John Brassard Jr
The Kitchen Table Historian
"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
About
John Brassard Jr. is the author, host, and podcaster behind the Kitchen Table Historian brand. Since 2016, he has soared to ever greater heights and plumbed the darkest depths of history to bring you the stories that your grandma didn’t want to tell you. Come here to learn more about the man behind the brand.

Services
Publications
Click here to learn more about John's ever-expanding number of books and articles.
Podcast
Click here to learn about more about the Kitchen Table Historian podcast, telling you about the tales of true crime, the supernatural, and the bizarre that your grandma didn't want you to hear.
Videos
Click here to learn more about John's historical videos and how to listen to his podcast on YouTube.
Speaking
Click here to learn more about John's public speaking engagements.
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Blog
Episode 112: The Icebox Murders
In 1965, two police officers knocked on the door of...
Read MoreThe Icebox Murders
Officer Charles Bullock knocked loudly on the front door...
Read MoreEpisode 111: Dark Day at the Fair: The Murder of Bobie and Marilyn Blewer
In 1996, Bobie and Marilyn Blewer, professional food vendors from...
Read MoreDark Day at the Fair: The Murder of Bobie and Marilyn Blewer
Standing in the hot Florida sun, Jerimy realized that he...
Read MoreEpisode 110: Fire, Murder, and Spirits: The Last Days of the Claypool Hotel
When it was built in 1903, the Claypool Hotel was...
Read MoreFire, Murder, and Spirits: The Last Days of the Claypool Hotel
Bates House had to go. It was beautiful and...
Read MoreEpisode 109: The Murder of Dorothy Poore: The Girl in the Drawer
In 1954, two maids found a horrible odor coming from...
Read MoreThe Murder of Dorothy Poore: The Girl in the Drawer
Dorothy Poore was nervous. She knew that there were...
Read MoreThe Murder of Maoma Ridings
Lillian McNamara wondered how many times she had checked...
Read MoreEpisode 108: The Murder of Maoma Ridings
Maoma Ridings had joined the United States Army during World...
Read MoreEpisode 107: The Truck Stop Killer: Robert Ben Rhodes
In 1990, a highway patrolman in Arizona stopped to check...
Read MoreThe Truck Stop Killer: Robert Ben Rhodes
The young teenager was ecstatic. Her and her boyfriend...
Read MoreEpisode 106: Delivery Driver Has Premonition of Terrible Accident; Proven Right By Flaming Car and Bodies on Ground
In January of 1926, Ed Rinebold was driving his normal...
Read MoreDelivery Driver Has Premonition of Terrible Accident; Proven Right By Flaming Car and Bodies on Ground
Ed Rinebold drove his delivery truck carefully down the icy...
Read MoreEpisode 105: What Caused the Great Corning, Iowa Fire of 1896?
On the night of October 9, 1896, the town of...
Read MoreWhat caused the Great Corning, Iowa Fire of 1896?
Fall had settled into the rolling hills of Adams County...
Read MoreEpisode 104: Percy Smith: A “…Cold, Calculated, Premediated Murder.”
No one had seen Percy Smith since he had gone...
Read MorePercy Smith: A “…Cold, Calculated, Premediated Murder.”
Eulalia Smith had been worried about her husband since...
Read MoreEpisode 103: Andreas Bichel: A Fortune Told In Blood
Christine Leidel thought the fortune teller seemed nice enough, but...
Read MoreAndreas Bichel: A Fortune Told In Blood
Catherine had been a bit stand-offish when the fortune...
Read MoreEpisode 102: Donald Studey: The Monster of Green Hollow?
In 2007, a woman contacted the press with a startling...
Read MoreDonald Studey: The Monster of Green Hollow?
Some say that there was a monster in Green...
Read MoreEpisode 101: The Murder of Fay Lewis
Swede and Fay Lewis had always been a stormy one,...
Read MoreThe Murder of Fay Lewis
Fayette, or Fay for short, was 17 years old...
Read MoreBeyond Recognition: What Started the St. Elizabeth’s Fire?
The fire had started at around 2 a.m. in...
