If You Knew Susie

The town boycotted the Parker family after they opened their inn because the local residents believed Sam's ancestor was 'America's First Draft Dodger' during the Revolutionary War. This rumor made the Parkers social outcasts in Brookford, where every resident boasted a Revolutionary War ancestor. The boycott intensified until the family was forced to sell their home and auction their antiques.

The town's hostility is established early when the inn's performances draw skeptical attention from residents who view the Parkers as disruptive outsiders.

Junior Parker faced bullying because his ancestor was rumored to be 'America's First Draft Dodger' during the American War of Independence. The other children ridiculed him for this family shame, making his school life difficult and adding to the family's social difficulties in the town.

The bullying begins early in the film and directly stems from the family's disputed Revolutionary War legacy.

While moving a heavy cabinet during the process of selling their home, Sam and Susie discovered a hidden recess in the wall of their 17th-century ancestral house. Inside was a letter addressed to Sam's ancestor from George Washington, thanking him for delivering munitions that supported the Continental Army.

The discovery happens during the forced sale of their home, adding emotional weight to the moment.

The letter thanked Sam's ancestor for his role as a blockade runner who delivered munitions to support the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. It acknowledged his service to the new American government and promised payment of £10,000 with compounded interest to the ancestor or his descendants.

The letter directly contradicts the town's belief that the ancestor was a draft dodger, setting up the family's eventual vindication.

Part of the original letter discovered in the wall was damaged or faded over the centuries, leaving a critical portion unreadable. This illegible section created a mystery about the full details of the payment promise and whether it revealed anything controversial about the ancestor's actions.

Sam and Susie traveled to Washington, D.C. where archivists at the National Archives confirmed the letter's authenticity by matching it against period records. The archivists also discovered a misfiled identical copy of the letter that contained the legible portion of text missing from the Parkers' version, providing complete proof of the payment promise.

The letter promised payment of £10,000 with compounded interest to Sam's ancestor or his descendants. When calculated with compounded interest from the Revolutionary War era to the present day, this amount translates to approximately seven billion dollars in modern terms, making it an enormous fortune.

Once the media picked up the story of the verified letter and the promised fortune of billions of dollars, criminals became interested in exploiting the Parkers for the money. The family faced security risks from those seeking to steal or manipulate the inheritance, forcing them to consider legal and protective measures.

The film ends with a happy resolution where the Parkers receive their inherited fortune, vindicating their family's name and providing financial security. The discovery transforms them from ostracized outcasts to celebrated figures, though the exact final decision about the money is set up as a pivotal choice in the climactic moments.