Susanna’s Journey
From Virginia to the Kansas Prairie—From History to the Page
Third Thursday Talk with Karl Rhodes
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 7:00 pm
with Karl Rhodes
How does the life of a 19th-century Mennonite woman become a book more than a century later?
Join author Karl Rhodes for a Third Thursday Talk tracing both the remarkable life of Susanna Heatwole Brunk Cooprider and the research that brought her story to the page.
During the Civil War, Susanna left Virginia and traveled north between Confederate and Union armies to reunite with her husband in Maryland. Their journey eventually took the family west to Illinois and then, by covered wagon, to Kansas. Just eight days after arriving, Susanna’s husband died, leaving her on the prairie with seven young children and another on the way.
Her story did not end there.
Rhodes will explore Susanna’s experiences of war, migration, family, loss, and survival—and share how he pieced together her story through historical and genealogical research. The program offers a look not only at one extraordinary life, but also at the process of finding an individual in the historical record and transforming scattered evidence into a compelling narrative.
Rhodes is also the author of Peggy’s War, the true story of Margaret “Peggy” Rhodes and her work assisting Virginia Mennonites and Brethren who refused to fight during the Civil War.
Attend in person or join us live on the Rocktown History YouTube channel. Questions from both audiences will be welcomed following the presentation.
Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.
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.
1875 Map of U.S. Territories, courtesy David Rumsey Historical Map Collection