Speakers Bureau

The Montgomery County Historical Society is pleased to offer the services of our Speakers Bureau for your organization's meeting. This service is for business & professional groups, neighborhood associations, senior centers, clubs, schools, religious institutions & other organized groups throughout Montgomery County and the D.C. metro area.

To schedule a speaker: Please call Clarence Hickey at (301) 340-2825. Speakers are community historians and professionals trained in local history and public speaking. Presentations can range from 30 to 45 minutes in length. A contribution of $35 is requested.

 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORY SPEAKER'S BUREAU TOPICS:

GENERAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORY

Montgomery County: A Rich History
Speaker: William Offutt
This slide lecture provides an overview of the county's past and its people from the era of Indian settlements to today's urban-suburban development. The lecture is illustrated with slides which evoke the past and indicate the vast changes in the county.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY TOWNS, PEOPLE & PLACES

An Introduction to Montgomery County History
Speaker: William Offutt
Introduction to County history; a slide show review of local history from colonial days to the present with an emphasis on both people and places, especially in the era of the streetcar suburbs.

Bethesda and Chevy Chase
Speaker: William Offutt
A comparison of the growth and development as well as interaction of the two suburbs with selected slides.

Scandals and Mysteries of Chevy Chase
Speaker: William Offutt
Everything from where did the money come from to where did the castle go – a look at some events, both serious and otherwise.

The History of Gaithersburg, Maryland
Speaker: Judith Christensen

The History of Germantown, Maryland
Speaker: Susan Soderberg

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Rockville: Rockville in the 1920's
Speaker: Eileen McGuckian
A look at the small town America's favorite writer knew in the 1920's, with an explanation of how F. Scott Fitzgerald came to be buried in Rockville --twice!

The History of Rockville Pike: A 300 Year Journey
Speaker: Eileen McGuckian
Using historic and contemporary photographs, local historian Eileen McGuckian presents a tour of the Rockville Pike from its beginnings as a Native American path to the "Golden Mile".

Rockville, Maryland: 250 Years of History
Speaker: Eileen McGuckian

Rockville's Victorian Heritage
Speaker: Judith Christensen

Stories from Rockville’s Underground Railroad
Speaker: Maude McGovern
Hear about Josiah Henson (the model for the title character of Uncle Tom’s Cabin) who risked all for freedom.  Find out about the young Ann Maria Weems who escaped slavery in Rockville dressed as a coachman and whose story vividly illustrates the twists and turns of ongoing research on the Underground Railroad.  Learn about two sisters from a prominent Rockville family who exemplify the differences between slaveholders.

The Loughborough Family of Montgomery County
Speaker: James Johnston
For 162 years, the Loughboroughs were one of the most prominent families in Washington and southern Montgomery County. Nathan Loughborough was a Quaker, working for the Treasury Department in Philadelphia, who moved here with the government in 1800. After he left government, he applied his financial expertise on the board of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank in Georgetown, the C&O Canal Company, and the Washington (Rockville) Turnpike. He owned twin townhouses in Georgetown, a 250-acre estate in northwest Washington called Grasslands, an 800-acre tobacco farm in Bethesda called Milton, and an estate in Middleburg, Virginia that later became the famous Melon farm there. Loughboro Road and Loughborough Lane are named for him. Later generations of the family fought in the Civil War on the Confederate side and aided the Confederacy. They also left memoirs of those times.

Montgomery's County Prehistory:
A 12,000 Year Story
Speaker: Heather Bouslog

Montgomery County Gold Mine History
Speaker: Walter Goetz
Walt presents a slide show and talk about the gold mines that were prevalent in Montgomery County, beginning in 1865 and continuing off and on until 1959. His talk includes interesting anecdotes and historical facts of this little known piece of County history. Walt draws from his collection, the largest in existence, of Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia documents, photographs and personal interviews with former local gold miners. He has authored 3 books on this subject: Maryland Gold Fever, Montgomery (MD) Gold Fever, and Fairfax (VA) Gold Fever.

Archaeological Sites in Montgomery County, Maryland
Speaker: Don Housley
This PowerPoint presentation provides an introduction to both prehistoric and historical archaeological sites located on park land in Montgomery County and the techniques used by county archaeologists to unearth the past. A list of upcoming public archaeology programs and tours will be provided.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY

Josiah Henson & Uncle Tom's Cabin
Speaker: Judith Christensen

The Man in the Knit Cap: Yarrow Mamout
Speaker: James Johnston
Yarrow Mamout was a well-known ex-slave who lived in Georgetown. Jim Johnston was captivated by the 1822 painting of Yarrow at the Georgetown library and describes the three years he spent uncovering the history of the man and why two artists, Charles Willson Peale and James Alexander Simpson, did portraits of him. The Peale painting has been called "the most sensitive" early portrait of an African American.

