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Archiver > NCCLEVEL > 2006-10 > 1161016936


From: Derick Hartshorn <>
Subject: Re: [NCCLEVEL] Help us preserve a historic site
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:42:16 -0400
References: <c36.378890c.3262a22c@cs.com>
In-Reply-To: <c36.378890c.3262a22c@cs.com>


Dear friends,

In attempting to provide some assistance for Mr.
Jeff Thomas, who has been trying to reach an
accommodation with the land owner in which the
Gilleland family cemetery lies, I have been
overwhelmed with responses. Rather than try to
answer each and every person who has written, I
am reluctantly sending a stock response to all who have replied.

Speaking for Mr. Thomas, I would like to thank
everyone for the written support they have
provided. Each and every petition that has been
signed and returned to Mr. Thomas is one more
important step toward the eventual protection of
this small, but vital piece of our heritage. Not
just for the Gilleland family or the citizens of
Catawba County, but for folks everywhere who care about historic preservation.

I now recognize that it will be difficult to
transmit signed petitions electronically to Mr.
Thomas so I urge everyone to spend 37ยข and sent
it via snail mail to Jeff. The address can be
found at the bottom of the petition:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nccatawb/media/GillelandPetition.pdf

As for contributions to a preservation fund, I
have no control or opinion over that. I don't
even know if a fund has been started. I do know
that Mr. Thomas relayed to me that he and his
family were willing to spend family funds for any
legal action that might become necessary.

In addition, the Hickory Daily Record has
published a follow-up story to the first article
that originally informed the public about the
difficulties Mr. Thomas had in trying to reach a
settlement with the current land-owner. The piece can be found at:
http://www.hickoryrecord.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR%2FMGArticle%2FHDR_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149191164709

This will be added to the current Gilleland Cemetery page:
(
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nccatawb/Gilleland-cemetery.htm
) as well as any developments as they occur.

Hopefully, the processes and procedures required
to bring a recalcitrant land owner into
compliance with North Carolina State General
Statutes will provide a model for others who have
experienced the same kind of frustration.

Meanwhile, please present the petition to family
and friends and make your voices heard.
Everywhere, the "little guy" and those who can
not speak for them selves (in this case, the
dead) are being ignored and dismissed by the "big guys."

--Derick


At 10:25 AM 10/15/2006, you wrote:
>In a message dated 10/14/2006 4:18:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> writes:
> > " Dellinger said. "If I have a problem, I
> > go to the source, I don't go to a newspaper." "
> >
> >
> > It should not have been necessary for him to go to anyone...the cemetery
> > should have been taken care of from git go. I
>
>
>Bill McKinney
>Spartanburg SC
>
>-------------------------------
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