Read MoreEpisode 100: Beyond Recognition: What Started the St. Elizabeth’s Fire?
In this, the second part of the tragic story of...
Read MoreEpisode 99: Plain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950
In the early hours of January 7, 1950, flames illuminated...
Read MorePlain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950
Lucille Kalloway checked the clock. It was just before...
Read MoreEpisode 98: Haunted Christmas: The Death of Earl Albert Nead
Earl Albert Nead was born on November 13, 1937. By...
Read MoreHaunted Christmas: The Death of Earl Albert Nead
On Christmas Eve, 1937, Gertrude and Willard Shaw were at...
Read MoreTwisted to Death
Line shaft technology may have revolutionized industry, but they posed...
Read MoreTwisted to Death
Frank Nead smiled, his shoes slapping hard on the concrete...
Read MoreFit of Rage: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story Podcast
Jesse Stanbridge was just another railroad cop doing his job...
Read MoreFit of Rage: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story
Jesse Stanbridge’s breath came in a plume as the bitter...
Read MoreEpisode 95: Depths of Despair: A Murder/Suicide Plot in Iowa
Mary Stewart had died too young, and her husband, William,...
Read MoreDepths of Despair: A Murder/Suicide Plot in Iowa
Mary was gone, and there was no bringing her...
Read MoreEpisode 94: Experiences With the Beyond: The Halloween 2022 Episode
Happy Halloween, everyone! For our Halloween episode this year, I’ll...
Read MoreExperiences From Beyond: The Halloween 2022 Special
Historians are keepers of the stories of the dead. I...
Read MoreEpisode 93: Is This Former Iowa Mortuary Now a Haunted Radio Station?
The Rock and Roll Mansion in Davenport, Iowa, is a...
Read MoreIs This Former Iowa Mortuary Now a Haunted Radio Station?
Emma Harvey had lived a good life, but now...
Read MoreEpisode 92: Did Dr. William Stoecks Keep His Routine After His Death?
Dr. William Stoecks was a dedicated physician and surgeon, treating...
Read MoreDid Dr. William Stoecks Keep His Routine After His Death?
Davenport, Iowa, has played host to several strange events over...
Read MoreEpisode 91: Why Did Amelia Rohwedder Jump from Her Hospital Window?
Amelia Rohwedder was a middle-aged woman recovering from heart problems....
Read MoreWhy Did Amelia Rohwedder Jump from Her Hospital Window?
After the American Civil War, Davenport, Iowa was a rapidly...
Read MoreThe Abandoned Truck
Ever find yourself in a situation where your instincts just...
Read MoreEpisode 90: The Abandoned Truck
Ever find yourself in a situation where your instincts scream...
Read MoreEpisode 89: What Walks the Haunted Halls of Quarters One?
Quarters One has sat on Arsenal Island for 150 years....
Read MoreWhat Walks the Haunted Halls of Quarters One?
The aide walked through the third floor of the house,...
Read MoreEpisode 88: Man Receives Bomb in Mail; Loses Hand and Part of Arm
James Chapman and his wife, Clementine, had no idea who...
Read MoreMan Receives Bomb in Mail; Loses Hand and Part of Arm
James Chapman walked out onto the porch to greet...
Read MoreEpisode 87: Did a Murdered Woman’s Screams Haunt A River Town Home?
Jim Arpy was a veteran reporter who loved a great...
Read MoreDid a Murdered Woman’s Screams Haunt A River Town Home?
Hampton, Illinois is a quiet river town nestled into the...
Read MorePastor’s Wives Charred Remains Found in Parsonage Furnace
When the Reverend Clarence Valentine Sheatsley walked into his...
Read MoreEpisode 86: Pastor’s Wives Charred Remains Found in Parsonage Furnace
When Reverend Clarence Sheatsley found his wife, Addie, in the...
Read MoreEpisode 85: Man Uses Train to Sever Own Head
In this short story, the assembled crowd at the Saunders,...
Read MoreMan Uses Train to Sever Own Head
Competition amongst growing cities on the Midwestern frontier could be...
