Captain Henry Felder Talk led by John Brian Eleazer

Hans Henrich Felder, later Henry Felder, was born in Switzerland, immigrated to America with his parents as a young boy and settled in the Carolina backcountry in 1735. His position in the colony was well established when the tyrannies of the British Crown in response to the malcontent in the Colonies prompted him to cast his lot with the independence movement.

Felder, along with his seven sons, formed a militia company to fight “all for liberty.” Hear the story of his backcountry adventures and his two legendary canons which are still preserved and on display.

John Brian Eleazer is a native South Carolinian and a direct descendant of Captain Henry Felder, the protagonist in the book he authored, The South Carolina Militia and the Revolutionary War. For 15 years, Eleazer researched and wrote about Henry Felder, originally for his family’s consumption and later expanded to capture the uniqueness of the South Carolina colony and emergence of the South Carolina militia, a story somewhat different than that of the other 12 colonies. Additionally, Eleazer has written several short stories for his children and grandchildren. He is a retired Air Force officer and holds degrees from Clemson University and Auburn University.

Free admission. This event is a discussion, not an in-character performance.