About this episode

Kelli discusses the notorious Bender family, a serial killer group from Kansas during the post-civil war era.

Join Kelli as she talks about a serial killer out of Kansas in the post-civil war era. Taking advantage of westward expansion and a tense climate, the Bender family - Ma, Pa, John, and Kate - were responsible for the murders of at least 11 people... including an 18-month-old baby girl. Today we explore their dark, dingy, bug-infested cabin to find out what happened to these weary travelers on the Great Osage Trail, looking for a homestead plot and a better life, who happened to be in the wron...

People in this episode

Host: Kelli Beard

Topics covered

• serial killers
• Kansas history
• post-civil war
• westward expansion
• Bender family
• murder
• Great Osage Trail

Keywords

• Bender family
• serial killer
• Kansas
• post-civil war
• Great Osage Trail
• murders
• history

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Kansas, Great Osage Trail

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the A Popular History of Unpopular Things podcast page.