John Surratt

John Surratt
Surratt in 1868
Born
John Harrison Surratt Jr.

(1844-04-13)April 13, 1844
DiedApril 21, 1916(1916-04-21) (aged 72)
Burial placeNew Cathedral Cemetery
NationalityAmerican[1]
Alma mater
Occupation(s)U.S. postmaster, farmer, parochial school teacher, Pontifical Zouave, public lecturer, company treasurer
Known forCo-conspirator in plan to kidnap U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Friend of John Wilkes Booth
Spouse
Mary Victorine Hunter
(m. 1872)
Children7
Parent(s)Mary Surratt
John Harrison Surratt
Espionage activity
AllegianceConfederate States of America
Service branchConfederate Secret Service
Rankcourier, spy

John Harrison Surratt Jr. (April 13, 1844 – April 21, 1916) was an American Confederate spy who was accused of plotting with John Wilkes Booth to kidnap U.S. President Abraham Lincoln; he was also suspected of involvement in the Abraham Lincoln assassination. His mother, Mary Surratt, was convicted of conspiracy by a military tribunal and hanged; she owned the boarding house that the conspirators used as a safe house and to plot the scheme.

He eluded arrest following the assassination by fleeing to Canada and then to Europe. He thus avoided the fate of the other conspirators, who were hanged. He served briefly as a Pontifical Zouave but was recognized and arrested. He escaped to Egypt but was eventually arrested and extradited. By the time of his trial, the statute of limitations had expired on most of the potential charges. He was tried in civilian court in 1867 in Washington D.C. and was not convicted due to a hung jury. He was never tried again.

  1. ^ "The Surratt Family Tree – Surratt House Museum". Surrattmuseum.org. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.