assassination

[Jim Woodall]

(12-12-2015 09:59 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Very interesting article, Jim, and thanks for bringing it to light. I will share with my staff, volunteers, and maybe all Surratt Society members in a future Courier. I am a little hesitant in the latter because we do have a good number of Surratts and some descendants as members, but history does need to consider all angles.

The situation at that boardinghouse does seem to bear more investigation, especially the history of John Holohan. We knew of a spousal abuse issue and often thought that the Church placed the family under the roof of Mrs. Surratt for a positive religious environment. Sounds to me like the boardinghouse was hiding more than just Confederate agents...

The more I check into things, my hesitancy has increased as well. There appears to be a rupture in relations between my Anderson and Jenkins lines circa 1865. As I have been gathering info from distant cousins, I grow hesitant in remarking on some things, especially if I have not cleared it with them yet. I do now know that there were 1st cousins and great-aunts who did maintain relations with Mary Surratt up until the assassination.

Along those lines, without naming the individuals, two cousins apparently are said to have visited the Surratt house after what had taken place (I presume the soldiers going to her house). When they got there, they were put under arrest and held overnight. One of the cousins had recently given birth and had requested to be released to take care of her infant. However, two soldiers were dispatched to bring the infant henceforth to her.

I would like to separately verify that tale, preferably without naming said individuals (who I have identified and can understand why they had relations with Mary Surratt). I did a quick check on the records at Fold3 but the search did not turn anything up. Is there another reference I might be able to locate that would list arrests/detainments that were done at the Surratt house? Were soldiers stationed there after the arrest of Mary Surratt who might detain visitors for questioning?

I have to admit, sometimes I feel like letting "sleeping dogs lie" but I started into this to better understand the relationships and interactions of family including what appears to be a disturbance in those interactions. Clearly, the Jenkins side stayed in tight connection with each other but the Andersons did not seem to interact much with them after 1865. Unfortunately, I am beginning to think that the assassination may be the 800 lb gorilla in the room.

I had been hoping that it might have only been religious differences or maybe just the North/South issue.

On another note, I am pretty sure that Richard Boiseau, the reporter, knew he was covering kin folk at the trial and the hanging.

I always viewed facts as facts, but truth does not always calm the ruffled feathers, even after 150 years.