The Recursive Historian: Victoria Woodhull

From blackmail to biography: How a century of writers fell for a fake 1892 arson & vigilante story while ignoring actual court records. 

On Saturday, June 13, 1846, the grist and saw mills belonging to Victoria Woodhull's father, Buckman Claflin, were totally destroyed by fire. But the worst damage occurred on May 9, 1892 when The Chicago Mail—edited by known blackmailer Joseph R. Dunlop—published a fake story about Buck Claflin, the arsonist, fleeing Homer in the immediate aftermath of the fire, leaving behind empty envelopes from his time as postmaster. 

The Mail claimed Victoria's brother "Hebron" was around 17. That would've been around around 1852, but court records show the fire occurred in 1846, while the property was sold in August 1852. Buck hadn't been Postmaster since October 1844.  Ever since 1892, writers have repeated the blackmailer's tale without finding the court records. This is just one of the many Woodhull myths I will demolish with primary sources.