Silas Deane Lecture to Unravel 250-year-old Hidden Story

The Curious Case of Silas Deane aims to unravel 250-year-old hidden story of politics and intrigue

Lecture to be presented by Dr. Susan Holly, Senior Historian, U.S. Department of State, on September 21

WETHERSFIELD— You’ve heard the story of the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution time and again, but what do you know about Wethersfield’s Silas Deane? For more than two centuries, Deane’s reputation has been clouded by allegations of malfeasance and profiteering at the expense of the Continental Congress. Many called him a traitor. But what if everything you think you know about Silas Deane is wrong?

The Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield, Connecticut, is mounting a campaign to correct the record with the help of Dr. Susan Holly, Senior Historian at the U.S. Department of State. As part of a two-day residency, Dr. Holly will deliver a public lecture on Thursday, September 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., entitled The Curious Case of Silas Deane. It promises to unravel a 250-year-old hidden story of politics and intrigue, followed by an open discussion moderated by State Historian Emeritus and Webb Deane Stevens Museum Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Walter W. Woodward.

Deane’s case is a startlingly modern story of congressional dysfunction and politicized media. He was among the most talented and trusted of the Founding Fathers, deployed to France in January 1776 alongside Benjamin Franklin to negotiate King Louis XVI’s critical support the American cause. Then, wrongly accused of financial impropriety, he became a political scapegoat. Congress was so gridlocked that his case was never heard. The very same month that Washington and Rochambeau famously met in the Webb House, next door to Deane’s home in Wethersfield, to plot the campaign that ended the war in Yorktown, Deane was writing back to friends in America questioning whether democracy could be a viable system here after all.

The Webb Deane Stevens Museum has dedicated its observance of the USA 250 celebration in 2026 to fostering civil discourse through thoughtful examination of the past. Deane’s ordeal shows how individuals’ personal experiences with the American democratic system can lead to legitimate political differences. It also shows the resilience of that system. Congress finally cleared Deane’s name in 1841 and repaid his descendants what was owed to him, but the State Department and generations of historians continued to perpetuate myths about his character and service. Dr. Holly is challenging others in her profession to straighten out the record.

About the Presenter

Dr. Susan Holly is a senior historian with the United States Department of State’s Office of the Historian and has been researching the origins of early American diplomacy for a new documentary compilation scheduled for release in 2026. She previously served as executive producer for a DVD and curriculum series on various topics in diplomacy for high school audiences, wrote a short history of U.S.-China relations and other materials for the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Beijing, compiled volumes on Global Issues and a retrospective history on the Eisenhower era coup in Guatemala for the Foreign Relations of the United States. Before joining the office, she served in the Bureau of Public Affairs as an editor, speechwriter, and Department spokesperson for several international delegations.

Dr. Holly earned degrees in history and journalism from Marquette University, followed by a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. Other publications include a book on the Iran-Iraq War for Lloyd’s of London Press, as well as numerous newspaper articles. Her resume also includes participation in an elephant race, where she learned elephants could run fast.

Admission

Tickets for The Curious Case of Silas Deane may be purchased on the Museum's website at wdsmuseum.org/event/the-curious-case-of-silas-deane/. The 6 p.m. lecture will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. Members: $15 / General Public $20. This program is underwritten by the U.S. Department of State and The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut.

The Webb Deane Stevens Museum is located at 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, Connecticut. Free parking is available behind the Webb Barn on the Museum campus, on-street, and at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield.

Visit wdsmuseum.org/upcoming-events/ to learn more about our upcoming programs.