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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

  • Master of Library Science, John Carroll 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:  www.Barbara 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