Essex Heritage and Salem Maritime National Historical Park invite the public to a memorable evening of music, history, and conversation as the “Conflict & Community: Salem, Essex County, and the American Revolution” lecture series continues with “General John Glover: Unsung Hero of the Revolution.” The program takes place on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty St., Salem, MA. Admission is free and open to the public.
The evening will feature a rousing performance by Scurvy Fellows Indeed, followed by presentations from three distinguished speakers — historian Robert Booth, living historian and re-enactor Larry Sands, and scholar Nancy Lusignan Schultz — each illuminating a different dimension of Glover’s remarkable life and legacy.
The program opens with a spirited performance by Scurvy Fellows Indeed, a Marblehead-based ensemble of 18th-century privateers whose rollicking sea chanteys bring the sounds of the Revolutionary-era waterfront to life. The group — comprising Larry Sands, Peter Franklin, Ken Harris, and David Goss — performs the traditional maritime songs of the age of sail, with audience sing-alongs strongly encouraged. Rooted in the same North Shore communities that produced John Glover and his famous Marblehead Regiment, Scurvy Fellows Indeed has performed at events across the region and lent its voices to numerous heritage causes, including fundraising efforts for the preservation of Gen. Glover’s historic farmhouse.
About the Presenters
Robert Booth is a preservation consultant, architectural historian, and author based in Gloucester whose books focus on maritime history. Last year he received the City of Gloucester Preservation Award for the restoration of his 1750s home. He has served as director-curator of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, as an advisor to the Smithsonian on women’s history, and is the author of “The Women of Marblehead,” the only book-length examination of the role of women in a 19th-century town. He is currently at work on a book about Marblehead from 1675 to 1740, tracing its evolution from a fishing village to a commercial seaport. Booth will explore how Glover’s Marblehead roots and family ties shaped his path to becoming a Revolutionary War hero.
Larry Sands is a retired banker and consultant who has been a Revolutionary War reenactor for more than 35 years. He serves as Captain of Glover’s Marblehead Regiment, an active reenactment unit that has participated in events from North Carolina to Quebec. Sands has personally rowed George Washington across the Delaware River during a reenactment, marched nine miles to Trenton, New Jersey, and fought in the streets of Trenton in commemoration of one of the Revolution’s most pivotal engagements. He is also chairman of the Fort Sewall Oversight Committee, charged with restoring and maintaining an historic 1644 fort in Marblehead, for which he recently helped raise $1.8 million to complete a significant restoration. Sands will bring Glover’s battlefield career to life with a lively overview of his major engagements and accomplishments.
Nancy Lusignan Schultz, Ph.D., is chair of the Swampscott Historical Commission and a leader in the ongoing effort to preserve the General John Glover farmhouse at 299 Salem St. in Swampscott. A professor emeritus of Salem State University, she is the author and editor of six published books and numerous academic articles. She has been a visiting professor at Boston College and Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, and has held fellowships through the National Endowment for the Humanities and Harvard University’s Center for the Study of World Religion. Her essays have appeared in national publications including The Chronicle of Higher Education, American Heritage Magazine, and Early American Life. Schultz is a founder of the Harriet Beecher Stowe Society and the invited editor of the poetry volume of the Collected Works of Harriet Beecher Stowe to be published by Oxford University Press. She will share the latest news on the effort to preserve Gen. Glover’s historic farmhouse.
“Gen. John Glover is one of the great unsung figures of the American Revolution — a man whose extraordinary leadership at critical moments helped determine the outcome of the war,” said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex Heritage. “This program brings together some of the finest voices in living history and community preservation to give Glover the recognition he deserves. We’re thrilled to welcome audiences into this story in such an engaging and multifaceted way.”
“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, stories like Gen. John Glover’s remind us that the Revolution was shaped by the people and maritime communities of places like Essex County,” said Jennifer Hardin, superintendent at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. “Through programs like this, we connect the public to that history and show how our coastal heritage continues to shape this region and its national significance.” The “Conflict & Community” series is presented as part of America’s 250th and Essex County Revolution 250. The series continues through November 2026 with programs on topics ranging from Atlantic maritime commerce to the experiences of Loyalists in Essex County. All programs are free and open to the public.
