Speakers & Unique Period Impressions
Special Features:
Speakers & Unique Period Impressions
This list will be updated as additional individuals join our event .
2008 Living Historians & Subject Matter Experts
I am an authentic Civil War Period photographer. I do Ferrotypes (tintypes), ambrotypes and
glass plate negatives using the 19th century collodion wet plate process.
Ive been doing this for going on 11 years and have had one of my images on the cover of
National Geographic in 2005. I will have a large skylight tent setup to do studio-type portraits of
reenactors. I have an authentic setup and, therefore, I do not provide clothing for spectators
to dress in. I only take images of reenactors. I do charge for this and prices will be on
display and vary with the size of the image. The reenactors will be able to take the images home
with them. I process them on the spot just as they did back then. It would be best for any reenactor
wanting an image to come see me as early as possible and get their name on my schedule. I can get
pretty busy at some events.
My web site is www.cwreenactors.com/collodion.
Darrel Draper, a fifth generation Nebraskan, retired Navy Officer, and graduate of the
University of Nebraska at Omaha, uses his talents as a storyteller and actor to educate
and entertain. He has performed for national and state government agencies, museums, schools,
youth groups, festivals, and is a popular banquet and luncheon speaker. Darrel specializes
in costumed portrayals of historical figures that played major roles in the events that
shaped our state and nation. Having personally retraced thousands of miles of the
Lewis and Clark Trail by canoe and on foot, Darrel is considered an expert on the history
of the expedition. His George Drouillard reenactment has received standing ovations from
coast to coast. Audience members themselves are invited onto the stage during the presentation
to dramatize various episodes of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Darrel is the most requested
performer on the Nebraska Humanities Council's Speakers Bureau. He and his wife, JoAnne,
live in Omaha. Darrel can be reached at (402) 553-8117 or
PeterSarpy@aol.com.
Darrel Draper comes to us because of a grant from the
Humanities Iowa Speakers' Bureau
and a donation by the Lamoni Public Library.
George Drouillard: Hunter, Interpreter, and Sign Talker for Lewis and Clark Drouillard
Half-French and half-Shawnee Indian, he was the most valuable member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
When the two Captains needed someone who could shoot straight, talk to Indians who had never
seen white men before, provide the 400 pounds of game needed each day, bring back a deserter,
or stand his ground in the face of a wounded and raging grizzly bear, they almost always chose
this amazing frontiersman. Adapted from the James Alexander Thom novel, Sign-Talker,
this 45 minutes presentation, in full costume and French accent gives the audience a taste of
Shawnee culture and spiritualism as you join Drouillard in the excitement of the
Lewis & Clark Expedition.
Joining Professor I.M. Savage in his Medicine Show is a rousing musical performer
and the most Renowned Professor Gibson, Phrenologist.
Professor I. M. Savage will provide entertainment and a cure for almost any disease with his
“Swamp Root Tonic.” The Medicine Show will also feature a musical soloist and phrenology readings
by renowned Professor Gibson. (Phrenology is the science of “reading” the brain based on the
shape of a person’s head, a popular practice in the 19th Century). The good professor and his
associates can be seen at The Living History Farm in Des Moines on an occasional basis and
when not fleeing from the authorities.
These living historians present an American Indian impression that is both true to
traditional values and that honors and maintains those traditional values. Look for their
magnificent teepee just outside of the Town Square at the encampment.
This Indian family – Joe Billy is mixed blood white & Ioway, Rain Woman is full-blooded
Blackfoot & Inuit, and Windy Star Hides the Moon is their 12 year old daughter -
resides in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Ben Ramirez has been a living historian since 2000. He is a member of the 15th Iowa
Volunteer Infantry reenacting unit and regularly volunteers at the Iowa State Historical Society
in Des Moines. He actively assists in the promotion of the Iowa Battle Flags Project, which is a
years-long effort to conserve numerous Iowa Civil War battle flags. A traveling display of this
project can be seen in the Lamoni Public Library before, during, and after the Labor Day weekend.
Much of Ben's original research & personal journey has been to follow the route of Iowa units
during the Civil War and to make the modern public aware of what battles they fought in and
what their final destinies were.
In modern life, Ben is Senior Master Sergeant Ben Ramirez and a member of the Iowa Air National
Guard where he performs duties as a Training Superintendent. Ben is currently completing his
licensing program as a lay-minister and serves protestant churches throughout central Iowa.
Ben Ramirez will retire from the National Guard in 2011 and looks forward to pursuing his ministry
fulltime.
Attending Lamoni's Civil War Days again in 2008, this group of "campaigners" will be
conducting living history activities at the Encampment. This year they are portraying
Missouri Confederate soldiers who were sent to fight east of the Mississippi. They carry no
specific unit designation because their impression is intended to represent many units that served.
