Speaker's Bureau

Benjamin Frayser, JAGCWRT Commander (“Northeast Ohio’s James A. Garfield.”)

• MBA, Indiana Wesleyan University; BS, Management, Indiana Wesleyan University

  • Life and Times of James A. Garfield (Living Historian as James A. Garfield)

  • Politics of the Civil War

  • Various Civil War Battles, with focuses on Middle Creek, Chattanooga & Chickamauga, and Belmont

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Wayne A. Witkowski, JAGCWRT Vice Commander

• Living Historian – CSA (Aide-de-Camp to General Officers; Rank of Captain)

• Living Historian – USA (Sergeant Major, 42nd OVI; Invalid Corps).

• Various CW Battles, with focus on Gettysburg

• General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

• Life of a CW Soldier

Andrew C.M. Mizsak, JAGCWRT Adjutant

• Master of Applied Politics, The University of Akron

• Graduate Coursework in American History and Government, Ashland University

• BA, Political Science, Bowling Green State University

• Commissioned Colonel on the Staff of the Governor of Kentucky

  • Politics of the Civil War

  • Ohio History and Government

  • History of Congress

  • Vexillology and Heraldry

  • Northeast Ohio Townships

  • James A. Garfield as an Ohio State Senator

  • Presidential History with expertise in the elections of 1860, 1864, 1868, 1872, 1876, 1880; Constitutional History.

  • Life and times of James R. Garfield.

  • Battle of Petersburg; Battle of Cold Harbor; Battle of Gaines Farm

  • CSA General John Bell Hood; USA General Catherinus P. Buckingham

Dana E. Best-Mizsak, JAGCWRT Historian

• Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Anthropology, The University of Akron

  • Archaeology

  • The Ohio and Erie Canal

  • History of Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania

  • The Estate of President James Madison and the Civil War

  • Women in the 19th Century

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Paul E. Pojman, JAGCWRT Librarian

• Bachelor of Arts in English, John Carroll University

• Master of Library Science, Kent State University

  • Ohio Civil War Soldiers

  • Burial Places of 42nd OVI Soldiers

  • Publications

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Anita F. Beneditti, JAGCWRT Secretary (“Northeast Ohio’s Mrs. Garfield.”)

• B.A., Kent State University, Major-Literature, Minor-History

• Member of Lincoln's Generals, Living History Museum Alliance

• Lake View Cemetery Docent & Substitute Guide

  • Living Historian of Lucretia Rudolph Garfield

  • The Life and Times of Lucretia Rudolph Garfield

  • Elizabeth Todd

  • Women in the 19th Century

Emily Griffith

• Living Historian

• Women in the 19th Century

• East Tennessee in the Civil War

Mark Mayo

• Expertise on the life of General Abner Doubleday

• Rounders and the History of Baseball

COL. Edward E. Best, JAGCWRT Chaplain

• Doctor of Medical Dentistry, The University of Pittsburgh

• Doctor of Medical Dentistry, The University of Pennsylvania

• Fellow, International College of Dentistry

• Graduate, Command and General Staff School, US Army

• BS, Washington & Jefferson College

  • Medicine in the Civil War

  • Battle Tactics and Command Strategies

Rev. Dr. Skip Wilson, JAGCWRT Vice Chaplain

• Commanding Officer, 4th Battalion, Provisional Army of the Confederate States

John Spaziani, Living Historian

• Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (BSME): Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, New Jersey)

• Masters of Mechanical Engineering (MSME): State University of New York (Brooklyn, New York)

      - Master of Business Administration (MBA): University of Lynchburg (Lynchburg, Virginia)

      - Master of Arts, Counseling and Human Development (MA): Walsh University (Canton, Ohio)

      - Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)

      - Member, Civil War Heritage Foundation

• General Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General, CSA – The Highest-Ranking Confederate General*

• Timothy Webster, Union Spy*

• Lt. George Erasmus Dixon, Last Captain Confederate submarine, The Hunley*

• Captain Elmer Otis, fourth Cavalry, Chief Mustering Officer, The Lincoln Guard

• Civil War PA Governor Curtin (in progress)

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Gerald M. Payn, Abraham Lincoln Presenter

• M.S., College of Education, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

• B.S., College of Agriculture, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

• Sergeant, Ohio Army National Guard, 1957-1963

• Member, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

• Life Member, National Association of Lincoln Presenters

  • Abraham Lincoln Historian, including first person presentation living historian

  • Historian of the Civil War

  • Can present a “Lincoln/Douglas Debate” with Pastor Ken Hutchinson of North Canton

Marilyn Payn, Mary Todd Lincoln Presenter

Robert Brugler

• Bachelor of Science in Earth Science, Bowling Green State University

• Masters of Science, Natural Resources, The Ohio State University

• The Unknown Lincoln: Stories Seldom Told.   

• Gettysburg; the Battle, the Meaning and the Address.

• Life in the Washington, D.C. during the Civil War.

• The Humor of Abraham Lincoln.

• Ask Abe - An open question and answer session.  Any topic.

• A Press Conference with President Lincoln (questions are available before hand) or questions from the audience are taken.

• The Many Faces of President Lincoln. (PowerPoint presentation & explanations of photos and paintings).

• Abraham Lincoln, the Man Behind the Beard.

• Dinner with the Lincolns (Mrs. Lincoln joins me).

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Barbara Brugler, MSW

• Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Music, Bowling Green State University

• Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University

• Licensed Independent Social Worker

• Solo portrayer of Mary Lincoln and with the President.

• Portrayer of and lecturer on Mary Lincoln at previous events at: 

  • Manassas, VA;

  • James A. Garfield National Historic Site, Mentor, Ohio;

  • The American Civil War Museum of Ohio, Tiffin, Ohio;

  • The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, National Meeting, Sandusky, Ohio;

  • Invited portrayer of Mary Lincoln in Gettysburg; Tiffin.

        Psychotherapist with unique perspective on Mary Lincoln's life.

        Webpage:  Brugler.com,

        Facebook under Visit With Mary Lincoln.

        Topics include:

• Tea with Mary Lincoln - Mary's childhood and life

• Meet Mrs. President Lincoln

• Oh What a Fright -The War Years

• The Lincoln children

• Widow Lincoln

For additional information on these presenters, please email JamesAGarfieldCWRT@gmail.com