Read MoreEpisode 84: William Engelberg’s Wives Commit Suicide Only A Few Years Apart
William Engelberg was probably looking for a better life when...
Read MoreWilliam Engelberg’s Wives Commit Suicide Only A Few Years Apart
When William Engelberg came to America, he was probably...
Read MoreEpisode 83: Was the 1962 Crash of Flight 11 Really An Accident?
In 1962, Continental Airlines Boeing 707 Flight 11 crashed in...
Read MoreWas the 1962 Crash of Flight 11 Really An Accident?
It was just another day for James Clarity. He...
Read MoreEpisode 82: Gayno Smith Massacres Five People in Southern Iowa
While investigators were dealing with a devastating plane crash near...
Read MoreGayno Smith Massacres Five People in Southern Iowa
Carefully, the fireman removed the man from the fuselage. He...
Read MoreEpisode 81: Two Mass Murders Claim Iowa Families Only Two Months Apart
As the Great Depression gripped the nation, two mass murders...
Read MoreTwo Mass Murders Claim Iowa Families Only Two Months Apart
August is always hot in Iowa. The sun beats...
Read MoreEpisode 80: Who Killed Thaddeus Fancher?
All Thaddeus Fancher wanted to do was have a drink....
Read MoreWho Killed Thaddeus Fancher?
All Thaddeus S. Fancher wanted to do was have...
Read MoreEpisode 79: The Accused Poisoner: Bernice Zalimas
In 1924, Bernice Zalimas was accused of poisoning her husband...
Read MoreThe Accused Poisoner: Bernice Zalimas
Bernice Martikonis was young when she first came to America,...
Read MoreEpisode 78: Suicide and Steam: A Family Tragedy
During an almost ten-year period, the Botkin family faced two...
Read MoreSuicide and Steam: A Family Tragedy
Have you ever sat and watched people? I mean, not...
Read MoreEpisode 77: The Perfect Crime: The Trial of Frank Loomis
In this continuation, we find that Dr. Frank Loomis has...
Read MoreThe Perfect Crime: The Trial of Dr. Frank Loomis
On February 22, 1927, Dr. Frank Loomis left his home...
Read MoreEpisode 76: The Perfect Crime: The Murder of Grace Loomis
In 1927, Detroit police were convinced that Dr. Frank Loomis...
Read MoreThe Perfect Crime: The Murder of Grace Loomis
I’ve always been fond of going for long walks. When...
Read MoreEpisode 75: Miss Edna’s Surprise Guest: A KTH Short Story
Ever been afraid of a stranger hiding in your house?...
Read MoreMiss Edna’s Surprise Guest: A KTH Short Story
At one point when I was in college, I lived...
Read MoreEpisode 74: The House on the Hill: The Haunted History of the W.P. Bettendorf Mansion
The mansion was a secret hidden in plain sight, overlooking...
Read MoreThe House on the Hill: The Haunted History of the W.P. Bettendorf Mansion
The mansion was a secret hidden in plain sight. Situated...
Read MoreEpisode 73: The Ball: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story
In 1912, a horrific murder took place in Villisca, Iowa....
Read MoreThe Ball: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story
Villisca is a sleepy town in southwest Iowa. While there’s...
Read MoreA KTH Short Story: Music from Beyond
When you wander around the dark by yourself for hours...
Read MoreEpisode 72: KTH Shortcast: Music from Beyond
In this short story that your grandma didn’t want you...
Read MoreEpisode 71: The Body on the Island: The Final Days of Margaret Treese
In 1947, a woman’s mutilated body was found on...
Read MoreThe Body on the Island: The Final Days of Margaret Treese
George Whitbeck pointed to the patch of grass where he...
Read MoreEpisode 70: The Body in the River: A 1911 Murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana
When two children found a body floating in the river,...
Read MoreThe Body in the River: A 1911 Murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana
When Steve Lanigan first saw the bloated shape floating in...
Read MoreEpisode 69: The Missing Bell – The Clinton County, Iowa Courthouse War
Courthouses were a big boost for the economies of frontier...
Read MoreThe Missing Bell – The Clinton County, Iowa Courthouse War
Courthouses are, without a doubt, iconic structures within our civilized...
