Actor portrays Jefferson at special Friendship Hill presentation
Thomas Jefferson’s politics may be 200 years old, but they’re as timely as ever as actor Bill Barker proved when he recently engaged in an exchange of ideas with the public at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township. “While we see how many things have changed, we also see how many principles remain the same,’ said Barker, who expressed Jefferson’s philosophy and shared the history of his era to crowds who proved enamored of him.
“I just want to congratulate you for your portrayal,’ individuals told him time and time again. Young children asked to shake his hand. Dozens of people had their picture taken with him.
When asked how many photographs he had posed for since he began portraying Jefferson, Barker answered with good-natured humor: “Considering Mr. Jefferson missed all those opportunities, I am making up for them.’
A Philadelphia native who bears a strong resemblance to his alter ego, Barker is an actor with a history degree from Villanova University, who has been interested in Jefferson since his youth. He began portraying Jefferson 16 years ago, and has been employed by Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia since 1993. Featured in articles in magazines such as “Time,’ “People,’ “Atlantic,’ “Philadelphia,’ “Southern Living,’ Readers’ Digest’ and the “Colonial Williamsburg Journal,’ Barker has also appeared as Jefferson in programs aired on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN and C-SPANN.
While his work in Colonial Williamsburg centers on the year 1774, Barker has also kept busy playing Jefferson as president throughout the country this year as the nation begins its celebration of the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the historic journey commissioned by Jefferson that opened the American West. In fact, many see the Louisiana Purchase as Jefferson’s chief accomplishment as president.
It was because of this bicentennial that Barker came to Friendship Hill last weekend under the sponsorship of the Friendship Hill Association, a non-profit volunteer group interested in preserving, developing and maintaining this national park, which is the country estate of Albert Gallatin, who served as Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Jefferson and Madison. The Friendship Hill Association received a grant for Barker’s appearance from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.
In regards to the bicentennial, Gallatin helped arrange financing for the Louisiana Purchase, supplied Captain Meriwether Lewis with maps and made suggestions for the expedition. In return, Lewis and Clark named a river, the Gallatin, after the Swiss native who served the United States for more than seven decades.
The Friendship Hill Association distributed a brochure last weekend that detailed Gallatin’s public service: a member of the Pennsylvania State Assembly and Congress, Secretary of the Treasury (where he also secured funding for the National Road), and a peace commissioner during the War of 1812 where he co-authored the Treaty of Ghent that ended the war. He also served as Minister of France and Ambassador to Great Britain. In retirement, Gallatin founded the American Ethnological Society, which was dedicated to the preservation of Native American Indian culture, and New York University.
Although the real Jefferson never visited Friendship Hill, Barker carried off the performance spectacularly as he noted the visit allowed him an opportunity to study Gallatin, whom he praised enthusiastically throughout the weekend.
“I’ve been astounded coming up here and learning so much about Gallatin. He was stimulating and a man whom Jefferson thought so highly of. People underestimate the importance of Gallatin in our history,’ said Barker, who noted Gallatin’s significance not only to U.S. but world history and discussed the similarities in thinking between Gallatin and Jefferson.
They included an amusing observation that as Jefferson had his little mountain in Monticello so Gallatin had his in Friendship Hill.
“He’s just astounding,’ said Jack McCune, president of the Friendship Hill Association, regarding Barker. “He knows his history and we’re happy with the turnout.’
McCune added, “We’re hoping this highlights the jewel we have in Friendship Hill, which gets overlooked a lot.’
Keith Newlin, acting superintendent for Friendship Hill and Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington, said of Barker’s appearance, “It strengthens the tie between Jefferson and Gallatin and emphasizes the position Gallatin had in the Administration. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity and (Barker is) absolutely wonderful. We have a site that needs more exposure and this is perfect for it.’
Newlin also praised the Friendship Hill Association: “They have done a wonderful job.’
Barker made three appearances throughout last weekend. The National Park Service included him last Saturday night in the popular “Legends of Friendship Hill’ program which shares folk tales and stories related to the park and the area. While park service staff played members of the Corps of Discovery having an encounter with Western Indians on the front lawn and told stories about Gallatin’s wife, Sophia Allegre Gallatin, at her grave site, Barker was stationed in the stone house parlor where he talked about Gallatin, the expedition and shared his thoughts on issues of his day.
