As I've shared in many of my blogs, I've been visiting Colonial Williamsburg since childhood, and it's my "Happy Place" to chill and relax now. In blog #83, I mentioned that I was on my way to the Great Bridge reenactment event in Chesapeake, VA, and first stopped for a few hours in Williamsburg to stroll the town and shoot some pictures. Near Charlton's Coffeehouse, I noticed Living Historian Mark Schneider portraying Marquis Le Lafayette to a group of tourists, and I shot the photo below.

About 15 minutes later, I was around the Colonial Capitol when spotting Mark walking towards me. I reintroduced myself and mentioned we have spoken many times here over the past 15 years. Sometimes, he would be in character, and other times not. He's also from Long Island, NY, less than 10 miles from where I grew up. We chatted for a few minutes. The next day, I contemplated that he would be a fantastic blog interview. Later that week, I emailed him, and he graciously agreed. What are the odds of meeting him again since I only visited Williamsburg for a few hours? Besides the photos of Mark in this blog, I have taken many more of him over the years.

1) We both grew up on Long Island, only about seven miles apart. What was your childhood like in Setauket, NY?

I had the best childhood growing up in Setauket New York on Long Island. There was history all around us. I had a neighborhood of friends living all around me on Shaker Hollow Road and we played sports games in the streets, ran around in the woods and went sledding in the snow at the bottom of the hill in winter. There is a historic Mill Pond close by that we would walk to and sometimes go fishing or ice skating in the winter. On the Village Green, but historic Caroline Church, I saw my first reenactment of the Battle of Setauket with my dear friend Douglas Little. Sometimes we would go to the Emma S. Clarke library, which was a beautiful 19th century building and fabulous library. In the summer we would enjoy riding our bikes to West Meadow Beach and spend the day there. Port Jefferson was close by and we would often walk the docks and look at the boats. Stony Brook was also close by and had lots of history. I still remember the flapping wings of the Eagle statue above the post office. I first became hooked on wargaming at a fantastic hobby shop called Waterloo in Stony Brook. I could not have asked for a better place to grow up and to this day, I still have dreams of the house I grew up in on 6 Shaker Hollow Road.
 

2) Setauket, NY, is now known for George Washington's Culper spy ring. When did you first learn of this crucial historical event, and has it changed your opinion of your hometown?

I first heard of Washington’s spy ring early on in my life. If you are born and raised in Setauket, you know about the spy ring because it’s all around you! The streets are named after these important figures in history. The elementary school has statues of them and in the auditorium, there are paintings of the great moments in the history of Setauket and the spy ring. I’ve always loved how much history was in that town. I think it was the reason I chose history as my profession.

When the television show came out, the first thing I thought was, that doesn’t look like Setauket! But I was glad Hollywood decided to tell the story of my hometown.

I worked on the AMC series “TURN” for two seasons. The final season I took a short leave of absence from Colonial Williamsburg to work full time as a Wrangler with the horses under Doug Sloan. It was a fabulous experience, and I got to meet all the principal actors as well as perform as a horseman in a variety of different roles. On my last day of filming, we filmed on the set that was supposed to be Setauket. My role that day was to be Anna Strong’s coachman. Anna was played by the very talented Heather Lind. In between takes, we started talking and she asked where I was from. I said, you are not going to believe this, but I’m from Setauket! She looked shocked and laughed. She said, does it look like this? I said, no! And we all had a good laugh.

3) When did you leave Long Island and why?

I left Long Island in 1988 after graduating from Ward Melville High School. The family was unfortunately selling the house in Setauket and moving to Virginia so my father could start a new job.

4) You worked with the US Army as a Cavalry Scout in the 1990s. It sounds like a job from the 19th century. How did you get that job, and what were your responsibilities?