Read MoreEpisode 67: A Debt Unpaid: The Murder of John David
John David owed Arvid Helloian a debt. Arvid was content...
Read MoreA Debt Unpaid: The Murder of John David
It was cold that early February morning as the...
Read MoreEpisode 67: Small Town Secrets: The Death of Olive Funk
When Olive Funk was killed, nearly everyone saw it happen....
Read MoreSmall Town Secrets: The Death of Olive Funk
The handgun glinted in the sun, shaking slightly...
Read MoreEpisode 66: Obsession: The Murder of Grace Reed
In 1906, everyone loved Grace Reed. Everyone wanted to be...
Read MoreObsession: The Murder of Grace Reed
It was a beautiful evening, Grace Reed thought. She...
Read MoreEpisode 65: The Stoic Farmer: The Gilbert Family Murders, Part II
In 1940, a burning car in rural South Dakota held...
Read MoreThe Stoic Farmer: The Gilbert Family Murders, Part II
Warning: This material contains content that may be sensitive...
Read MoreThe Quiet House: The Gilbert Family Slayings
Guy Gilbert was probably a little surprised when his...
Read MoreEpisode 64: The Quiet House: The Gilbert Family Slayings
Guy Gilbert returned to his South Dakota home to find...
Read MoreEpisode 63: Wolves Like Sheep: The Murder of Mary Schultz
Mary Schultz was a young, well-educated 20-year-old with her whole...
Read MoreWolves Like Sheep: The Murder of Mary Schultz
After a long, cold winter, spring had finally arrived...
Read MoreEpisode 62: Table Scraps Short Stories, Vol. 3: Accidents Will Happen
Another collection of short tales from Midwest history, Volume 3...
Read MoreTable Scraps Short Stories, Vol. 3: Accidents Will Happen
I’ve always been fascinated by the little stories, the...
Read MoreEpisode 61: Does Bessie Moore Haunt Wepp’s Tavern After Her Murder?
Shortly before Christmas 1946, 35-year-old Bessie Moore trip to bake...
Read MoreDoes Bessie Moore Haunt Wepp’s Tavern After Her Murder?
Bessie smiled to herself as she carefully wrapped her cookie...
Read MoreEpisode 60: Poisoned Chocolate: The Nehlsen Murder/Suicide of 1910
Heartrending events in the life of Margaretha Nehlsen had brought...
Read MorePoisoned Chocolate: The Nehlsen Murder/Suicide of 1910
Starting in about 1820 and ending at the turn...
Read MoreEpisode 59: ‘Call Me Randy:’ The Soft-Spoken Killer
Mary Schlais was murdered on a cold February morning in...
Read More‘Call Me Randy:’ The Soft-Spoken Killer
When the residents of Dunn County, Wisconsin woke up...
Read MoreEpisode 58: One Bad Ride: The Murder of Mary Schlais
Mary Schlais was a beautiful young artist with her...
Read MoreOne Bad Ride: The Murder of Mary Schlais
The young woman walked slowly along the shoulder of the...
Read MoreEpisode 57: Steam and Fury: The Lansing Steamboat Disaster of 1867
Steamboats are an iconic part of the history of...
Read MoreSteam and Fury: The Lansing Steamboat Disaster of 1867
The Mississippi River, despite its nickname the “Big Muddy,”...
Read MoreDeath Curve: The Legend of Julia Markham
The first time that I remember hearing about a place...
Read MoreEpisode 56: Death Curve: The Legend of Julia Markham
The Death Curve of Cambridge, Illinois, will forever be linked...
Read MoreEpisode 25: Horace and Geneva: The Wrong Way to Fix a Marriage
Horace and Geneva’s marriage began to fall apart for all...
Read MoreHorace and Geneva: The Wrong Way to Fix a Marriage
Living with another person is not always an easy thing....
Read MoreFancy Shoes: The Bizarre Fate of Big Nose George
When I was growing up, western movies were just starting...
Read MoreContact
Need more information? Send me an email or drop me a line. I don’t bite!
- brassardjohn@yahoo.com