Explore your distant relatives Mary and John Surratt's complex roles in Lincoln's assassination conspiracy. From boarding house keeper to papal guard, uncover how ordinary family choices led to extraordinary historical tragedy.

Lincoln’s assassination and the roles Mary and John Surratt played. I am distantly related to them.


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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Blythe: Hey everyone, welcome back to another personalized podcast from BeFreed! I'm Blythe, and I am absolutely thrilled to be diving into one of the most fascinating-and honestly, most heartbreaking-chapters in American history with my co-host Eli today.
Eli: And I'm Eli! Oh my goodness, Blythe, when I saw what we were exploring today, I literally got chills. We're talking about Lincoln's assassination, but more specifically, we're going deep into the Surratt family's role in this whole conspiracy. And here's the thing that makes this even more incredible-our listener today is actually distantly related to Mary and John Surratt!
Blythe: Right? I mean, can you imagine discovering that your family tree includes people who were right there in the thick of one of the most pivotal moments in American history? Whether you're proud of that connection or not is... well, that's complicated, isn't it?
Eli: Exactly! And that's what makes this so compelling. We're not just talking about historical figures-we're talking about real people with real families, real motivations, real consequences. The Surratts weren't cartoon villains; they were complex human beings caught up in extraordinary circumstances.