Message or Myth: Quilts and the Underground Railroad
Speaker: Susan Soderberg
Recently a theory that quilts were used as signals on the Underground Railroad has spread like wildfire to become widely held as historical fact. Kate Clifford Larson, author of the acclaimed autobiography of Harriet Tubman, Bound for the Promised Land says about this theory that "The difficult stories of slavery and resistance somehow are softened by the images of pretty quilts, but by focusing on those pretty quilt designs we are once again obscuring the truth." This presentation will go into the history of quilting in America and the history of the Underground Railroad and has a surprise ending with an entirely new theory. [PowerPoint]

MONTGOMERY COUNTY & THE CIVIL WAR

Civil War Monuments in Maryland
Speaker: Susan Soderberg
Ever pass by a monument or statue and wonder -- Who put that up there? What does it mean? Monuments are signpost of the past. They are supposed to tell us something, but we have forgotten how to read them. Learn how to read the "language of monuments" and discover how both Union and Confederate monuments in the state helped to heal the wounds of war and were more like peace symbols than glorifications of war.

The Civil War in Montgomery County
Speaker: Susan Soderberg
Maryland was a slave state that did not secede from the Union during the Civil War, and Montgomery County occupied a strategic position just north of the capital of the northern states and at the Potomac River border between the warring factions. Troops from both sides of the conflict marched through the county at various times during the War, massive numbers of Union troops were trained here, Confederate raiders made frequent forays, and spying and smuggling was rampant. Come and find out what it would have been like to live in Montgomery County during these tense times. [May or may not use overhead projector for showing maps as requested]

A Field Guide to Civil War Statues in Washington
Speaker: James Johnston
In recent years, America has commemorated valor by erecting monuments to entire wars, such as the World War II and the Vietnam Veteran's Memorials. Civil War veterans did it differently. They remembered themselves in monuments through their generals. Jim Johnston uses the statutes to tell the story of the Civil War and of the artistry that went into them

The Man Who (Almost) Conquered Washington: Gen. John McCausland
Speaker: James Johnston
Confederate General John McCausland bragged to Ulysses Grant that McCausland had come closer to taking the city than any other Confederate general. Was he right, or was he just telling another tall soldier's tale? And then there's that "Chambersburg thing." His grandson didn't want to talk about it. McCausland had the city burned down.

A Tour of Downcounty Civil War Sites
Speaker: William Offutt
This lecture examines the impact of the war on Montgomery County and those who fought and suffered through it. Local civil war sites covered include slides of forts in the Northwest Washington D.C. area.

The Civil War Camps at Muddy Branch and the Outpost Camp and Blockhouse at Blockhouse Point
Speaker: Don Housley
Between 1861 and 1865, some 29 Union regiments from 13 states stationed at Muddy Branch guarded the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Potomac River crossings in the general area between Seneca and Pennyfield Locks. To serve as early warning stations on bluffs overlooking the Potomac, Union troops built a series of blockhouses. Archaeological work is continuing on the only blockhouse now located on county park land at Blockhouse Point. This PowerPoint presentation covers both the Civil War history of the camps at Muddy Branch and the history and archaeology of its outpost blockhouse and camp located within Blockhouse Point Conservation Park. A follow up guided tour of the blockhouse and outpost campsite can also be arranged.

Dr. Edward Stonestreet: Physician and Civil War Surgeon, Rockville, Maryland
Speaker: Clarence Hickey

GREATER WASHINGTON

The Burning of Washington
Speaker: Anthony S. Pitch
In the summer of 1814 British troops captured Washington DC and burned the White House and Capitol. Anthony S. Pitch highlights eyewitness accounts of this humiliating drama, perhaps the lowest point in American history. The tables were turned three weeks later when defenders heroically repulsed the same British forces attacking Fort McHenry, inspiring eyewitness Francis Scott Key to write a poem that became the national anthem. Pitch concludes the narrative with Andrew Jackson's epic victory over the British At New Orleans.The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 is a History Book Club selection, with movie rights optioned by National Geographic.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Speaker: Anthony S. Pitch
In his latest book,” They Have Killed Papa Dead!" - The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the award-winning author has unearthed new material in his relentless search for diaries, letters, journals and other original documents in private hands and in widely scattered archival repositories. He conveys the human drama of a story he believes to be the saddest in American history.

An Anecdotal Look at Capitol Hill
Speaker: Anthony S. Pitch
An amusing, informative and sometimes surprising look at the shenanigans of our elected officials on Capitol Hill as well as anecdotes about their immediate surroundings - the Supreme Court and Library of Congress.

