Today in History for Jan. 19, 2015

Robert E. Lee

Jan. 19, 1807 – Confederate General Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Va. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during most of the Civil War and his brilliant battlefield leadership earned him a reputation as one of the greatest military leaders in history as he consistently defeated larger Union armies.

Jan. 19, 1809 – Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Mass.

Jan. 19, 1818 - The first legislature of the Alabama Territory convened at the Douglass Hotel in the territorial capital of St. Stephens. Attendance was sparse with 12 members of the House, representing seven counties, and only one member of the Senate conducting the business of the new territory.

Jan. 19, 1825 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Baltimore, Md.

Jan. 19, 1830 - LaGrange College in Franklin County, Ala. was chartered by the state legislature, and it eventually became the University of North Alabama. The college officially opened its doors to students on January 11, 1830.

Jan. 19, 1836 - James “Jim” Bowie arrived at the Alamo with 30 men.

Jan. 19, 1840 – Captain Charles Wilkes circumnavigated Antarctica, claiming what became known as Wilkes Land for the United States.

Jan. 19, 1861 – During the Civil War, Georgia joined South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama in seceding from the United States.

Jan. 19, 1862 – At the Battle of Mill Springs in Pulaski and Wayne counties in southern Kentucky, the Confederacy suffered its first significant defeat of the Civil War. Union forces were led by General George Thomas, and Confederate forces were led by George Crittenden. The battle is also known as the Battle of Logan’s Crossroads and Beech Grove.

Jan. 19, 1865 - Confederate General John Pegram and Hetty Cary were married. The ceremony was attended by nearly all of the high-ranking Confederates, including Jefferson Davis and his wife. On Feb. 6, Pegram's body was returned to the same church after he was killed at the Battle of Dabney's Mill, Va.

Jan. 19, 1884 – Excel, Ala. received its name when M.D. Harrison named its post office “Excel” because of the “excellent surrounding farmland and the possibility of future development.”

Jan. 19, 1895 – The Monroe Journal office in Monroeville, Ala. received a visit from San Francisco native Frank C. Carpenter, who was walking from Cincinnati to Mobile “on a wager.” Carpenter left Cincinnati on Dec. 1 and under the conditions of the bet, he had to make the entire journey on foot and “without other pecuniary assistance than that he should earn while en route” by Jan. 30.

Jan. 19, 1915 – The Conecuh County, Ala. United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter met at the Evergreen school to celebrate Robert E. Lee’s birthday and to confer Crosses of Honor on local Confederate veterans.

Jan. 19, 1919 – During World War I, Army Sgt. James A. Powell of Georgiana, Ala., Army Pvt. James Gibby of Barlow Bend in Clarke County, Ala. and Army Pvt. Wiley Payne of Greenville, Ala. “died from disease.”

Jan. 19, 1919 – Dr. Charles Brooks Thomas passed away at the age of 60 and was buried in the Thomaston Cemetery in Marengo County, Ala. Earlier in life, he bought a plantation where Thomaston, Ala. is now located and was appointed postmaster. Thomaston was named in his honor, and he had the land surveyed, laid out the town and served as the town’s first mayor.

Jan. 19, 1929 – The Evergreen, Ala. Night Hawks basketball team beat the Mobile Rangers, 37-25.

Jan. 19, 1929 – Confederate veteran S.M. Long of Range, Ala. passed away.

Jan. 19, 1932 – The Annual Conecuh County Farm Bureau meeting was held at the Conecuh County Courthouse at 10 a.m., immediately after that morning’s Cotton Mass Meeting. E.L. Albreast was president of the Conecuh County Farm Bureau.

Jan. 19, 1938 – Alabama State Representative Forrest Castleberry announced he would seek relection in the May and June primaries. He was serving his first term in office, having been elected in 1934.

Jan. 19, 1952 - The National Football League bought the franchise of the New York Yankees from Ted Collins. The franchise was then awarded to a group in Dallas on Jan. 24.

Jan. 19, 1953 - Jesse Owens of Alabama was named Illinois Athletic Commission secretary.

Jan. 19, 1958 - The Canadian Football Council changed its name to the Canadian Football League.

Jan. 19, 1959 – John Malcolm Patterson took the oath of office as Alabama’s 44th Governor. Patterson was administered the oath by Judge Walter B. Jones of Montgomery, Alabama’s senior circuit judge. Conecuh County had a float in the inaugural parade, and Evergreen High School’s band also marched in the parade.

Jan. 19, 1963 – Lee Roy Jordan of Excel, Ala. was named Associated Press College Football Lineman of the Year in Columbus, Ohio.

Jan. 19, 1967 - Lesly Gore appeared on ABC-TV's "Batman" as Catwoman's sidekick, Pussycat.

Jan. 19, 1977 – Snow fell in Miami, Fla., and this was the only time in the history of the city that snow had fallen. It also fell in The Bahamas.

Jan. 19, 1978 – The Macon General Store Museum Collection in Andalusia, Ala. was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

Jan. 19, 1979 - Former U.S. Attorney General John N. Mitchell was released on parole after serving 19 months at a federal prison in Alabama.

Jan. 19, 1989 - President Reagan pardoned George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner was indicted on 14 criminal counts on April 5, 1974, then pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions to Nixon's re-election campaign and a felony charge of obstruction of justice on Aug. 23.

Jan. 19, 1993 - The Oakland A's unveiled its new elephant logo.

Jan. 19, 1997 - Ivan Rodriguez signed a deal with the Texas Rangers worth $6.65 million for one year.

Jan. 19, 1999 – Former Evergreen High School coach Charles Branum found dead in his home in Tillman’s Corner, Ala., murdered by escaped convicts Kathy R. Jenkins of Mobile and Leslie M. Fillingim of Eight Mile, Ala.

Jan. 19, 2013 – Former Major League Baseball infielder Milt Bolling passed away at Providence Hospital in Mobile, Ala. at the age of 82. Born on Aug. 9, 1930 in Mississippi City, Miss., he went on to play for the Boston Red Sox, the Washington Senators and the Detroit Tigers. He attended Spring Hill College in Mobile and after his playing days, he spent more than 30 years with the Red Sox, including time as an area scout based in Alabama.

Jan. 19, 2013 - In Scottsdale, Ariz., the original Batmobile for the TV series "Batman" sold at auction for $4.6 million. It was the first of six Batmobiles produced for the show.