July 29, 2001

Readers Write

Inasmuch as my thought-projection power of appreciation is not yet perfected, I hereby resort to the printed word - along with an apology for grievous procrastination.

It astonishes me when folks in distant places respond to one of my three columns. The grapevine and sun-herald.com website are potent communicators.

I intended to compose erudite postal replies suitable for binding with pink ribbon as heirlooms. Alas, the pressure of multiple deadlines provide unworthy excuses to dilly-dally.

As my Grandma Lindsey used to tell me, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."  Hopefully, my afterlife will be enhanced by the following recognitions that, by publication, go into the public domain.

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Re: Carlstrom Air Field

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[ Lawrence L. Jenkins ]

Lawrence, of Galesburg, Michigan, sent the above photo of himself as a cocky 19-year-old fighter pilot cadet at the Carlstrom U.S. Army Airfield near Arcadia in 1943.

Shortly after this picture was made, Lawrence buzzed the Charlotte Harbor Bridge. He says, "Fishermen on the bridge threw themselves on the roadway, and several seagulls were torn up."

For this, he was court-martialed and confined to base. Punta Gordans dismissed the stunt. The Punta Gorda Herald didn't even mention it in its "Local Brevities" column.

Lawrence's s punishment was short because he was sent overseas a week later. He was injured and decorated for heroic action in battle.

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Re: Strange Coincidences

Fran Robinson, of Punta Gorda, is an astute Civil War buff. She corrects an illustration in my story about the assassination of President Lincoln.

"General Grant and his wife did not attend the theater performance during which Lincoln was assassinated - although they were invited.

"It was rumored that Mrs. Grant refused the invitation because she detested Mrs. Lincoln.

"The Lincolns, at the last minute, invited Major Henry Reed Rathbone, of the Provost Marshal's Office, and his fiancé Miss Clara Harris, daughter of New York Senator Ira Harris.

"When Booth attacked President Lincoln, Maj. Rathbone tried to stop him. Booth stabbed Rathbone in the left arm.

"Maj. Rathbone and Miss Harris were married, but tragedy followed. In 1883, Clara was shot and killed by her husband who had gone insane. He died in 1911 in an asylum at Hanover, Germany."

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Re: Bush Tax Cuts

 Dan Doyle, of Fort Worth, Texas, says he "admires my ability to express political opinions." He sends the following letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram -- names thinly disguised:

"Once upon a time, there were three little children: Tony, Rush and Molly. They went to the Friendly Sam Candy Store.

Rush said, "I would like a Govserve candy bar.

Sam said, "Excellent. That bar has everything you need. I see you have a paper route and a nice allowance. That will be 40 cents.

Tony said he would like the same thing.

Sam said, "I see you sell lemonade but don't make much when it snows. How about I charge you 28 cents?

Molly said she wanted the same thing, only bigger.

Sam said, "I see you get a little bit turning in cans. How about you pay a dime?

A few days later the children went back to Sam's for Govserve bars. He exclaimed, "Business has been good lately, so this time I will only charge Rush 30 cents, Tony 20 cents and Molly a nickel."

"That's not fair!" shouted Molly. You are giving Rush a 10-cent discount, Tony eight cents, but you're give me only a nickel.

"Now, Molly," said Sam, speaking very slowly. "I'm not giving anyone anything. I'm only charging all of you less than before. Rush and Tony are still paying much more than you. In fact, you got a bigger percentage decrease than they.

"Not fair! screamed Molly as she stuffed the candy into her mouth. Robber baron!

"Sam shook his head. Some people will never get it."

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Re: Sybil's Midnight Ride

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Sybil Ludington's grave

Jim Dusenbury of Carmel, New York, says he receives the Sunday edition of the Charlotte Sun, and "particularly enjoyed" my column about Sybil Ludington, a heroine of the American Revolution.

The 16-year-old girl rode through the night summoning the Duchess County, N.Y., Militia to repulse a search-and-destroy mission of British soldiers.

At age 23 she married Edward Ogden, had six children, and died Feb. 26, 1839. She is buried in the old Presbyterian burying ground at Patterson, N.Y.

Jim sends a photograph of her grave marker and writes, "I find the spelling of her name interesting - Sibbell."

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Re: Hurrah July 2

Rev. Paul McAfee, Punta Gorda, a member of Sons of the American Revolution, passes along additional information about Lord Dunmore's War of 1774.

