“Grant and Twain: The Men and the Memoirs” Plays in Quincy, Illinois

By Professor Earnest Veritas · Originally published October 2019 · pp. 7

“Grant and Twain: The Men and the Memoirs” Plays in Quincy, Illinois By Professor Earnest Veritas Special Correspondent to the -Western TheaterThe 300 people in the buzzing auditorium went silent as the lights went down and the announcer said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, President Ulysses S. Grant and Mr. Samuel Clemens, bring you “Grant and Twain: The Men and the Memoirs”!” The Date: April 2, 2019. The place: John Wood Community College, Mary Ellis Orr auditorium, in Quincy, Illinois. President Grant wearing tophat and black suit and Samuel Clemens in his iconic white suit, strode from opposite sides of the stage to the center front; stopped, shook hands, and turned to face the audience. Mr. Clemens stepped back and to the side. President Grant began speaking and gesturing with his three-knob headed cane for emphasis; later explaining the significance of the three knobs (He told the audience during the question and answer session, that it was an inauguration gift from a veteran of the Civil War and the three nobs, graduating in size from smallest at the bottom, represent the three armies he took in surrender during the War). After the President spoke about his life up to being elected President, he stepped back and to the side as Mr. Clemens came forward, delivering a parallel soliloquy about his own life; drawing the audience’s attention to the similarities and differences between his life and that of President Grant. The second act of the production was a discussion between President Grant and Mr. Clemens about how Clemens’ publishing company, Charles L. Webster, was chosen to publish his “Personal Memoirs” and how the process unfolded. The struggle of President Grant, dying of inoperable throat cancer while writing his memoirs was lifted up, revealing the supreme, lastditch effort of Grant to finish and provide for his wife, Julia, before he died. Grant and Clemens then held a question and answer session with the audience. That audience was approximately 300 middle and high school students, mostly Advanced Placement and excelling students, from Quincy Senior High School, Quincy Notre Dame, Quincy University, John Wood Community College, and students from nearby Hannibal, Mo., with teachers, supervisors, college personnel, and others from the community. The presentation was brought to Quincy by the joint efforts of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County and the TriState Civil War Round Tables. The groups were assisted by a generous contribution from a local benefactor; making the program possible. “Grant and Twain: The Men and the Memoirs” is a joint effort of Living Historians Curt Fields as President Grant and Warren Brown as Samuel Clemens. They have collaborated for 18 months to put together the program about the writing and publishing of what is commonly referred to as one of the best works of American non-fiction and the best military memoirs ever written. It was developed to coincide with the sesquicentennial of Grant’s presidency. The “Governor’s Post,” the quarterly publication of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County (in the winter quarter edition, 2018–19) said this about the men presenting the program: “Fields, an educational consultant and living historian, portrays General Ulysses S. Grant. He is the National Park Service representative for Grant and has played the character in films and re-enactments, including at the 150th anniversary of Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, in 2015. He is also featured as Grant and a Grant authority in the Discovery Channel’s series “How Booze Built America.” Brown, a living historian who has over 35 years of experience in business and industry, has been portraying Twain since 1996 and has appeared as the humorist more than 1,200 times. Brown has received the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award for his portrayal of the man and his Catch the Twain program has been endorsed by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Illinois Humanities Council.” Rich Keppner, Education Director for the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County, said this: “About a year ago a friend told me that she had been approached by a benefactor who wanted to sponsor a historical event for local high school students. I mentioned to her that I was aware of a production presented by Dr. Curt Fields (U. S. Grant) and Warren Brown (Mark Twain). After numerous communications back and forth, we were delighted to schedule “Grant and Twain, the Men and the Memoirs” for students from Quincy and Hannibal. It was significant to have students from Hannibal because of Mr. Twain’s connection to that river community. Keppner also pointed out some significant features of Quincy, Ill., in the Civil War: “…the town square where George Pickett undoubtedly walked while awaiting his appointment to the Military Academy, the same square where Lincoln and Douglas held their sixth debate; the home of Dr. Richard Eells who helped a runaway slave and who was fined by Judge Stephen Douglas; and the site of a church attended by another runaway slave, Augustus Tolton, who would grow up to become the first black Catholic priest in the United States.” Beth Young was the event coordinator and said this about the program, “I thought the GrantTwain presentation was very well-received by both students and adults. Fields and Brown brought both men to life convincingly as they discussed their importance in 19th century American history.” Beth also said, “This venture is the first of what I hope will be many other historical programs offered to Quincy’s teens; the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County and the Tri-State Civil War Round Tables are committed to supporting this type of venture in the future. Providing special programs like this enhances the information students ordinarily receive in the classroom.” In the planning stages by the same organizations that brought “Grant and Twain: The Men and the Memoirs” to Quincy, is the

Civil War Symposium II: “Civil War Symposium II: Lincoln, Grant, Twain, and Guerrilla Warfare in Northeast Missouri” will be held in Quincy, on October 4-5, 2019. The tentatively scheduled event topics include the Lincoln assassination, a look at Lincoln through music and commentary, the writing and publication of Grant’s Memoirs, Tad Lincoln’s Civil War, and the war in Northeast Missouri. The symposium is free and open to the public, but RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. Arrangements may be made by calling the Historical Society at 217-222-1835 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. M-F.

Additional information may also be obtained by using email [email protected] or by checking our web-page Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. The planned symposium should prove be an excellent program and is not to be missed if possible to attend. All in all, it was a good day in History in Quincy, with more to come. Professor Veritas wishes to extend appreciation to the following people for their significant contributions to this dispatch: Beth Young- event coordinator for the HSQAC Rich Keppner- Education Program Director for HSQAC