As a longtime docent at the Wm. S. Hart Museum I was appalled at the misinformation written in JOhn Boston’s Time Ranger article (Dec. 16) regarding the ex-wife of Bill Hart.
Winifred Westover was born in 1899. When she met Bill Hart in 1919, if my math is correct, that would make her 20 years old. Boston referred to her as Bill Hart’s “teen bride,” which is incorrect, offensive, and would have been legally punishable under California law since Ms. Westover lied and claimed she was pregnant when they wed in 1921. Oh, and by the way in 1921 Ms. Westover would have been 22 years old.
Bill Hart was not perfect, but he has done so much and continues to contribute to the lives of Santa Claritans that this type of misinformation is destructive to his reputation. Mr. Santa Clarita needs to get his facts straight before publishing such slanderous articles.
Eileen Blankenhorn
Valencia
