Francis Tumblety, also known as J.H Blackburn and Frank Townsend was said to be born to Margaret and James Tumlety in circa 1833 in either Canada or Ireland. Exactly where he was born is still a remaining mystery, however according to the 1850 US census claims that Tumblety was born in Ireland while the 1900 US census records that Tumblety was born in Maryland, Virginia .

Francis was the youngest of eleven children that included eight sisters ( Mary, Elizabeth, Julia, Margaret, Alice, Jane and Bridget ) and two brothers ( Patrick and Lawrence ). Following the birth of Francis the Tumbletys immigrated to the United States settling in New York. It was in New York that Francis spent most of 1848 being a delinquent. Source 1: 1850 …show more content…
From that business began working at a small drug store which was run by Dr.Lispenard.

James Tumblety passed away 7 May 1851.

Shortly after Francis left New York for Detroit to further his practise of being a Indian herb doctor. This practise increased Tumblety's wealth significantly.

Tumblety had found himself in Canada with a substantial amount of money and where his practise was booming. He was known to be an outstanding physician until he was arrested on 23 September 1857 for trying to terminate a pregnancy of a prostitute named Philomene Dumes. It was said that he told her to take a bottle of pills and the liquid he provided her in order to compete the deed. Francis was finally released 1 October. After Francis made his mark in Canada he moved to Washington, D.C, where he claims to have been introduced to Abraham Lincoln .
Tumblety moved himself from Montreal to St. Johns in either early 1856 or July 1860. On 6 May 1865 Tumblety was arrested in St. Johns and taken to Washington is suspicion of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He was charged with complicity in the assassination and conspiracy of Abraham