John Surratt's real parents?

[L Verge]

(02-28-2015 08:08 AM)HerbS Wrote:  While I was putting the finishing touches for my talk at the National Women's Rights Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls,NY.I saw that Dr.Mary Walker brought a guest to the trial of the Lincoln Conspirators,[Anna Dickinson].I then checked to see if they had any remarks about what they experienced.I then came across a story from the Surratt Society research center[John Surratt's real parents].That rasies the question of, Why did he let his mother[Mary Surratt] hang?1-Was she his natural mother?2-Did he have a dislike for her?3-WHY this,why that?Perhaps this shines a new light on Why.I think that this topic needs more research!

Be careful not to confuse the TWO John Surratts. The reference to John Surratt's real parents is regarding the senior Mr. Surratt - Mary's husband. We do not know who his real parents were because all Surratts had disappeared from the Federal Census in Maryland of 1820 - only a child named John Surratt (about 7 years) is mentioned, and he is being raised by foster parents (Mr. & Mrs. Neale). There is some speculation that Mrs. Neale may have been his true mother, but we cannot prove it.

John Surratt, Jr. is the one of interest to us in the Lincoln assassination, and he was certainly the product of the above John Surratt and Mary Jenkins Surratt - born on April 13, 1844 (one doctor's record indicates it might have been April 14!) in the home in Oxon Hill Hundred where the family was living before purchasing land in what is now Clinton.

I think we can safely assume that young John loved his mother and his sister, but was drawn into the intrigue of the Civil War - just as many a young man is during any war. He cared for her enough to protect the family lands when he joined Booth's efforts. His father had died without a will, so the three children inherited the estate (not the widow). Young John knew that, if he were caught while on Confederate duty, he would be stamped a traitor and have his lands confiscated. He signed over his rights to his mother to avoid that.

I also believe that the recurring story that he wanted to come back from Canada to save his mother, but was advised against it because the gov't. had nothing to judge her on, is very likely true.

PS: In the one scene in The Conspirator movie where John shoves his mother against the wall, I almost jumped out of my seat and stormed the screen. I don't think that would have ever happened (in either 90% of decent folks' homes or more especially in the Surratts'). We may judge her a criminal, but I happen to think that she was a very good mother.