'Who Was John Stark?' program coming to Pease Public Library

PLYMOUTH — The Pease Public Library and the Plymouth Historical Society will be co-hosting "Who Was John Stark?" on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 6 p.m. in the Pease Public Library Community Room. The presenter will be George Morrison. This event is sponsored by the NH Humanities.

While many are familiar with the state motto “Live Free or Die,” few might know about the man, General John Stark, who uttered these words. In this presentation, Morrison reveals the man — a ransomed captive, Ranger officer, road-builder, lumberman, husband and father, repeatedly called-on to serve but often clashing with authority — whose phrase has become synonymous with our state.

Morrison earned a bachelor of arts in history at the University of New Hampshire. He served for 27 years as a high school teacher. A long-time researcher of unpublished primary sources, Morrison has contributed to the work of numerous aviation historians and artists in several countries. He is a lifelong photographer, historian, and motorcyclist. Morrison has already traveled over 18,000 miles in the course of researching monuments and memorials, an interest sparked by a puzzling 1918 monument inscription.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at pease@peasepubliclibrary.org or call 603-536-2616.