Today in History for Dec. 6, 2015

Honus Wagner in 1897.

Dec. 6, 1749 - In the midst of planning another expedition to search for the elusive Northwest Passage, French-Canadian explorer La Verendrye died at the age of 64 in Montreal, Canada.

Dec. 6, 1768 – The first edition of the “Encyclopædia Britannica” was published.

Dec. 6, 1777 - General George Washington’s battered forces managed to outsmart British General William Howe’s year-end attempt to drive the Americans from the hills in what is now Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. After two days of inconclusive skirmishes, Howe decided to return to the city on Dec. 8. He made no further attempts to attack Washington’s troops that winter, a decision for which he was eventually relieved of his duties.

Dec. 6, 1790 – The U.S. Congress moved from New York City to Philadelphia.

Dec. 6, 1806 – Aaron Burr was released from a court hearing in Frankfort, Ky. and gathered his men and boats and took the Cumberland River into Tennessee, where he sought the help of an old friend, Andrew Jackson. Jackson helped Burr get deep into the Mississippi Territory, present day Alabama.

Dec. 6, 1816 – Montgomery County, Ala. was established.

Dec. 6, 1843 – The organizational charter was issued to Macon Lodge No. 7 in Grove Hill, Ala.

Dec. 6, 1847 - The Alabama legislature began its first session in the new capital of Montgomery. The capitol building cost $75,000 to build and was paid for by the citizens of Montgomery. It was destroyed by fire two years later.

Dec. 6, 1860 – The organizational charter was issued to Forest Home Lodge No. 270 in Forest Home, Ala. (Butler County)

Dec. 6, 1861 – During the Civil War, a Federal expedition to Port Royal Ferry and Beaufort, S.C. was conducted.

Dec. 6, 1861 – During the Civil War, a Federal expedition to Gunnell’s Farm, near Dranesville, Va. was conducted.

Dec. 6-7, 1862 - Thomas F. Archer and William Archer, two of four Confederate soldier sons of Amos Archer of Monroe County, died at Dalton, Ga., near Atlanta. Both served in Co. E of the 23rd Alabama Regiment. Thomas died on Dec. 6, and William died the next day. Their other Confederate soldier brothers were Robert E. Archer (who also died during the war) and James O. Archer, who died in Monroeville in 1923.

Dec. 6, 1865 - The Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified, thus officially abolishing slavery.  “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” With these words, the single greatest change wrought by the Civil War was officially noted in theConstitution.

Dec. 6, 1866 – The organizational charter was issued to Oliver Lodge No. 334 in Thomasville, Ala.

Dec. 6, 1877 – The first edition of The Washington Post was published.

Dec. 6, 1882 – The organizational charter was issued to Andalusia Lodge No. 434 in Andalusia, Ala.

Dec. 6, 1884 - Construction of the Washington Monument, which began in 1848, was completed, with workers placing a nine-inch aluminum pyramid at the top of the tower. Made of some 36,000 blocks of marble and granite, the monument at just over 555 feet was the tallest structure in the world at the time, a position it held for five years until the Eiffel Tower surpassed it in 1889. It's still the world's tallest structure built completely of stone, and it's also the world's tallest true obelisk.

Dec. 6, 1886 – Poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer was born in New Brunswick, N.J.

Dec. 6, 1889 – Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis died at the age of 81 in New Orleans. He was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America.

Dec. 6, 1898 – Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt was born in Tczew, Poland.

Dec. 6, 1903 – National Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri was born in San Francisco, Calif. Hhe went on to play for the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Dec. 6, 1904 - Alabama author Carlyle Tillery was born in Greensburg, La.

Dec. 6, 1904 – Theodore Roosevelt articulated his "Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, stating that the U.S. would intervene in the Western Hemisphere should Latin American governments prove incapable or unstable.

Dec. 6, 1904 – National Book Award-winning author Eve Curie, the daughter of Marie and Pierre Curie, was born in Paris.

Dec. 6, 1905 – The organizational charter was issued to Stokes Lodge No. 609 in Pleasant Home, Ala. (Covington Co.)

