Interpreters for 7 Characters in Place

Visitors to Trial & Tribulations will start the program by meeting seven of the key characters in the Matson Slave Trial story at two historic sites in Oakland. The characters will be portraying Dr. Hiram Rutherford, Gideon "Matt" Ashmore, Mary Corbin, Jane and Anthony Bryant, Lucy Dupee, and Abraham Lincoln from a fictitious time in the 1870s as they look back to the events of 1847. Participants can converse and ask questions with the characters as they move through the grounds of Dr. Rutherford's home, now a historic site, and Independence Pioneer Village. By having these interpreters hail from the future (even though some had died in real life by that period), they can talk about the aftermath of the trial and look back at the events with some historical perspective.

We are happy to announce that Roger Ashmore has agreed to portray his own ancestor, Matt Ashmore. Kim McGee will create the character of Dr. Rutherford. Freetown Village, a living history program from Indianapolis will bring to life the Bryants and Lucy Dupee. Lincoln and Corbin are yet to be finalized, but we'll let you know soon who will portray them.