Making History Come Alive Newsletter Mary Surratt was a notable figure in American history, primarily due to her alleged involvement in the assassination conspiracy against President Abraham Lincoln.

lBorn Mary Elizabeth Jenkins in 1820 in Waterloo, Maryland, she eventually became the first woman executed by the United States federal government.

lEarly Life and Personal Background
- Family and Marriage: Mary Surratt was born into a Maryland family of moderate means. She married John H. Surratt in 1840, and the couple eventually moved to Washington, D.C., where they operated a boarding house. They had three children: Isaac, John Jr., and Anna. Her husband, John, also built a tavern in Surrattsville (now Clinton, Maryland), which became a focal point of their business activities.
- Widowhood: After her husband's death in 1862, Mary Surratt took over the family businesses. She maintained the boarding house in Washington, D.C., which later became central to the conspiracy against Lincoln.

Involvement in the Conspiracy
- The Conspiracy: Mary Surratt's boarding house became a meeting place for several Confederate sympathizers and conspirators, including John Wilkes Booth, the actor who assassinated President Lincoln. It is believed that the assassination plot against Lincoln was regularly discussed there.
- Connection with the Conspirators: Her son, John Surratt Jr., was closely associated with Booth and others involved in the conspiracy. Although John Jr. fled and avoided capture immediately after the assassination, his connection to the case highlighted Mary's alleged involvement.

Trial and Execution
- Arrest and Trial: Following Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, Mary Surratt was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy. She was tried by a military tribunal alongside other conspirators. The trial was controversial; the tribunal procedures were criticized for their harshness and the limited legal protections afforded to the accused.
- Defense and Verdict: Throughout the trial, Mary Surratt maintained her innocence. Her defense argued that the evidence against her was circumstantial and insufficient to prove her involvement in the assassination plot. However, the tribunal found her guilty.
- Execution: Despite appeals for clemency, including one from members of the military commission that convicted her, Mary Surratt was sentenced to death. She was hanged on July 7, 1865, at the Old Arsenal Penitentiary in Washington, D.C., along with three other conspirators.

Legacy and Historical Debate
- Historical Perspective: Mary Surratt's case remains a subject of historical debate. Many historians question the fairness of her trial and the sufficiency of evidence used to convict her. The trial's military nature and speed raised concerns about due process.
- Cultural Impact: Her story has been the subject of various books, films, and other cultural depictions, often focusing on the themes of justice, gender, and the legal context of the post-Civil War era. Mary's execution underscored broader societal tensions of the time, particularly around issues of loyalty, justice, and the treatment of women.

In summary, Mary Surratt's life and the circumstances of her trial remain a poignant reflection of a tumultuous period in American history. Her role in the Lincoln assassination conspiracy and subsequent execution continue to spark discussion and analysis regarding justice and historical interpretation.