Aunt Jenny & The Brooks Family Blood Oath

Southern Gothic

Southern Gothic Media LLC

Society & Culture, History, Documentary, True Crime

4.7 • 980 Ratings

🗓️ 24 June 2026

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

Deep within Alabama's Bankhead National Forest, hidden among the ridges and hollows of the old Black Warrior Mountains, sits the isolated Poplar Springs Cemetery. For generations, locals have claimed the little family graveyard is haunted by the spirit of one of Alabama's most legendary folk figures—a woman whose life became inseparable from stories of blood feuds, vengeance, ghostly hitchhikers, and Civil War violence. They called her Aunt Jenny. Part history and part mountain folklore, the story of Aunt Jenny Brooks Johnston has been passed down across North Alabama for more than a century. It is a tale of tragedy, survival, and a promise made beside the body of a murdered husband that would shape the fate of an entire family for decades to come. Along the way, the legend grew larger than life, blurring the line between documented history and ghost story until Aunt Jenny became one of the most feared—and most celebrated—figures in Southern folklore. This episode is made possible through the support of our sponsors: If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at ⁠⁠⁠https://square.com/go/gothic⁠⁠⁠. Elevate your summer bedding with Quince. Go to ⁠⁠⁠quince.com/sogo⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:13.6	So... Southern Gothic is a podcast that explores the history behind some of the American South's darkest days, greatest mysteries, and most chilling ghost stories. The Poplar Spring Cemetery lies in a small clearing of the thick woods of Alabama's
1:35.3	Bankhead National Forest, an almost forgotten burying ground, so isolated you can't even see it from
1:43.9	the old gravel road that passes by.
1:47.8	There beneath weathered sandstone markers, scattered cedar trees, and layers of fallen leaves
1:55.8	and debris, rest several dozen of the men, women, and children who once called this rugged corner of the
2:04.8	Black Warrior Mountains home.
2:11.1	For centuries, these forests were part of a vast wilderness used by native peoples, including the Cherokee in
2:20.5	Chickasaw, who hunted game, traveled established routes through the mountains, and relied on
2:27.1	the region's streams, springs, and dense woodlands. A presence that can still be felt there today at a handful of historic sites
2:37.7	featuring petroglyphs, prehistoric drawings, and rock carvings.
2:45.0	By the early 19th century, American settlement began steadily pushing into northern Alabama, following a series of
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