William Marbury: The Man Whose Lawsuit Made The Supreme Court, Supreme
Speaker: James Johnston
William Marbury was the son of a impoverished tobacco farmer and his wife in Prince Georges County. When the young Marbury became an accounting clerk for the state in Annapolis, he dreamed of fame and fortune. By 1800, he had acquired the wealth and a large house in Georgetown. So, when the impertinent new president, Thomas Jefferson, told Secretary of State James Madison not to deliver to Marbury his commission as justice of the peace, Marbury wanted to use his wealth to teach Jefferson a lesson. Today, Marbury's and Madison's portraits hang side by side in the private dining room of the Supreme Court. The portraits are graphic reminders that the case of Marbury v. Madison established the proposition that the Supreme Court reigns supreme on matters of constitutional interpretation.

GENEALOGY

Genealogy: What's It All About
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the U.S. today. This talk explains why so many people are searching their family histories and provides a brief description of how to get started.

Beginning Census Research:

An Introduction to the U.S. Census Records & Indexing System
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
The U.S. Census was taken every ten years, starting in 1790. Discover what information is available in the U.S. Census, how to access census data and utilize that data in furthering family history research.

Genealogy on the Internet
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
Resources on the Internet can greatly enhance the efforts of those researching their family histories. Learn about the most popular internet sites, how to find other valuable sites and how to evaluate the information found.

Organizing Research Papers
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
This talk provides suggestions for organizing all the papers accumulated in doing family research including filing and indexing systems, research calendars and planning for future research.

Planning a Research Trip
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
Traveling to one's family home for research is expensive and time consuming. Learn what research to do before you travel, what to take with you, and about resources at your destination.

Records at the LDS Family History Center
Speaker: Lorraine Minor
The Mormons have assembled a wealth of information that is invaluable to people researching their families. This talk discusses the databases and other resources available at the Family History Center and how to access them.

REENACTORS

A 50 Year Medical Practice in the 19th Century: Dr. Edward Stonestreet of Rockville
Reenactor: Clarence Hickey
This first-person portrayal looks at the life of Dr. Edward Elisha Stonestreet who served in Montgomery County from 1852 to1903 during the dawn of modern medicine. This period was marked by significant advances in surgical techniques, the use of anesthesia & pain management, the germ theory of disease and the clinical training of physicians. Dr. Stonestreet is noted for his care of wounded solders during the Civil War and as a founder of the Montgomery County Medical Society.

Songs & Stories from the Blue & the Gray
Reenactor: Patrick Lacefield
Join this descendant of Civil War veterans who shares songs and stories from the War Between the States, wearing both blue and gray, accompanying himself on guitar.

Family Life After the Star Spangled Banner
Reenactor: Mary Lou Luff
Mrs. Upton Beall, in federal clothing, shows artifacts of the early 19th century. She discusses fashion, money, social activities, and training household help.

Home Remedies 1800 to 1865
Reenactor: Mary Lou Luff
Mrs. Stonestreet, mother of a Rockville doctor, shares medical advice and home recipes using samples of salves, cough syrup, insect repellants and artifacts of the 19th century. The program concludes with a discussion of her historical costume.

A Civil War Christmas at Home
Reenactor: Mary Lou Luff
Mrs. Stonestreet attired in civil war clothing, shows small antique items that will be Christmas gifts for her family. Holiday customs and food are discussed.

 

Speakers

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

JUDITH CHRISTENSEN
Judith Christensen has worked as an architectural historian and preservation planner for municipal and county governments, private clients and historical/preservation groups since 1985. As a contractor, she surveyed and wrote historic sites surveys and evaluations for over 400 historical sites in Maryland and Virginia. She has written newspaper articles and other publications on local history and architecture. She was a founder of the Gaithersburg Heritage Museum (now Gaithersburg Community Museum) and currently serves as museum historian and on the collections committee. She is Executive Director of Montgomery Preservation Inc. and is also on the board of the Montgomery County Alliance for Heritage Tourism and the Montgomery County MOOseum.

WALTER A. GOETZ
Walter A. Goetz is an engineer by vocation and education, and a gold mine historian by avocation. He holds Mechanical Engineering and advanced Engineering Management degrees. He has been doing historical research on gold mining close to the Nation’s Capital, particularly in Maryland and near-by Virginia for the last 40 years. Walt has retraced the steps of a multitude of prospectors and miners, verifying and documenting remnants of the gold mines of this area. During the process of exploration and research he has accumulated what is undoubtedly the largest collection of local gold mining documents, photographs and memorabilia in existence. Walt presents a slide show and interesting anecdotes about the gold mining in Maryland or Virginia, depending on the audience.

