DELMARVA HISTORY LECTURE SERIES HIGHLIGHTS LIFE OF GEN. AMOS WOODCOCK OF SALISBURY IN MAY

DELMARVA HISTORY LECTURE SERIES 

HIGHLIGHTS LIFE OF GEN. AMOS WOODCOCK

 OF SALISBURY IN MAY

 
The May Delmarva History Lecture offered by Westside Historical Society on May 20 will be delivered by Dr. Stephen Gehnrich at the MAC Center in Salisbury, beginning at 2:00 pm. The topic will be a familiar figure to many local residents, General Amos W.
W. Woodcock, native of Salisbury. The title of his talk is “General Amos W.W. Woodcock of Salisbury, Maryland (1883-1964): Gentleman, Soldier, Scholar, and Good Citizen”


General Amos W. W. Woodcock was a prominent citizen of Salisbury, MD who served his community, state, and country in numerous capacities. His life (1883-1964) was intertwined with many of the major events in the first half of the 20th century, and he played a significant role in many of them; from guarding the Mexican border in 1916, fighting in World War One, enforcing Prohibition, and Prosecuting Japanese War Criminals after World War Two. He was also actively involved in Maryland, serving as
the U.S. District Attorney, the President of St. John’s College, President of the Wicomico School Board, and active member of Asbury Methodist Church. Why has this Renaissance man of great accomplishments and public service been virtually forgotten,
even in his hometown? This will be the approach Dr. Gehnrich will examine in his talk.

Dr. Gehnrich, who was awarded a PhD in Biology from Tufts University in  Massachusetts and did research at Harvard, joined the Department of Biiological Sciences at Salisbury University in 1988. As he explains, his interest in local Salisbury history began
when he asked the late Salisbury historian Richard Cooper about a low brick wall just off Riverside Drive. Mr. Cooper explained that the wall surrounded a well that had part of a garden in the estate of General Amos W.W. Woodcock, a prominent citizen of Salisbury
who had been the commander of Salisbury’s National Guard Company while fighting in France during World War One. Steve was already a World War One buff, so this was perfect fit! He decided to pursue a Master’s degree in History, which he completed in 2008. His thesis was a biography General Woodcock.

Steve has been fortunate to visit many of the World War One battlefields in France and Belgium, and he is particularly interested in the men from our area that served in the War. He is a member of the Western Front Association, an international organization
based in England that promotes the study and remembrance of World War One.

This should be another very interesting and provocative talk and one not to be missed! As always, this lecture is free and open to the public. The talk will be held in the Bradford Room of the MAC Center and begins at 2:00. Audience members are welcome
to ask questions and participate in the discussion following Dr. Gehnrich’s presentation.

For more information email or phone Westside Historical Society at
westsidehistorical@gmail.com , cell 410-726-8047.