When I arrived in Virginia, I began attending Christopher Newport University and studying History. Ive always loved the military and especially the Army and I’ve always believed in service to the nation. As a result, I left school and enlisted in the United States Army in 1993. I chose as my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) to be a 19Delta or “Cavalry Scout.” It does sound like it’s from the 19th century because it is! Since the domestication of the horse, and horses being used in war, cavalry scouts have been in existence in all armies. Though we have traded in our horses for Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Humvees and Apache Helicopters, the role is essentially the same; to be the “Eyes and Ears” of the Army and to perform reconnaissance ahead of the main force. I received my training as a Cavalry Scout at Fort Knox Kentucky.

Upon completion of my training I was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR—Light) in Fort Polk Louisiana. I would remain there 13 months and then received orders to go to Germany and was assigned to the oldest cavalry regiment in the US Army, the First Squadron,  First Cavalry Regiment (1st Dragoons.) We we’re attached to the First Armored Division. Less than a year after my arrival, we were deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina with Operation Joint Endeavor, to enforce the Dayton Accords and disarm the combatants. I would spend roughly 10 months there and then returned to Germany. After a few more months there, I completed my 4-year tour in the Army and returned to the United States where I would secure a job at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and start completing my last year of school at Christopher Newport University.

5) You have worked at Colonial Williamsburg for close to 30 years! How did you get the job, and have your roles changed over the years?

This May will mark my 28th year at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. I started, after the Army in Historic Trades where I worked as a brick maker, carpenter and sawyer. When CW found out I could ride horses, they began incorporating me into some outdoor theater scenes and big reenactment weekends like “Under the Red Coat,” “Town Unchained,” and “Prelude to Victory.” These events recreated important moments in Williamsburg’s history during the American Revolution. It was also the first opportunity for me to do First Person interpretation and where I started to portray the Marquis de Lafayette and LTC Banastre Tarleton. I would go on to work with Coach & Livestock,, Theatrical Interpreters, Actor Interpreters with Revolutionary City and finally I was asked to become a Nation Builder and perform as Lafayette on a daily basis.
 

6) What is your favorite part of working at Colonial Williamsburg?

My favorite part of working at Colonial Williamsburg is its rich history. There is so much to tell! I’m honored to be able to work here where so much history was made. I believe all of the answers to the future, can be found in the past and with what we do here at CW, we are educating those next generations so that they can be better citizens of the future. I love the colleagues I get to work with who bring so much knowledge and talent. I love the horses too! History and horses are my favorite things! And it’s just absolutely beautiful here.

7. You have portrayed many notable 18th-century historical figures, including the celebrated Lieutenant General Marquis de Lafayette and the villainous "bloody" General Banastre Tarleton. Do you have a favorite character to interpret, and why?

I have played a wide variety of historical characters here in Colonial Williamsburg from Major-General Lafayette, to LTC Banastre Tarleton of the British Legion. I have also portrayed Colonel Armand, Benedict Arnold, General Rochambeau, Mann Page III and other assorted characters. For CW, the Marquis de Lafayette is my favorite. Lafayette was such an amazing person of history. I think of him as a 21st century man, living in an 18th century world. A person who is so compelling and inspirational. I love playing all of the different roles though because they are all quite interesting and important. A character that I portray outside of CW is Napoleon Bonaparte. I am thankful for CW for teaching me the art of Living History which I applied to portraying Napoleon in Europe since 2005. Growing up, I was always most fascinated with Napoleon more than any other historical figure and when asked to portray him in Europe, it was a dream come true! It has taken me to Europe over 50 times with events in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Spain. 
 

8) How would you finish this sentence? Colonial Williamsburg is important today because…

“It teaches the world about our rich past which includes triumphs and tragedies, but with that knowledge of what happened in the past, it will guide us to make better decisions in the future, by learning from our history.”

That interview was exciting to read. Thank you, Mark. It shows that if you have the appropriate skill set and patience, opportunities can happen—being in the right place at the right time!

Click here for the photo gallery of my latest visit to Colonial Williamsburg! 

Thank you for reading! Blog #86 will be posted on April 15, 2025. Be safe & well!

Ken Bohrer