Massillon man to portray Edwin Stanton at Custer observance in Harrison County
NEW RUMLEY ‒ William Stevenson of Massillon will portray Civil War-era Secretary of War Edwin McMaster Stanton at this year's Custer observance on June 3 at the Custer monument on state Route 646 in Harrison County.
The observance will start at 11 a.m. with music provided by J.T. Thompson of Scio. Members of the Jewett Veterans of Foreign Wars Gen. George Armstrong Custer Post 3072 will raise the flag at the monument, followed by remarks and introduction of guests by Rick Williams of Martinsville, who will portray Custer. Williams, a living historian, has portrayed the general at the events since 2009.
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Time will be given for guests to have lunch at the New Rumley Global Church and visit the Custer Museum and Center. Kevin Haney will have his collection of muzzle loaders, featuring Ager rifles, on display.
Steve and Lisa Ball, of Grove City, will be back with a new musical program titled “Women of the Civil War” in the Methodist church sanctuary. Their program will focus on Civil War-era songs about or written by women.
Stevenson will begin his program next in the sanctuary telling the story of Stanton and his relationship as secretary of war with President Abraham Lincoln.
Edwin McMaster Stanton once lived in Harrison County
A native of Steubenville, Stanton began practicing law in Cadiz in 1836. The next year, he was elected prosecutor of Harrison County on the Democratic ticket. Over the next 10 years he built a robust law practice, before moving to Pennsylvania and finally to Washington, D.C.
He later was appointed attorney general under President James Buchanan and in January 1862 was sworn in as secretary of war in Lincoln’s cabinet. He served throughout the remainder of the Civil War, Lincoln’s assassination and trial and the reconstruction era.
Stevenson has been portraying Stanton since 2018. His wife, Janice, portrays Stanton’s second wife, Ellen.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Massillon man to portray Edwin Stanton at Custer observance
