Dr. Janet Ebert, Champaign County Historical Society member, will discuss her latest findings of black pioneer Richard Stanup, later known as Stanhope, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, in the military room of the Champaign County Historical Society Museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana. An active member of the DAR, she has been enthusiastically pursuing the proper recognition of Stanup/Stanhope’s service to his country during the American Revolution. Her presentation will include struggles to authenticate facts well known locally about this soldier and the road blocks in her pursuit.
Ebert grew up in Bexley, but has mostly lived in Champaign County since 1958. She has three degrees from The Ohio State University: Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. She taught music for 34 years in area schools, mainly at Graham Local Schools, Urbana University and Springfield City Schools.
She has loved history of all kinds since childhood and has written 11 commissioned plays performed locally. Nine are local history subjects, such as A.B. Graham, Simon Kenton, Urbana University and a Champaign County Bi-Centennial Pageant. She has spoken on many occasions about such topics as The Homefront, Music of the National Anthem, Women in the Military, Jewish Composers and History of Popular Music. She created programs about Craig Stable’s April Star, First Presbyterian Church Civil War Window, Richard Stanhope, Thomas Tipton and other topics. She is working on a children’s operetta, “A Night in the Bog.” She does yearly “Homecoming” sermons on the history of the First Presbyterian Church. She continues to work on family history and directories.
Music has always been a large part of Ebert’s life and she continues to give private music lessons. She was the first woman to play in several professional bands, the first woman to march in Ohio State Stadium with the Alumni Band, before women were in the OSU marching band, the first woman to conduct the national anthem at an OSU football game, and to give a Memorial Day address at Terre Haute.
All are invited to Ebert’s presentation on farmer, well digger and Baptist preacher Richard Stanup, who changed his name to Richard Stanhope, from the fields of George Washington in Virginia to Champaign County.
