A special Sunday afternoon program organized by The Lake of the Woods Democratic Club will feature author and historian Jayne Blair, representing The James Madison Museum of Orange County Heritage in Orange.
The event, which is open to the public, will take place at 1 p.m. on March 13 in the lower level of the Lake of the Woods Clubhouse.
The speaker, who is president of the Board of Directors of the James Madison Museum and secretary of the Orange County Historical Society, is a recognized authority on the fourth president and the primary architect of the U.S. Constitution, James Madison.
Ms. Blair is expected to bring with her for display, Madison’s Campeche chair, a gift from the president’s best friend, Thomas Jefferson in 1820 and his favorite seat for reading and relaxing.
Ms. Blair is the author of two non-fiction historical works, “Tragedy at Montpelier” and “The Essential Civil War.”
She was born in Albany, N.Y., and grew up in Buffalo, where most of her family had been in the armed forces. When her brother couldn’t serve due to health reasons, Blair decided to do her part to “represent the family.” She was sent to boot camp in Bainbridge, Md., and then to aviation technology school in Memphis, Tenn., and on to Corpus Christi, Texas, where she was the only woman in the supply department
After her military service she joined the Dallas, Texas, Police Department, where she participated in undercover drug trafficking investigations.
Leaving Dallas after 25 years, she came to Virginia to chase history and became a senior interpreter at James Madison’s home. While there, she became a researcher and historian of not only Madison and Montpelier, but also the Civil War as it affected Orange County. She is currently researching Confederate officer Samuel McGowan’s brigade during the winter of 1863-1864.
Like all club events, all participants are welcome regardless of political persuasion.
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