The birthplace of America’s first admiral and a great Hispanic American hero — the man who uttered those famous words, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” — is about to be turned into a private gated community.

Admiral Farragut was born at Stoney Point Farm 12 miles southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee. Until a few months ago, most people were completely unaware that this land had any historic significance. A 110-year-old monument is still on the property, and it is etched with the words “Birthplace of Admiral Farragut,” but it is on private property that is fenced off from the public and now zoned for residential development.

Stoney Point Farm was first settled by Spaniard Jorge Ferragut in 1797, four years before the future Admiral’s birth. He hacked out a clearing in the wilderness, built a 20 x 40 foot log cabin, plowed the fields, and moved there with his young family to run a ferry across the Tennessee River.

David Farragut’s father left his homeland of Minorca, Spain, and sailed to America in 1776 to fight in the Revolution. After the war was over he became a major in the territorial militia and a prominent Knox County landowner.

A preservation group is now coordinating with the Knox County Parks and Recreation and the University of Tennessee Archaeological Research Lab to study the public land that surrounds the farm and borders the waterfront. Fundraising efforts are underway to purchase the lots and dedicate them to future development of a visitors’ center and museum rather than a private residential development.

Please visit http://www.farragutbirthplace.blogspot.com for more information and to make a donation for “Farragut Birthplace” to Knox Heritage, an affiliate of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

On April 19, the Suffolk County jury handed a manslaughter verdict for the hate crime against Marcelo Lucero, a native of Ecuador. His killers were “beaner jumping” and searching for local Mexicans to physically assault, presumably to punish the former group of people for the effrontery of vegetarian diets in our land of obesity and the latter group for being Mexican, the majority of whom are working minimum wage service  jobs on Long Island. Few things are more irritating than a guy who wants to spend long hours washing dishes or mowing lawns for $7.25 an hour. Unable to locate a Mexican, and since all of us Hispanics look alike (where, oh where, have we heard that one before?), the killers stabbed Marcelo Lucero to death.

In an interview on NPR, Mr. Lucero’s brother stated that “we have to change the stereotype of Latinos”. To add our historical perspective, 18th century Ecuador was part of the Spanish province of Nueva Granada. Ecuadorians supported the Spanish war effort against the British in the Central American campaigns of 1780-1781. These war efforts re-directed resources that the British would have used against the North American Continental Army, which was struggling in the southern states.

As we know from studying the American Revolutionary War, immigrant experiences are as varied as the people involved.  While most of the immigrant stories in the 18^th century were unrecorded, we can now share stories in ways that the earliest immigrants could never dream of.  Immigrant Connect Chicago is an online network for immigrants, their families and communities. Through individual stories, Immigrant Connect Chicago is crossing ethnic, cultural and generational lines and providing a forum for shared immigrant experiences in Chicago.  This ongoing project is coordinated through the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, with funding support from the Carnegie Corporation.

The site features a section to “Share Your Story” about your experiences as an immigrant, with suggested topics on learning the language, problems with “papers,” keeping the family together, fearing “the law,” connecting with back home, trying to get work, culture shocks, remembering the migration, and identity issues.

While it’s too late to hear personal narratives on these topics from 18^th century immigrants who contributed to the American Revolutionary War – such as Alexander Hamilton (whose portrait is on the US $10 Bill), Jorge Farragut, Robert Morris, Oliver Pollock, Thomas Paine, and Friedrich Von Steuben – there’s still time for you in the 21^st century.  Please contribute your stories and memories.