Today in History for Nov. 27, 2015

Nov. 27, 1582 – William Shakespeare, 18, married Anne Hathaway, 26, of Shottery, a small hamlet a mile up the road from Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford.

Nov. 27, 1746 - Robert R. (or R.R.) Livingston — later known as “the Chancellor”—became the first of nine children eventually born to Judge Robert Livingston and Margaret Beekman Livingston in their family seat, Clermont, on the Hudson River in upstate New York. R.R. Livingston represented the Provincial Congress of New York at the Continental Congress in 1776 and helped to draft the Declaration of Independence, although he returned to New York before he was able to sign the document. In 1777, during the American Revolution, the British army burned down Clermont and another of R.R.’s estates, Belvedere, in retribution for Livingston’s decision to side with the Patriots.

Nov. 27, 1809 – Charles Tait began serving as a U.S. Senator from Georgia after being elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Milledge. Tait was reelected in 1813 and served in the Senate until to March 3, 1819. He would pass away in Claiborne, Ala. on Oct. 7, 1835.

Nov. 27, 1816 – The Town of Jackson, Ala. (originally called Pine Level) was officially incorporated by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature, a little over three years before Alabama even became a state in December 1819.

Nov. 27, 1829 – School teacher Murdock McPherson of Sparta, Ala., who was the first county clerk of Conecuh County, received the first Masonic funeral in Conecuh County history.

Nov. 27, 1830 - St. Catherine Laboure experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary standing on a globe and emanating rays of light from her hands.

Nov. 27, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Fairfax Courthouse, Va.

Nov. 27, 1861 – During the Civil War, the Ship Island (Miss.) Expedition sailed from Hampton Roads, Va. with the mission to establish a base of operations against New Orleans, La. and vicinity.

Nov. 27, 1863 – Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and his officers tunneled out of the newly opend Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus and escaped safely to the South. Morgan returned to his cavalry activities in Tennessee after his escape. However, at Greeneville, Tenn. in 1864,he was killed by Yankee cavalry.

Nov. 27, 1863 – During the Battle of Mine Run, Union forces under General George Meade took up positions against troops led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Nov. 27, 1864 - In Georgia, Union General Judson Kilpatrick began pursuing Confederate General Joseph Wheeler between Waynesboro and Millen. The engagement ended on Dec. 4. The battle allowed Union General Tecumseh Sherman to march to Savannah, Ga. on his famous "March to the Sea."

Nov. 27, 1905 - The Jones Mill School (in present-day Frisco City) started the school year on this Monday with 97 pupils present.

Nov. 27, 1909 – Pulitzer Prize-winning author James Agee was born in Knoxville, Tenn. In 1936, Agee and photographer Walker Evans spent two months living with sharecroppers in Alabama on assignment for Fortune, and Agee turned it into a book, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” (1941. He won the Pulitzer posthumously for his 1957 autobiographical novel, “A Death in the Family.”

Nov. 27, 1910 – Around 9 p.m., Will Stallworth was killed at the “warehouse crossing” in Evergreen, Ala. by a passing train.

Nov. 27, 1910 – New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, better known as “Penn Station,” opened.

Nov. 27, 1914 – In Monroe County, Ala. Circuit Court, Torrey Puryear was convicted of the murder of her husband and given a life sentence.

Nov. 27, 1914 – Confederate veteran Williamson Henderson passed away at the age of 83. He was born in Edgefield, S.C. on July 13, 1831 and moved to Monroe County, Ala. when he was 16 years old. He married Georgia Ann Pridgeon at Claiborne, Ala. on Oct. 17, 1854. At the opening of the Civil War, he enlisted in Co. G of the 7th Alabama Cavalry in Forrest’s command.

Nov. 27, 1924 – In New York City, the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held.

Nov. 27, 1939 – During a meeting of the Monroeville, Ala. Chamber of Commerce, four Mobile, Ala. Kiwanis Club field representatives (Hoyt W. Lee, Ed Rincher, R.W. Golsby and Ed Shortess) proposed the organization of a Kiwanis Club in Monroeville, Ala.

Nov. 27, 1976 – Actor and screenwriter Jaleel White was born in Culver City, Calif. He is best remembered for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom “Family Matters.”

Nov. 27, 1980 - Dave Williams of the Chicago Bears became the first player in NFL history to return a kick for touchdown in overtime.

Nov. 27, 1983 - Violence broke out among Cabbage Patch doll shoppers.

Nov. 27, 1984 - The Seaboard System Railroad ceased all railroad service to Elba, Ala., including freight service.

Nov. 27, 1994 - Joe Montana of the Kansas City Chiefs became the fifth quarterback to surpass 40,000 yards passing.

Nov. 27, 1997 – National Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman Buck Leonard passed away at the age of 90 in Rocky Mount, N.C. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Nov. 27, 2003 - U.S. President Bush flew to Iraq and spent time with U.S. soldiers stationed there.