We explore the mysterious deaths of Thomas Jefferson’s sister Elizabeth and her enslaved body servant Little Sall, who both drowned just days after the first recorded earthquake in Virginia’s history. We also dig into how Elizabeth’s apparent intellectual disabilities were handled by biographies over the years.

Show notes and sources (like Susan Kern’s The Jeffersons at Shadwell) detailed at plodpod.com

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Elizabeth Jefferson's Earthquake Drowning

Join history blogger Howard Dorre and his wife Jessica Dorre for a deep irreverent dive into lesser-known stories of the early American presidents. They dig into the myths, mysteries, scandals, and drama of the founders and their families, with a dash of marital banter.

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Learn more about Kurt Deion at presidentialgravehunter.com and kurtshistoricsites.com
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Presidential Grave Hunter with Kurt Deion

We dig into the powerful, hypnotic charisma—the rizz—of Vice President Aaron Burr, specifically two events in March 1805 that showed his mesmerizing effect on those around him.
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Special thanks to Gwen Fries, author of The Beehive blog post Sympathy for the Devil: John Quincy Adams's Brush with Aaron Burr
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The Undeniable Rizz of Aaron Burr

We welcome Emmy and Peabody award winning screenwriter and producer Kirk Ellis to the show to talk about his work adapting Apple's new series Franklin as well as HBO's John Adams series. We dig into the rich characters and settings of Franklin, what Michael Douglas brings to the role of Benjamin Franklin, and what it was like adapting David McCullough’s book John Adams and Stacy Schiff’s book A Great Improvisation—including the scenes Ellis and the authors disagreed about.
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Adapting Franklin & John Adams with Kirk Ellis

We dig into the centuries-old mystery of a cornerstone in Mount Vernon’s cellar that inspired a pivotal prop in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Then we hunt for the truth behind that prop’s role in a battle between Hollywood and historical accuracy. Along the way we explore The War of Jenkins’ Ear, what the War of 1812 smelled like, and what happened when air conditioning came to Mount Vernon.
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Mount Vernon's Stone of Secrets

This is the story of one man with big dreams who wanted to turn George Washington's Mount Vernon into a stop on his massive proposed theme park—a Disneyland on the Potomac named "The Spirit of America." In the 1960s and 70s, Joseph I. Goldstein was called the greatest threat to Mount Vernon since the British navy, and we dig into his wild plot and how the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, his neighbors, the government, and all the elements of nature joined forces to stop him.
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Elizabeth Jefferson's Earthquake Drowning

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