What makes this group of living historians unique is the depth of research and detail
displayed in their Confederate impressions. Their goal is to provide us today with an experience
that includes sight, sound, feel, taste, and manners of the Civil War era, thereby enhancing our
knowledge of our ancestors’ experience. This experience enriches what we know about our American
heritage.
Their bivouac, or camp, will look like a confederate infantry “mess” on a military
campaign. A ''campaign" meant either actively pursuing or being pursued by enemy troops. It also
meant impending hostile engagements with that enemy. Campaigners were tough men. Not only would they
march 15-25 miles per day but they did this while carrying all their worldly possessions on their
backs. These soldiers quickly became very self-sufficient and carried only what they needed to
survive, discarding anything non-essential.
Starting with the initial material selection, all clothing, footwear, and equipment is extensively
researched and specially reproduced to strict period standards – right down to the clothing fibers,
buttons, buckles, thread, patterns and hand-stitching. When compared side by side, this clothing
is intended to look and feel precisely the same as the original garments and equipment.
The group is drawn predominantly from the Kansas City area. Various members appear at local
battlefields and historic sites, do volunteer work for the National Park Service Battlefield Parks,
and conduct educational programs for school children. Many are regular performers in several
historical movies.
William Morris is an active historian and, along with his brother, is the 3rd generation
to practice law in the Morris & Morris Law Firm in Des Moines. His historical writings have
been published individually (“In Defense of the Nation: Black Iowans at War, 1863-1991”),
in anthologies (the “Military History” portion of Outside In: African American History in Iowa)
published by the Iowa State Historical Society, and in articles in the Wall Street Journal and
the Des Moines Register. He has lectured on Black History at the grout Museum and served as an
Adjunct Professor in Iowa and in Florida teaching African-American History and National Terrorism
Preparedness, respectively.
Mister Morris is a past Director and VP of the Fort Des Moines
Black Officers Memorial and an Associate Member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
He attended the University of Iowa as both an undergraduate student (B.A. Political Science cum laude,
History minor) and a graduate student (College of Law, J.D).
George W and Diane Bernheimer have been involved in Civil War reenacting and living history
presentations since 1995 and in Kansas Territorial living history presentations since 2004.
George's Civil War portrayals include George Templeton Strong, New York lawyer and Treasurer of
the United States Sanitary Commission during the Civil War. Diane's portrayals include
Mrs Catherine Dix, wife of General James A Dix, of the Women’s Central Association of Relief.
Together they portray Field Relief volunteers with the US Sanitary Commission. Their Territorial
Kansas impressions include the portrayal of Reverend Thomas Johnson, founder of the Shawnee Indian
Mission School and his wife, Sarah, and the combined portrayals of emigrants
with the New England Emigrant Aid Society arriving in Kansas Territory with the spring party of 1855.
They are members of the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry (Civil War) The Lecompton Reenactors
(Territorial Kansas) and are listed with the Civil War Preservation Trust as Classroom Visitors.
Their “first person” portrayals of the people of our history are presented individually and as
part of the larger groups to schools, civic groups, Church groups, historical interest groups,
and as part of living history programs at historical sites and other living history venues.
Their web site is www.lvnghstry.org,
their email is lvnghstry@usa.com, and
their blog is found at http://Lvnghstry.blogspot.com.
Roy McClure from Independence Mo. born and raised in Western Kentucky, has been playing
Banjo for more years then he can remember, loves the Old Timey songs and plays banjo in the
Clawhammer style. Has been making gourd Banjos for two years, the body's are made from
Canteen Gourds, with goat skin heads, hand made necks from hardwoods, Walnut ,Cherry,
Mahogany , they are a fretless instrument, with Nygut strings, pattern after the early Banjos
played during the War Between the States. Spoons are made from any type wood that looks
interesting, finished with beeswax, that brings out the grain and color the of the wood.
and are safe to use around food. Canteens are made from small gourds, that are cleaned and
sealed inside with Beeswax, the gourd encircled by Cotton a strap, and held in place by a leather
thong. Canteens of this type were used in the war, mostly by the Southern Forces.
Old Kentuckian Banjos, plant a seed, pick a banjo.
Deborah Kepple-Mamros is Assistant Professor of History at Graceland University, Lamoni, IA.
She earned her BA in History and Political Science at Washington & Jefferson College,
Washington, PA. She later received an MA in Later Medieval Studies at Royal Holloway,
University of London, UK and is currently completing her Ph.D dissertation in Early Modern
Religious History also at Royal Holloway, University of London. She has previously taught at
Millersville University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Washington & Jefferson College.
Mark Dorr is an experienced and accomplished living historian. He portrays a Blacksmith who has
been blacksmithing for over 20 years. Mark and his family live in Leon, Iowa.
