Mary Surratt
Introduction


* + - * + - 

**Mary Elizabeth Surratt** (; 1820 or May 1823 – July 7, 1865\) was an American [boarding house](/wiki/Boarding_house "Boarding house") owner in [Washington, D.C.](/wiki/Washington%2C_D.C. "Washington, D.C."), who was convicted of taking part in the [conspiracy](/wiki/Conspiracy_%28crime%29 "Conspiracy (crime)") which led to [the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln](/wiki/Assassination_of_Abraham_Lincoln "Assassination of Abraham Lincoln") in 1865\. Sentenced to death, she was [hanged](/wiki/Hanging "Hanging") and became the first woman [executed](/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_the_United_States_military "Capital punishment by the United States military") by the [U.S. federal government](/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States "Federal government of the United States"). She maintained her innocence until her death, and the case against her was and remains controversial. Surratt was the mother of [John Surratt](/wiki/John_Surratt "John Surratt"), who was later tried in the conspiracy, but was not convicted.

Born in Maryland in the 1820s, Surratt converted to [Catholicism](/wiki/Catholic_Church "Catholic Church") at a young age and remained a practicing Catholic for the rest of her life. She wed John Harrison Surratt in 1840 and had three children with him. An entrepreneur, John became the owner of a tavern, an inn, and a hotel. The Surratts were sympathetic to the [Confederate States of America](/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America "Confederate States of America") and often hosted fellow Confederate sympathizers at their tavern.

Upon her husband's death in 1862, Surratt had to manage his estate. Tired of doing so without help, Surratt moved to her [townhouse](/wiki/Mary_E._Surratt_Boarding_House "Mary E. Surratt Boarding House") in [Washington, D.C.](/wiki/Washington%2C_D.C. "Washington, D.C."), which she then ran as a boardinghouse. There, she was introduced to [John Wilkes Booth](/wiki/John_Wilkes_Booth "John Wilkes Booth"). Booth visited the boardinghouse numerous times, as did [George Atzerodt](/wiki/George_Atzerodt "George Atzerodt") and [Lewis Powell](/wiki/Lewis_Powell_%28conspirator%29 "Lewis Powell (conspirator)"), Booth's co\-conspirators in the Lincoln assassination. Shortly before killing Lincoln, Booth spoke with Surratt and handed her a package containing [binoculars](/wiki/Binoculars "Binoculars") for one of her tenants, [John M. Lloyd](/wiki/John_M._Lloyd "John M. Lloyd").

After Lincoln was assassinated, Surratt was arrested, then tried by a military tribunal the following month, along with the other conspirators. She was convicted primarily due to the testimonies of Lloyd, who said that she told him to have the "shooting irons" ready, and [Louis J. Weichmann](/wiki/Louis_J._Weichmann "Louis J. Weichmann"), who testified about Surratt's relationships with Booth. Five of the nine judges at her trial asked that Surratt be granted [clemency](/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_or_granted_clemency_by_the_President_of_the_United_States "List of people pardoned or granted clemency by the President of the United States") by President [Andrew Johnson](/wiki/Andrew_Johnson "Andrew Johnson") because of her age and sex. Johnson did not grant her clemency, though accounts differ as to whether or not he received the clemency request. Surratt was hanged on July 7, 1865, and later buried in [Mount Olivet Cemetery](/wiki/Mount_Olivet_Cemetery_%28Washington%2C_D.C.%29 "Mount Olivet Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)").


What motivated John Wilkes Booth's actions?