Though I labor in its vineyards, I don't assume to speak for Colonial
Williamsburg.

But I read Jon Kukla's original Patrick Henry comments in the senses he
describes them below. It seems to me generous of Kukla to elaborate on
them in the interests of harmony among members of the historical community.

Dennis Montgomery
Editor
"Colonial Williamsburg"
The Journal of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

[log in to unmask] wrote:

>In a recent post that suggested a distinction between one Patrick Henry of
>Gloucester Co. and the familiar orator born in Hanover Co., I mentioned a
>friend's offhand and passing reference to Colonial Williamsburg ....
>Neither I nor my friend intended any criticism of CW or anyone else.
>The sense in which the passing comment was made (and in which I read it)
>was two-fold:
>1) that in some 20+ years of research he recalled conflations of the two
>men on distant occasion(s) going back who knows how far, and
>2) that even authoritative sources and scholars can and did tangle the
>Gloucester and Hanover Henrys.
>The second sense actually reflects high regard for CW and scholarship, and
>I suppose that is what kept me from noticing that anyone would take
>offense. Offlist, I have heard that offense was taken, and I apologize.
>   As anyone who has tracked a handful of Swen's index citations through
>the old issues of the VMHB, WMQ, Tyler's etc. knows, it is terribly
>easy for confusion to arise when sources involve people of the same
>name. And it is terribly easy for mistaken details to get into print or
>circulation and take on a life of their own. Incidently, the
>documentary producer whose PR blurb raised the question, cites a highly
>respected text book as source. I once found a FIFTEENTH-century quote
>to the effect of "To err is human, but woe to anyone who finds himself
>in the hands of printers" -- a sentiment  expressed not long after
>Gutenburg and movable type!
>   I certainly intended no criticism of anyone at CW or of any specific
>publication, website, etc. My apologies on that score.
>
>
>Dr. Jon Kukla, Executive Vice-President
>Red Hill - The Patrick Henry National Memorial
>1250 Red Hill Road
>Brookneal, Virginia 24528
>www.redhill.org
>Phone 434-376-2044 or 800-514-7463
>
>Fax 434-376-2647
>
>- M. Lynn Davis, Office Manager
>- Karen Gorham-Smith, Associate Curator
>- Edith Poindexter, Curator
>
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