Today in History for Aug. 8, 2014

Timothy Abbott Conrad

Aug. 8, 1829 – Charles Edward Travis, the first child of William Barret Travis and Rosanna Cato Travis, was born.

Aug. 8, 1861 – “Monroe Rebels” was organized in Monroeville.

Aug. 8, 1862 – During the Civil War, because local guerrilla fighters continued firing into railroad cars, Federal forces arrested local ministers and placed them throughout each train at Huntsville, Ala. The firing ceases.

Aug. 8, 1863 – During the Civil War, in the aftermath of his defeat at Gettysburg, Pa., Confederate General Robert E. Lee sent a letter of resignation as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, a letter that Davis did not accept.

Aug. 8, 1864 – During the Civil War, Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, Ala., unconditionally surrendered to Federal forces.

Aug. 8, 1868 – John DeLoach was commissioned for his fourth and final term as Monroe County’s Circuit Court Clerk, and John A. Simmons was commissioned as Monroe County’s Sheriff.

Aug. 8, 1877 - Paleontologist Timothy Abbott Conrad passed away in Trenton, N.J. He studied the fossil beds at Claiborne for two years with Charles Tait and published the first geologic map of Alabama. During his time at Claiborne, Conrad shipped cases full of fossils back to Philadelphia for identification.

Aug. 8, 1922 - Hattie Hooker Wilkins of Selma became the first woman to win a seat in the Alabama legislature. One of three Alabama women to run for legislative office that year, Wilkins was the only successful candidate, beating out incumbent J. W. Green for a seat in the House of Representatives. Wilkins served only one term, choosing not to run for re-election in 1926.

Aug. 8, 1944 – During World War II, Pfc. Burley C. Wallace was killed in action in France. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Wallace of the Garland-Asbury Church community.

Aug. 8, 1967 – The first cotton bales of the 1967 crop were ginned on the same day at the Castleberry Gin Co. and the Evergreen Gin Co. W.J. Davis of Repton delivered the first bale to Castleberry, and partners Isaac Franklin and Les Crosby of Evergreen delivered the first bale to Evergreen.

Aug. 8, 1988 - The Chicago Cubs hosted the first night game in the history of Wrigley Field after 74 seasons of playing only day games at home. With the Cubs playing the Phillies, the game was called due to rain with the Cubs leading 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Because the five innings needed for the game to be official were not completed, Wrigley’s first night game is officially recorded as a 6-4 win over the New York Mets on Aug. 9, 1988.

Aug. 8, 1999 - Wade Boggs got his 3,000th hit of his major league baseball career.

Aug. 8, 2000 - 2000 - The submarine H.L. Hunley was raised from ocean bottom after 136 years. The sub had been lost during an attack on the U.S.S. Housatonic in 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink a warship.