 The crucial battle took place at Pleasant Point, Ky., against Chief Cornstalk's warriors. Immediately thereafter, victorious American officers submitted to the Continental Congress a declaration of support for independence from Britain - the first such sentiment expressed openly.

The revolution for liberty, as we all know, occurred two years later.  

Prominent in the Kentucky-Ohio battle was Lt. James F. McAfee, one of three brothers at the Pleasant Point battle and an ancestor of Paul.

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Re: DeSoto Landing

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Chief Mococo's town site 

Joseph Brinton, an outstanding archaeologist and historian at Gulfport, Fla., sends a photograph of the site he believes to be that of Chief Mococo who befriended Hernando DeSoto in 1539.

The location is on the east shore of Lake Myakka. He writes: "Please let me know if you aim to continue researching DeSoto's landing site." (I do.)

Joe continues, "If the Spanish would-be colonist invaders started at Charlotte Harbor, it seems nearly certain DeSoto's first three stops - the port landing, Mococo, and the village of the regional chief are already recorded as archaeological sites."

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Re: Orphan Train

James Lawton of Port Charlotte writes that he enjoyed my column about "orphan trains because we recently found information in our family tree of a relative accepting a young girl from such a train."

Judge Thomas and Ann Sharp, of Carthage, Ill., in 1885, chose Eleanora Del Vasto at age 11. She had come from the New York Juvenile Asylum. At that time, Judge Sharp was 67 and Ann 62.

In a letter written by Judge Sharp to the Asylum, he reports: "In accordance with the requirements of the indenture, I submit the following: Eleanora Del Vasto - we call her Ella Sharp - has attended Sunday school regularly, not being absent a single time since last May. Since the first of September she has attended school regularly. She is very anxious to learn, and stands high in her class."

In 1892, Ella wrote that she had been taking music lessons, had completed grade and high school and was attending Carthage College. There she was studying Virgil, chemistry, physics, geography, physiology and drawing.

She married the grandson of an older sister of Ann Sharp in 1895, blessed by the orphan train program.

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Oops & Yeas

Eugene Pentiuk -- "Your article about income tax reform was very informative. However, I am losing approximately $100 a month on my Social Security by having been born in the notch between 1917 and 1921. This discrepancy occurred when Congress made a typographical error in writing the enabling bill for Social Security. Incidentally, I and most other World War II veterans are notch babies."

(I feel your pain. I, too, am a notch baby. Congress will not fix this discrimination because it would cost billions of dollars.)

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Samuel, not Charles

Timothy Tilden-Smith - "Just for the record, first name of the Democrat presidential candidate in the famous 1872 Tilden/Hayes ballot counting controversy was Samuel, not Charles."

(Right. I must have been too close to deadline. I have written about that event several other times, always naming Tilden correctly. Rutherford Hayes, a Republican, won by a whisker and a compromise in the Electoral College to end Reconstruction penalties against the South.

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"War Between the States" is more correct

Walter Smith - "You apparently have some 'Southern' influence in your background. However, you use the term 'Civil War.' While this term is used extensively, I think "War Between the States" is more correct. The basic division at the time was between the States, North vs. South."

(States' rights was, indeed, the primary cause of the war. President Lincoln called it a "great civil war" in his Gettysburg Address. Old folks in my family refer to it as the "War of Northern Aggression.")

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Bush's rejection of American Bar Association

J.G. - "Three cheers for your article on Bush's rejection of American Bar Association ratings for federal judges. Please print the names of lawyers on the screening committee. It is wise to know the enemy."

(The names are not listed on the ABA website. When I find them, I will columnize them.)

Author: Lindsey Williams

INSERT 3 COL PHOTO TRABUE GRAVE UPPER RIGHT OF PAGE

[ Stephanie and Bill Gardner of  Lexington, Kentucky, and Punta Gorda, sends a selection of photographs - including this beautiful one -- of the grave of Col. Isaac Trabue, founder of Punta Gorda in 1885. He died July 15, 1907, and his body shipped to Frankfort for burial in the family plot. The monument in background is that of Daniel and Rebecca Boone. Beyond that is the Kentucky River valley and the top of the state capitol building. This, and other material featured in today's column, will be turned over to a planned historical archive one day. ]