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Tag: 5/5/1775

  • May 6, 1775: Mary Sherwood

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    Cover art for May 6, 1775: Mrs. Mary Sherwood, artist unknown.

    First, I think we need to address the elephant in the room that Mike brought up during this episode: Winona Ryder comes third out of four; Katharine Hepburn and Saoirse Ronan are way ahead.

    And let’s just pretend June Allyson didn’t happen.

    Mary Sherwood is one of those authors who, it appears, was fated to fade into obscurity after dying despite the huge popularity they enjoyed in life. It still happens today; ask anyone under 40 about Erma Bombeck or Kurt Vonnegut.

    Fortunately you have us to learn a little bit about her and her work.

    [powerpress}

  • May 5, 1775: Alexander McNair, First Governor of Missouri

    Cover art for May 5, 1775: undated portrait of Alexander McNair, artist unknown.

    Alexander McNair wasn’t especially well-educated, but he became a judge and a governor of a territory and then that same area when it became a state, so he must have had something going on besides high-level friends.

    Then again, as governor, he wasn’t able to get a ton of stuff done, and when his term ended he took on a Federal job just for the money. So, for a guy who spent so much time in the “Show-Me State”, he didn’t really have much to show.

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