This month’s meeting will feature a very special visit from the President of the Confederate States of America , Jefferson Davis, and his First Lady, Varina Howell Davis.

President and Mrs. Davis will each tell us about their life stories and family history. President Davis will also give his views on the constitutionality of secession, and the trials he endured as the first and only President of the Confederacy. He and Mrs. Davis will also be open for questions.

John & Sheila Smoley, our presenters for this evening, are living historians and members of the American Civil War Society. In attending many Civil War events, they noted that there was always a “President Lincoln” in attendance, but never a “President Davis.” Further investigation revealed that there are hundreds of Lincoln presenters nationwide, but very few Davis’. After extensive research, they began to fill this void and portray the First Couple of the CSA at various Civil War reenactment events in 2006.

The Smoleys live in Corona , and have two daughters and two grandchildren. They have owned and operated Regional Lending Services, Inc., a real estate mortgage company, since 1987.

Please join us as we learn more about the lives of the Jefferson and Varina Davis.

 

Janet Whaley
Program Chair

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