Join the Sharon Historical Society, in collaboration with the Warren Historical Players and Croaker’s Brewing Company, as we host “Death in the Perkins Family: Beer & Bloodshed,” a unique, lecture with an alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage included. Former professor Dr. Ronald Brooks and local physician Dr. Gregory George will give the story behind the story of the Perkins family, who founded Akron, Ohio, and had members in both Warren, Ohio, and Sharon, Pa. Many members of the family suffered from melancholia, which we know today as severe depression. Because of this melancholia, two members of the family would commit suicide. Henry Bishop Perkins Jr. shot himself on the banks of the Mahoning River behind the Kinsman House in 1900. His father, Henry Bishop Perkins Sr. would never recover from his son’s death and less than a year later in 1901, he would hang himself from the rafters in his office. One of the rumors about Bish Perkins is that he impregnated a local maid, who then died under suspicious circumstances. Newspapers said she was in “an unfortunate condition” at the time of her death.

This lecture is provided by Dr. Ronald Brooks who has appeared in many historical reenactments in the Western Reserve of Northeast Ohio. You may have seen him in one of his reenactments of General Simon Perkins or David Tod, Ohio’s Civil War Governor. Perhaps you have seen him as a Victorian Gentleman in his presentation of Victorian Spiritualism, to name just a few. Dr. Brooks is proud to be a member of the Warren Historical Players. He has brought to his presentations and other performances an in-depth knowledge of the Victorian Era, Spiritualism, and the history of the Ohio Western Reserve. Dr. Brooks is recognized as an authority in all things Victorian and local history. Two of his recent books are In the Shadow of the Spire, Historical Profiles of Warren Ohio, and A Journey into the Spirit World. His Ph.D. is in education, and he is a tenured full professor. He holds a Master’s Degree in mathematics and a Bachelor’s Degree in education and history. He has won numerous awards for his teaching ability. Dr. Gregory George is a local physician. He volunteered for the Trumbull County Historical Society portraying Henry Bishop Perkins and Judge Frederick Kinsman in character and costume. He is enthusiastic about being part of Warren Historical Players. He portrayed several local iconic leaders, including Dr. Peter Allen, W.D. Packard, and Clearance Darrow. He portrayed Charles Dickens during the Players’ Christmas event. Dr. George played the role of Dr. Ephraim King in the PBS Documentary Engineering Tragedy: The Ashtabula Train Disaster, produced and directed by Len Brown of Beacon Productions. John A. Libonati has served as Mercer County Coroner for nine years. For the past 16 years, Mr. Libonati has been a certified death investigator through the Pennsylvania State Coroners’ Education Board and has worked for the Mercer County Coroner’s Office where he has performed over 3,000 death investigations.

This event requires tickets to be purchased in advance on our website HERE which are $20 per person and include an alcoholic or two non-alcoholic beverages.

The event will be at the Taproom of Croaker's Brewing Company, 74 North Sharpsville Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146 on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 2:00 pm.