The Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, Mo., boasts a crew roster of nearly 200 people. Dues-paying members hail from 24 states and range in age from 18 to 80-something. They include teachers, firefighters, police officers, attorneys, dentists, retirees, students, and bed and breakfast owners, among others. Numerous members are veterans of the U.S. military, and some currently serve with the National Guard or Army Reserve.
Two descendents of William Clark are members of the Discovery Expedition: Peyton (Bud) Clark of Dearborn, Mich., and Charles Clark of St. Louis, Mo., who often portrays their ancestor in reenactments.
Bob Anderson of Maryville, Ohio, and his grandson Josh Loftis are direct descendents of George Shannon, the youngest member of the original expedition. Anderson was inspired to become a reenactor by the family stories he heard growing up in Ohio.
“The Shannons were among the first white settlers in the area,” Anderson says. “As a kid, it was always exciting to hear stories about George Shannon. He took off for those years, and the family didn’t even know where he was. Then he came back and the stories he told of the expedition were passed down. Lewis told him if he proved himself going down the Ohio River and if Clark approved of him, they’d enlist him and take him along. He was young and eager for adventure, so he went.”