CLARENCE HICKEY
Clarence Hickey is a biologist and environmental protection specialist, recently retired from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science in Germantown. The author of Narrative History of the Families of Charles Edward Allen & Sarah Francis Berry, Clarence also compiled a first person oral history of Howard Tomlinson, his father-in-law who served as an Army Air Corps flyer during WWII. An Army hospital medic during the Vietnam era, Clarence has studied Civil War medicine at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Maryland.

DON HOUSLEY
Don Housley retired in July, 2005, after 36 years teaching U.S. history and serving the last 25 years of his teaching career as chairman of the Social Studies Department at Wheaton High School in Montgomery County, Maryland. Currently, he volunteers in the Office of Archaeology for Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission-Montgomery County.

JIM JOHNSTON
Jim Johnston, www.jameshjohnston.com, is a writer and lawyer in Washington DC. His articles on history, books, law, and technology have appeared in The Washington Post and Washington Post Magazine, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, Legal Times of Washington, L Magazine and the Montgomery County Historical Society Story. His history writings encompass such diverse topics as Yarrow Mamout, who is the subject of one of the best, early, African-American portraits, and Confederate General John McCausland, who claimed that he could have captured Washington DC in July 1864 if he only had more men.

PATRICK LACEFIELD
Patrick Lacefield is the spokesman for the Montgomery County Executive and a Civil War reenactor who shares songs and stories from the War Between the States, wearing both blue and gray, accompanying himself on guitar. His maternal great-great-grandfather served in the Arkansas State Legislature during "independence" and his sons fought with the Arkansas cavalry. On his father's side, Patrick's ancestors served in the Tennessee infantry. Recently, he participated in the filming of the motion picture "Gods & Generals," portraying a soldier from the 20th Maine Regiment. He is a native of Arkansas who grew up in Missouri.

MARY LOU LUFF
A member and volunteer of the Montgomery County Historical Society since 1981, Mary Lou's special interest has been researching fashion, family life and home remedies. She brings to life two Rockville residents--Mrs. Upton Beall in 1815 and Mrs. Stonestreet in 1863. Her collection of artifacts and books dates as early as 1774.

MAUDE MCGOVERN
Maude McGovern is on the staff of Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation.  In addition to researching and speaking on Rockville’s Underground Railroad, she has developed a exhibit on colonial Rockville on the Peerless Rockville website.

EILEEN MCGUCKIAN
Eileen McGuckian holds a BA degree from the University of Maryland, an MA from Western Maryland college, and a Master of Philosophy in American Studies from George Washington University. She is an accomplished historian, author, and recognized leader in historic preservation at the local, regional, and state levels. She is founder, past president, and immediate past Executive Director of Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd. Her 2001 book, Rockville, Portrait of a City, is a signature project of Rockville's Millennium Celebration. Eileen has written numerous other articles and books on local and state history. She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Maryland Historical Trust, Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission, Rockville Historic District Commission, Montgomery County History Consortium, and the Rotary Club of Rockville.

LORRAINE DUTCHER MINOR
A retired federal employee, Ms. Lorraine Dutcher Minor currently serves as President of the Genealogy Club of MCHS. Ms. Minor has completed the National Genealogical Society home study course and several family history courses from Brigham Young University. She is a volunteer at the Washington D.C. Family History Center (FHC), and lectures on basic genealogical subjects and using the FHC. Ms. Minor is currently researching her ancestors from Maine, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio.

WILLIAM OFFUTT
A native of Montgomery County, William Offutt is a retired public school and Montgomery College teacher. He is the author of Bethesda: A Social History and A History of Montgomery County as well as numerous articles for local newspapers and the Montgomery County Historical Society. He and his wife live in Bethesda.

ANTHONY PITCH
Anthony S. Pitch is the author of a number of books, the most recent being The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814. He is also the author of, "They Have Killed Papa Dead!" - The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He lives with his wife in Potomac, MD.

SUSAN SODERBERG
Susan Soderberg is a public historian with the Germantown Historical Society (Maryland), and the Friends of Oakley Cabin and the Underground Railroad. She has written several historical documents including: A Guide to Civil War Sites in Maryland: Blue and Gray in a Border State; The Met: A History of the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Railroad; Lest We Forget: A Guide to Civil War Monuments in Maryland; Who was Who of the Civil War Correspondents; and A History of Germantown, Maryland. Susan is a Commissioner on the Governor's Commission of Military Monuments, on the Board of the Germantown Historical Society, and holds membership in numerous national and local historical associations.