Lydia Helen (Robbins) Muzzy (1811 - 1870)

Born 15 Sep 1811 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Wife of Charles Edward Muzzy — married 4 Apr 1831 in Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States

Died 13 Oct 1870 at age 59 in Washington D.C., United States

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Biography

Helen Robbins was born 15 Sep 1811, in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Helen was an American stage actress. She began her career in 1829, as a member of the Drake Company, travelling up and down the Mississippi River, performing in small town theaters along the way.

In 1831, Helen married lawyer, poet and fellow actor Charles Edward Muzzy at Louisville, Kentucky. The couple had five children, three of whom died young: John Anson was born in October 1833, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and died seven months later, in May 1834, at Elizaville, Kentucky; Robert Ashton was born in October 1838, at Boston, Massachusetts and died three months later in January 1839, also at Boston. Cynthia Mary was born in Boston in December 1840, and died there the same day. Helen and Charles' eldest and youngest sons did live to adulthood. Oldest son Charles Benjamin was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in December 1831. The boys spent their childhoods touring the theatrical circuit with their parents.

Helen's husband, Charles, died in January 1852.

After Charles' death, Helen settled in a house on 14th Street in Washington, DC, along with her eldest son, Albert. Although she no longer toured the country, she did continue to perform regularly in big city theaters across the north.

On 23 Sep 1861, Helen married William L. Thompson at the First Universalist Church, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

By 1865, she had become a member of the stock company at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC. On the night of 14 Apr 1965, she was performing in the role of Mrs. Montchessington in the play Our American Cousin, in a special performance before President and Mrs. Lincoln. She had just walked off the stage when a shot rang out. Lincoln had been shot.

Following the assassination, Helen semi-retired from acting. She gave private lessons from her home and made occasional appearances to play Old Fadet in Fanchon at the National Theater where she also several as wardrobe mistress.

Helen passed away after suffering a sudden heart attack on 13 Oct 1870, in Washington, DC.

Sources

• Marriage: "Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965"
  Original data: Marriage Records. Kentucky Marriages. Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61372 #902520774 (accessed 23 March 2024)
  Lydia M Robbins marriage to Chas. E. Muzzy on 4 Apr 1831 in Jefferson, Kentucky, USA.

• Marriage: "Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013"
  Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 913
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2451 #11040560 (accessed 23 March 2024)
  Lydia Helen Muzzy marriage to Wm L Thompson on 23 Sep 1861 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

• Memorial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181168557/lydia-helen-muzzy_thompson: accessed 13 August 2022), memorial page for Mrs. Lydia Helen “Helen” Robbins Muzzy Thompson (15 Sep 1811–13 Oct 1870), Find a Grave Memorial ID 181168557, citing Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA; Maintained by Trisha Turiano (contributor 49311876).

See Also

• Bogar, Thomas A. Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination, Washington, D.C.: Regnery History, 2013.

• The Wikitree Our American Cousin Free Space Page