Upcoming Event - Replicant Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview members of the heavy metal band Replicant in January 2016. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's monthly podcast. The members of Replicant all come from educational and/or professional backgrounds in the field of history. If you have any questions that you would like answered by Replicant, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 or via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

Replicant Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/replicantnj/

MW

Petersburg Courthouse

Petersburg Courthouse
7 Courthouse Ave.
Petersburg, VA 23803

The Petersburg Courthouse was built between 1838 and 1840 in Petersburg, VA. I had the opportunity to visit the courthouse while stationed at Fort Lee, VA in 2009. During the American Civil War, the two-story, Classical Revival style brick building, found itself in the middle of the Siege of Petersburg (June 9, 1864 – March 25, 1865). Union troops used the courthouse tower as a sighting mark, and as a result spared the building from bombardment. The courthouse is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and is also the centerpiece of the Petersburg Courthouse Historic District.

Below are two links with more information on the Petersburg Courthouse:

http://www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/PetersburgCourthouse/

http://www.petersburgarea.org/attractions/petersburg-courthouse

MW

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from your friends at the Matt Ward History Experience!

MW

Richard Stockton's Grave

Richard Stockton's Gravesite
Stony Brook Quaker Meeting House Burial Ground
470 Quaker Rd
Princeton, NJ 08540

Richard Stockton was a lawyer, jurist, legislator, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey. He was born and lived in Princeton from 1730-1781. In 1776, Stockton was elected to the Second Continental Congress. As a member of Congress, Stockton signed the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey. On November 30, 1776, Stockton and a friend were captured by Loyalists and marched to Perth Amboy where they were turned over to the British. Soon after, Stockton was sent to Provost Prison in New York City, where he was intentionally starved and subject to freezing weather. After five weeks of torture, Stockton was released from prison on parole. He was forced to sign a parole document with General William Howe as a condition of his release. This parole document stated that Stockton would not meddle in the affairs of the war.

Stockton's estate Morven, and property were seized and destroyed by the British in the early years of the war. Following his parole, Stockton resigned from Congress and returned to Morven. He attempted to earn a living by reopening his law firm, and teaching the law to students. Stockton developed cancer of the lip and died at Morven on February 28, 1781. Richard Stockton is memorialized in a number of locations throughout New Jersey. Two of his sons went on to find success in politics and in the military. His son Richard was a lawyer and senator from New Jersey. His son Commodore Robert Field Stockton was a U.S. Navy officer who was a hero of the War of 1812. Robert also went on to serve as a military governor of California and senator from New Jersey.

The Stony Brook Quaker Meeting House is located near Princeton Battlefield (January 3, 1777). Stockton's marker is located on the right hand side of the entrance to the cemetery. Stockton's home Morven is also located nearby in Princeton.

Below are two links with more information on Richard Stockton:

http://www.dsdi1776.com/signers-by-state/richard-stockton/

http://www.revolutionary-war.net/richard-stockton.html

MW

The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast - Episode #3

Check out the third edition of The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast!

SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/matt-ward-427598454/the-matt-ward-history-experience-podcast-episode-3

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/matt-ward-history-experience/id1178237076

Episode #3 contains the following segment:

1. The Weigh-In - Interview with former professional boxer, current gym owner/trainer and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Famer Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski

Darren’s gym, Checkmates Boxing Center, is located at 2161 Whitesville Road in Toms River, New Jersey.

You can check out Checkmates Boxing Center online via their website, Facebook, and Twitter:

Website - www.checkmatesboxing.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/checkmatesboxingcenter/?fref=ts

Twitter - @checkmatesboxnj

Below are a few photos courtesy of Darren Maciunski at Checkmates Boxing Center:

Checkmates Boxing Center Advertisement

Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski - Former IBF Inter-Continental Middleweight Champion

Matt Ward and Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski

Coach Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski and his Boxers

New Jersey Boxing Commissioner Larry Hazzard at Checkmates Boxing Center

Training at Checkmates Boxing Center

Coach Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski and his Boxers

New Jersey Boxing Commissioner Larry Hazzard at Checkmates Boxing Center

New Jersey Boxing Commissioner Larry Hazzard at Checkmates Boxing Center

Checkmates Boxing Center Sweatshirt

First and foremost I would like to thank my guest Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski for sitting down at Checkmates Boxing Center to talk boxing with me.

This episode would not have been possible if it had not been for the technical support of my good friend Peter Lloyd of One Stone Recording and Mastering. Pete mixed and cleaned up the original recordings into the great episode that you can stream on SoundCloud.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank all of my readers and listeners - Especially those who submitted questions for this month's segment of The Weigh In.

The Matt Ward History Experience is brought to you by One Stone Recording and Mastering in New Brunswick, NJ. Check out One Stone Recording and Mastering for all of you mixing and mastering needs. Go to onestonerecording.com/mwhistory and receive 10% off your first session!

One Stone Recording and Mastering:

http://onestonerecording.com/mwhistory

http://onestonerecording.com

MW

Tommy Loughran

Tommy Loughran Marker
17th and Ritner Streets, SW Corner
Philadelphia, PA 19145

Tommy Loughran was an American boxer from Philadelphia, PA. He held the World Light Heavyweight Championship from 1927 to 1929. Over the span of Loughran's career, he fought a number of legendary boxers including Harry Greb, Gene Tunney, Young Stribling, Jack Delaney and Georges Carpentier. In 1927, Loughran defeated Mike McTigue at Madison Square Garden for the World Light Heavyweight Championship.

Following his boxing career, Loughran worked as a sugar broker on Wall Street. He retired from this profession in the 1960s. Tommy Loughran died in Altoona, PA in 1982. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. The marker honoring Tommy Loughran in South Philadelphia is located in front of his neighborhood church.

Below are three links with more information on Tommy Loughran, along with some photos that I took during a recent visit:

http://boxrec.com/boxer/11326

http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-301

http://www.southphillyreview.com/sports/mark_of_a_legend-73708662.html

MW