Mark first became interested in the trade through his interest in history, where he met a
Blacksmith at a reenactment. He learned the trade and blacksmithed as a hobby for the next
several years. His love for blacksmithing has taken him and his family all over the United
States for demonstrations and trainings, and also allowed him to live and work in
Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Mark had the privilege of working in the Blacksmith Shop at Living History Farms in West Des Moines,
Iowa for several years before starting his own business.
Mark continues blacksmithing as a hobby as he pursues other business ventures, and currently
lives in Leon with his wife, Tonia and children, Chris and Chloe. Mark was born and raised in
North Central Iowa where he enjoys going back to demonstrate for special events, such as the
Antique Power and Tractor Show in his hometown, Belmond, Iowa.
Linda & Chuck Graves live and farm just outside of Osceola, Iowa.
She is 1st generation American from Germany on her mother's side, 2nd on her father's.
"I became interested in spinning 7 years ago as it is a big part of my family history.
My maternal grandmother spun her own dowry of linen textiles and that side of the family
was woodworkers, particularly noted for their spinning wheels. My motivation was to
continue the craft of spinning in my family. I have a collection of antique wheels."
Linda will spin wool at the reenactment and she will demonstrate the process from raw wool to
the finished garment. She will also display antique linen fabric and some articles of clothing
along with the tools necessary to create them. Her display will include flax, both in plant form
and in the ready-to-spin state. Along with cotton and silk, she will display silk cocoons similar to
those that pioneer women grew in the mid to late 1800's.
Linda is a state employee in the Clarke County Clerk of Court's office. She and Chuck have
2 children and 2 grandsons.
John and Anna Knapp grew up in Appanoose County. They met in Centerville high school and were
married in June of 1946 shortly after John's discharge from the Navy. They moved to Ames and
attended Iowa State University where John studied horticulture. John worked for Henry Field
Seed and Nursery Co. for 18 years before establishing his own greenhouse business. After selling
their greenhouse business, they purchased a pasture farm in Decatur Co. and moved their 100 head
of Angus cattle on it.
John became interested in country music and returned to playing his fiddle. Anna learned a
few chords on the baritone uke to accompany John's fiddling. They enjoy playing for senior
groups and nursing homes.
This husband and wife team have been demonstrating at reenactments for years. Jeff uses
period tools and techniques to work metal, and his tinware and copperware are available for purchase
at the Encampment. Betty, in a seperate display, will demonstrate the art of candle wicking.
Helen Boertje, from Pella, Iowa, will demonstrate heritage rug braiding. Helen taught herself
this New England style of rug braiding at age 15. She teaches classes and estimates that she has
made at least 300 rugs, including many room size rugs. The craft of rug braiding was practiced by
people of many nationalities. It helped to warm the floor and brighten the rooms of settlers
as they moved west. The craft came to Iowa with the earliest settlers.
Esther Everett, from Oskaloosa, Iowa, will demonstrate how early pioneers used cornhusks
to make chair seats: before settlers had access to rush,
they twisted corn husks into a rope-like material to create chair seats,
and Esther shows us how they did it. Ester has demonstrated her unusually engaging and educational craft
at Living History Farms for 35 years.
Virginia Wadsley of Des Moines, will demonstrate rug braiding, weaving, and knotting techniques.
Virginia learned rug braiding as a volunteer at the 1900 Farm at Living History Farms.
Rag rugs were a popular form of home decoration during the Colonial and Settlement periods
of American history. They not only had the practicality of recycling old clothes and
blankets and creating home furnishings, but also were a creative outlet for the people
who made them.
Bob Boots from Atlantic, Iowa, will demonstrate period rope making and wood carving.
There is evidence that traces rope making as for back as 17,000 B.C.E.
Bob often demonstrates his skills at the Living History Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Subject Matter Experts from Previous Years
Using photographs, reference works, and numerous samples of reproduction fabrics, historian,
Jean Warren, will educate us on the evolution of prints, designs, and colors appropriate to
the 19th century and specifically to the era of the Civil War.
This one-hour program is designed to be hands-on and interactive. Discussion is encouraged and
attendees are welcome to closely examine the numerous samples available. Jean will show how
textiles changed from the beginning of the century through the Civil War and will also use reproduction
feed-sack material of the 1930’s to show what is not historically accurate for the 1800’s.
This program has been presented to reenactors, museum groups and historical societies, including
Friends of the Anderson House (Lexington State Historic Site, Missouri) and Genesee Country Village
and Museum annual reenactment (Mumford, New York).
Bio: Jean Warren and her husband, Del, own James Country Mercantile in downtown Liberty, Missouri.
It is one of the largest sutleries in existence, offering a full line of historically accurate goods,
custom sewing, research, consultation, and associated services.
For more information, see their listing under "Sutlers" on this site and go to
James Country Mercantile in Liberty, Missouri.