noted that there is no documented record proving that Seymour, Sarah Cook, or Mrs. Goldsborough was present at the theatre when Lincoln was shot."

Just amazing!😗

He made history all over again INTERESTING 👍🏻

"He fell down the stairs and gave himself a shiner." Audience: "Lmao!"

Amazing.

It was special seeing this bit of history. My grandparents taught me so much about life growing up I the late 1800s. So much respect for those people. If only we had more of that in our shallow world today.

My uncles were in WW1, WW2, and I had a customer when I was a teenager who was in the Spanish American War - 16 yrs but was a very tall and strong Texas farmboy. He later went into the navy and was on the gunboats in the Boxer Rebellion. He always quizzed me on Geography. He was not disappointed. I also had a customer who flew a Me 262 and landed in Greece to surrender to the English. Remember what the older generation has to say. It is beneficial for all of us.

Goodness, that must have been a terrible fall. God bless him. :))

This is SO crazy cool !!!!

This is amazing

They should have let him talk a little more, despite their time constraints, he was kinda cut off there in the intro, it was his story to tell, but still nice to see him. And just in time, he died just afterwards. Hopefully not because of anything to do with his fall.

History in the books seemed so long ago until you meet someone who seen it. Abraham Lincoln All seriousness I was born 100 years after the civil war 20 years after WWII. Not that long in perspective

Today is 2023 and this program was recorded in 1956, 67 years ago, hardly any of the participants of this program are still alive today.

Thank Mr. Seymour for telling us your story!! Thank you sir!!!

Whoever this host is did a fantastic job

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 May all these people Rest In Peace 🕊️🕊️ 🕊️🙏🏽

It's amazing how rational and clear thinking the average person was back then. America is definately in steep decline.

That's how senior citizens should be treated today, WITH THE UPMOST RESPECT,,these seniors are living history, so have respect for all of our seniors, and everyone else too,, I seen a 20 Year old punk, being disrespectful to a wonderful senior citizen, and I gave him a history lesson with my fist and boot,, and I guarantee that's a historical lesson he won't forget, don't disrespect our senior citizens, because someone will be watching you, and so Will I,,...

That was pretty incredible that he lived long enough to pass this information on. The changes in society he has witnessed are incredible.