“Susanna” Book Signing
With Karl Rhodes, author of Peggy’s War
Saturday, September 12, 10 am – 2 pm
A burning bridge. A river crossing. A desperate escape from the Civil War—and that was only the beginning of Susanna’s journey.
Join Rocktown History for a book signing with author Karl Rhodes, whose new book, Susanna, tells the remarkable true story of Susanna Heatwole Brunk Cooprider, born just three miles west of Harrisonburg in 1840.
Orphaned as a teenager, Susanna married her guardian, Henry Brunk, a Mennonite who refused to fight in the Civil War. After Henry escaped to Maryland, Susanna braved enemy lines to join him. Finding the bridge at Harpers Ferry on fire, she forded the Potomac River and reached Hagerstown as Confederate forces closed in.
Together, Susanna and Henry fled to Illinois and later traveled 500 miles by covered wagon to Kansas. Just eight days after their arrival, Henry died, leaving Susanna on the prairie with seven young children and another on the way. Her life would be marked by hardship, resilience, family conflict, faith, and an extraordinary determination to keep going.
Susanna is Karl Rhodes’ second book. It is the sequel to Peggy’s War, a true Civil War story that has achieved both critical acclaim and popular appeal.
Born in Harrisonburg, Karl grew up mostly in Florida, returning to the valley in time to graduate from Turner Ashby High School. His journalism career included several years as executive editor of Virginia Business magazine, and he has won numerous awards for writing and editing, including a gold medal from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Karl retired in 2021 from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, where he was a senior managing editor in the bank’s research department. Since then, he has been researching, writing, and promoting his books. He and his wife, Kim, live in Richmond, but they are frequent visitors to the valley.
Stop by Rocktown History between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, meet Karl, and discover the story of a Valley woman whose journey carried her from Rockingham County to the Kansas prairie.