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Remove the cemetery plaqueThis is in regard to Dan Silverberg’s “My turn” column and Gene Davis’ letter to the editor regarding the “racist plaque” that was placed at Greenwood Cemetery in our county. As a historian, I have a couple of observations to make.First, the assertion that Lewis Myers was the “first white settlers* child7* bom at Greenwood cannot be historically validated. This remark was first stated in the subscribed (paid for) biography of Lewis L. Myers that appeared in Paolo Siolo’s “Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County California, published in 1S83. History books published later seemed to pick up on this statement and it was perpetuated into this centuiy’s publications. (While Sioli, himself, states in another section of his publication that Lewis Myers was the “first settlers’ child,” he did not repeat the race definition indicated by the senior Mr. Myers.)In addition, according to the Georgetown Gazette, this is not the first time this issue has become the subject of public speculation or discussion. In January of 1908, the Gazette printed the following:“The Nugget (referring to the Placerville Nugget newspaper) says it is believed that to Judge W.B. Wallace, now of Tulare County, belongs the honor of being the first white child bom in El Dorado County. We understood that the honor belonged to Lewis Myers, now of Hammonton, Ca., but would be glad to hear from any who may know regarding the i nailer.”The Gazette followed this article in its Jan. 31, 1908 issue:“We are in receipt of a letter from LewisMyers of Hammonton, Ca., in regard to the controversy as to who was the first white child bom in El Dorado County.“Mr. Myers says that his parents arrived in Placerville in August 1849 after crossing the plains with a horse team. They moved to Greenwood in the fall of 1849, where Lewis was bom March 25, 1850.“We believe this makes Mr. Myers the first white child born in the county.“Our correspondent says that Jack Shepherd of Greenwood was bom in Placerville, September 1850.”I take particular exception to trying to ensure that we aie historically accurate in our studies of the past. This is often very difficult as we are dependent upon articles, books, periodicals, oral interviews (subject to individual interpretations) and research conducted by others outside of our control.see TURN, page A-8Semper fidelis/ceorge Lansing Osborn‘Imagine ...’A visionary, according toWebster’s dictionary, is one who isimagined a land of free people, where all men and women would be equal, regardless of race. Teddy Roosevelt imagined wilderness preserved for future generations, thus wasthere was always a cost to be paid. To the Thessalonians, Paul said, “This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should they eat.”
Newspaper Details
Placerville Mountain Democrat
Placerville, California, US
Fri, Feb 21, 1997
Page 34
Full Page
Clipped by
Susan M.
CA, USA 28 Aug 2019
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