I understand Angela Ellis” point about Andrew Jackson (“Time to forgive and heal for Kelseyville”). It is however and without a doubt the intention of Clayton Duncan to forgive Kelsey, emulating his great-grandmother Lucy Moore, a survivor of the Bloody Island massacre.
Clayton has explained this publicly for a long time, but he is also saying, and rightly so, that Kelsey should not be honored by having a town named after him. Kelsey need not be vilified any longer, he can be set to rot or rest as you prefer, but he should indeed be forgotten.
Kelsey and Stone are said by the historical records to have demanded forcefully very young Pomo girls for their “entertainment.” It is their abuse of the Pomos ? who according to California Civil Practice Act, Section 394, were prohibited from testifying for or against “whites” ? that laid to their executions by the Pomos and a subsequent “retribution” by Captain Lyons and the massacre of Bloody Island.
So the name Kelsey and the massacre of Bloody Island are directly connected, and honoring Kelsey with this town means that the people who chose to do so felt that the massacre was perfectly justified.
Is this a part of America”s past the people of Kelseyville who are against the name change want to continue honoring? Should we also have a KKK day, complete with parades and fiery crosses?
Raphael Montoliu
Lakeport
