Today in History for Nov. 7, 2014

The Ensisheim meteorite.

Nov. 7, 1492 – The Ensisheim meteorite, the oldest meteorite with a known date of impact, struck the earth around noon in a wheat field outside the village of Ensisheim, Alsace, France.

Nov. 7, 1665 - "The London Gazette" was first published.

Nov. 7, 1832 - William Stephen Wiggins was born. He took command Co. F of the 36th Ala. Regiment after the death of Capt. David Kelly and led the 36th until the end of the war. His unit was a part of the first brigade (Clayton's) to break the Federal line at Chickamauga and the defenders of the line at New Hope Church. He was noted for his bravery in the battle of Atlanta at the railroad cut at present day Grant Park. He died on Oct. 27, 1918 and was buried at Hamilton Hill Cemetery in Hixon, Ala.

Nov. 7, 1837 - In Alton, Ill., abolitionist printer Elijah P. Lovejoy was shot to death by a mob while trying to protect his printing shop from a third destruction.

Nov. 7, 1861 – At the Battle of Belmont, Missouri, Union General Ulysses S. Grant overran a Confederate camp, but was forced to retreat when Confederate reenforcements arrived.

Nov. 7, 1862 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln replaced General George B. MeClellan with General Ambrose E. Burnside as the new Commander of the Army of the Potomac.

Nov. 7, 1888 - After a month of silence, “Jack the Ripper” took his fifth and last victim, Irish-born Mary Kelly, an occasional prostitute. Of all his victims' corpses, Kelly's was the most hideously mutilated.

Nov. 7, 1895 - Fire destroyed every business and house located on the east side of the railroad in Evergreen.

Nov. 7, 1908 – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were reportedly killed in San Vicente, Bolivia.

Nov. 7, 1915 – Charles “Boat Poppa” Johnson of Franklin, pilot of the steamboat “Nettie Quill,” died and was buried beside his wife “Fannie Bett” in the River Ridge Cemetery at Franklin.

Nov. 7, 1956 – It was on this night that “Mon-Ka of Mars” (via contactee Dick Miller) requested certain radio frequencies be cleared at 10:30 p.m. so a message to the people of Los Angeles could be sent from their craft 10,000 miles above. A tongue-in-cheek AP story publicized the event and two radio stations went off the air as a gimmick. Alas, Mon-Ka was a no-show.

Nov. 7, 1963 - Elston Howard, of the New York Yankees, became the first black player to be named the American League's Most Valuable Player.

Nov. 7, 1965 - Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers was sacked 11 times by the Detroit Lions.

No. 7, 1973 - New Jersey became the first U.S. state to permit girls to play on Little League baseball teams.

Nov. 7, 1983 - Ali Haji-Sheikh of the New York Giants kicked his second 56-yard field goal.

Nov. 7, 1986 – Conecuh County Commission Chairman David Lamar Burt of Fairnelson passed away at the age of 61. He was elected chairman in 1976 and was re-elected in 1980 and 1984. He was an active member of the Purnell Methodist Church, a graduate of Lyeffion High School and U.S. Navy veteran of World War II.

Nov. 7, 1986 – In the opening round of the Class 1A state playoffs, Repton High School beat Coffeeville High School, 41-8, in Repton. John Thompson scored three touchdowns, Carl Staton scored one and Allen Nettles caught a touchdown pass.