Dec. 6, 1907 – Prof. Kentaro Shioi of Japan was scheduled to give a lecture on the Russo-Japanese War on this Friday evening at the Conecuh County Courthouse in Evergreen, Ala. The lecture was to include “moving pictures and stereopticon views,” and “these pictures, it (was) claimed, were brought direct from the battlefield of Manchuria, and each (were to) be explained by the Japanese lecturer.” Admission to the lecture was 25 cents and 35 cents.

Dec. 6, 1917 – During World War I, The Monroe Journal reported that National Guardsmen from every state in the union had arrived in France. “While the identity of the units has not been disclosed it may be said that all those which sailed from the United States arrived safely, and some are already in training within sound of the guns on the battle front. After a sufficient time to rest from the journey, the troops have been set to work training for actual service at the front.”

Dec. 6, 1917 – The Monroe Journal reported that a group of “public spirited citizens” were planning to plant “some suitable shade trees” around the public square in Monroeville. A collection was to be taken up for the planting of these trees, and the boys at the local high school were to plant the trees. Proceeds from the collection were to be donated to the Red Cross.

Dec. 6, 1922 – The Evergreen Courant reported that it was a “day late in reaching its patrons due to the recent illness of the editor.” The paper begged its “friends to overlook any other shortcomings of the paper until the editor fully recovers his strength.”

Dec. 6, 1923 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge became the first president to give a presidential address that was broadcast on radio. He was delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.

Dec. 6, 1928 – Confederate veteran J.P. Deason of Owassa, Ala. passed away.

Dec. 6, 1929 – Dan W. Presley, who was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Newman Wiggins, was found guilty in Conecuh County (Ala.) Circuit Court and sentenced to 12 years. Hubert Cheatham was also found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the killing of Ethel Averett and was sentenced to one year.

Dec. 6, 1937 - A radio version of Alabama author Lillian Hellman's movie “These Three,” itself a movie version of her play “The Children's Hour,” was broadcast as part of “The Lux Radio Theatre” series.

Dec. 6, 1947 – The Everglades National Park in Florida was dedicated by U.S. President Truman.

Dec. 6, 1949 – Evergreen High School’s John Greel Ralls and Dickey Bozeman were named honorable mention selections to the Birmingham Age-Herald all-state football team.

Dec. 6, 1952 – Witnesses observed a UFO around 2 a.m. between Douglas and Fargo, Ga.

Dec. 6, 1953 – Vladimir Nabokov completed his controversial novel “Lolita.”

Dec. 6, 1955 – National Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner passed away at the age of 81 in Carnegie, Pa. During his career, he played for the Louisville Colonels and the Pittsburgh Pirates and he also managed the Pirates for one season (1917). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

Dec. 6, 1960 - Gene Autry and Bob Reynolds were granted the Los Angeles Angels baseball franchise by the American League.

Dec. 6, 1974 – Georgiana High School beat Evergreen High School, 78-68, in boys basketball. Chuck Jones and Ronald Fantroy led Evergreen with 16 points each.

Dec. 6, 1976 – Actress Colleen Haskell was born in Bethesda, Md. She was a contestant on the first season of the American reality show Survivor in 2000.

Dec. 6, 1976 – Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996, was born in Maracay, Venezuela.

Dec. 6, 1976 – Actress Lindsay Price was born in Arcadia, Calif. She is best known for her role as Janet Sosna on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Dec. 6, 1980 – Former Jefferson Davis Community College baseball player Ehren Wassermann was born in Sylacauga, Ala. After JDCC, he went on to play for Samford University and then two seasons as a relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.

Dec. 6, 1985 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes died at the age of 92 in Clear Lake, Wisc. During his career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, the Boston Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals, thhe Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees and he managed the Dodgers from 1937 to 1938. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964.

Dec. 6, 1990 - Iraq announced that it would release all its 2,000 foreign hostages.

Dec. 6, 1990 - U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle was enshrined in the Little League Museum's Hall of Excellence.

Dec. 6, 1992, Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers caught his 101st career touchdown reception, breaking the record for most career touchdowns previously held by Steve Largent.

Dec. 6, 2014 – A security guard in Mobile, Ala. reported seeing a UFO on this night. He described seeing a “bright, white light” in the sky that emitted no sound and didn’t have navigational lights like an aircraft.