I was born in New Hampshire in 1842, the youngest of 7 children. My family had emigrated from Scotland, and when I was 4 years old, my mother died from rubella. My sad and distraught father spent the rest of his days projecting his grief onto me. I will claim until the day I am no more that this grief is at the root of my infamy. I will forever be known as a local actor who veered wildly from scripts.