Early Sunday afternoon, Barker portrayed Jefferson at a private reception in the stone house for the Friendship Hill Association, where he made remarks and mingled with the members.
By mid-afternoon, Jefferson moved outside under the trees in the backyard for a presentation with the public, where he continued to discuss Jefferson’s ideas and history.
The audience listened with respect as Barker talked. They laughed at all his jokes and stayed around long after his presentations to shake his hand, have their photograph taken with him, pay him compliments and ask intelligent questions and share curiosities. No president could have been more popular that weekend at Friendship Hill.
Why? Even after two centuries, Jefferson is as fascinating as ever, and Barker keeps him that way. He was never tripped up whether the question was about slavery, women’s rights, public education or goading by ranger Brian Reedy. Adding to the drama, Reedy played a Federalist merchant from Reading, who came to agitate the Democratic-Republican Jefferson. Even when Reedy referred to Jefferson’s alleged love affair with his slave Sally Hemmings, which became a subject of debate in the press, Barker was ready with an answer.
“I have never ever bestowed honor on those accusations by making a public comment and I will not make one today,’ Barker said, adding, “I would never conceive a gentleman would put forth such a question in public, and I assure you no gentleman would answer it.’
Yet for all that “Federalist newspapers’ plagued Jefferson throughout his political life, Barker reminded his audience of Jefferson’s famous opinion of the press: “Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government with no newspapers or newspapers with no government, I should not hesitate to accept the latter.’
The audiences applauded for Jefferson, but he also spurred thinking.
For an example, to an audience not so far removed from the 2000 presidential election that took weeks to determine a winner, Barker as Jefferson noted his own presidential election in 1800 resulted in a tie between himself and Aaron Burr that had to be settled in Congress.
“For several weeks, the people didn’t know who would be the next president of the United States. Could you imagine that happening in our nation?’ Barker asked.
And for those feeling the turmoil as the United States fights a war with Islamic terrorists, Barker as Jefferson noted that he launched the nation into its first war after the Revolution as the United States fought the Barbary states on the coast of northern Africa. Pirates from the Barbary nations – Barker as Jefferson referred to them as the Islamic kingdom – terrorized American and European vessels by making them pay tribute. Jefferson refused to pay and Tripoli (modern-day Libya) declared war in 1801. Jefferson sent warships to block Tripoli for a conflict that lasted until 1805.
Caught up in the moment when he performs, Barker said he is unaware of his impact on the audience although he feels their energy.
“There’s no real script. This is interactive,’ said Barker, noting the real element of the program can be found in the question-and-answer segment. “I loved the questions today and Brian Reedy getting in to the act was wonderful.’
Barker is happy to see that so many people appreciate history and understands why: “History is theater and stories. We’re curious about where we have been. History provokes the imagination.’
Although portraying Jefferson is a job, and some days, Barker is tired, he noted, “I love it. And is anything difficult when you enjoy doing it?’
He particularly enjoys getting Jefferson’s points across to the audience, and delights in seeing their faces when they understand.
He also credits his job with providing a greater understanding of the man himself, saying, “I don’t think I would have understood Jefferson’s great trust in mankind, and his sense of compassion for his fellow man. He was so profound to recognize that. He was a man who thought in millenniums.’
Asked what he admires most in Jefferson, Barker replied, “His humanity. The most fascinating thing is that he faced so much personal difficulty. Everything he held close to him was taken away: his father died when he was young, his mother died before he wrote the Declaration of Independence. He lost his wife and four of his six children when they were young, and another when he was 24. He dies before he loses Monticello. But he held on to optimism. He said I always steer my boat with hope at the bow and fear at the stern. Those were great words of hope and inspiration.’
Barker continued, “Times were bad and they’ll be bad again, but they’re also good. It’s always the best of times and the worst of times. You can look at things and know they’re going to get better. That’s certainly American, but it can’t help but make you feel hopeful.’