Smoot

[Laurie Verge]

Joe,

My grandmother was the youngest of four children of Eli and Laura Huntt and wasn't born until 1874. They had a four-year-old daughter in 1865 and a son who had just been born in February. They were up feeding the infant about an hour after midnight when they heard several horses galloping through the village of T.B. That was evidently Booth and Herold because they left Surrattsville around midnight, and T.B. is just about five miles south of the tavern.

Mrs. Huntt lived until 1914, dying just before my mother was born. However, my uncle was born in 1902, and remembered the same stories being told by his grandmother that his mother had related also.

Rick,

In Southern Maryland after April 14, 1865, it was a lot more prudent to declare yourself a Lincoln man - no matter what your feelings had been before that date. Also, being in on the conspiracy in any form or fashion was not a fun fact to pass on to your children.

Now, when I came along, I was thrilled to think of my ancestors possibly playing a role in one of the greatest crimes in American history. Just call me weird. When I was teaching, I always made a point of telling the family story to my students. Their resopnse was, "Too bad your great-grandfather didn't tell what he knew. They'd have hanged him too, and we wouldn't have to put up with you." They were joking, I'm sure...