Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 14, 1995 TAG: 9508140004
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHILESBURG LENGTH: Short
Clark, who joined Meriwether Lewis in an 1804-1806 journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean, was born about a mile north of Chilesburg in Caroline County, researcher Robert E. Gatten Jr. said.
Gatten, president of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, has persuaded the state Board of Historic Resources to approve a highway marker affirming Clark's birthplace.
``It's putting together all the little pieces,'' Gatten said. ``It's been a miracle that we found anything about this.''
Two years ago, Gatten believed he had traced Clark's roots to a Spotsylvania County farm. But further study helped Gatten identify a place near the village of Chilesburg as the site of Clark's birth in 1770.
Gatten and several researchers studied land records, documents and papers from Virginia, Kentucky and Wisconsin.
Lewis' birthplace outside Charlottesville is well documented.
by CNB