Today in History for May 10, 2016

Stonewall Jackson

May 10, 1497 – Amerigo Vespucci allegedly departed Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World.

May 10, 1503 – Christopher Columbus visited the Cayman Islands and named them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there.

May 10, 1692 – In connection with the Salem witchcraft trials, Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne examined George Jacobs Sr. and his granddaughter Margaret Jacobs. Sarah Osborne died in prison.

May 10, 1773 - The English Parliament passed the Tea Act, which taxed all tea in the U.S. colonies.

May 10, 1775 – During the American Revolutionary War, a small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British.

May 10, 1775 – During the American Revolutionary War, representatives from the Thirteen Colonies began the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

May 10, 1798 – English navigator and explorer George Vancouver passed away at the age of 40 in Petersham, Surrey, England. An English officer of the British Royal Navy, he is best known for his 1791–95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. In Canada, Vancouver Island and the city Vancouver are named after him, as are Vancouver, Washington in the United States, Mount Vancouver on the Yukon/Alaska border and New Zealand's fourth highest mountain.

May 10, 1802 – Warren A. Thompson, a noted explorer and original settler of Butler County, Ala., was born in Clark County, Ga. He moved to Alabama in 1816, he was a farmer, overseer and captain of the Butler County militia.

May 10, 1820 – Charles Tait was nominated by President James Monroe to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Alabama. Tait was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 13, 1820, and received his commission the same day. On March 10, 1824, the District was subdivided, and Tait was reassigned by operation of law to the newly created Northern District and Southern District of Alabama. Tait continued in service as the sole federal judge assigned to both districts until his resignation on Feb. 1, 1826.

May 10, 1834 – Young Mobile, Ala. printer Charles R.S. Boyington (of Boyington Oak fame) was seen accompanying Nathaniel Frost, an acquaintance who supposedly owed Boyington money, on a walk to the Church Street Graveyard on the outskirts of the city. Frost was later found stabbed to death and robbed near the cemetery. Boyington was found guilty of the crime and was executed on Feb. 20, 1835.

May 10, 1838 - John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, was born in Bel Air, Maryland.

May 10, 1840 - Mormon leader Joseph Smith moved his band of followers to Illinois to escape the hostilities they had experienced in Missouri.

May 10, 1861 – During the Civil War, riots occurred in St. Louis, Missouri.

May 10, 1862 – During the Civil War, the Battle of Plum Run Bend, Tenn. took place.

May 10, 1862 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Lamb’s Ferry, Ala.

May 10, 1862 – During the Civil War, a Federal reconnaissance began along the Alabama Road toward Sharp’s Mill, Miss.

May 10, 1863 – During the Civil War, Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died eight days after he is accidentally shot by his own troops.

May 10, 1864 – During the Civil War, Colonel Emory Upton led a 10-regiment "Attack-in-depth" assault against the Confederate works at The Battle of Spotsylvania, which, though ultimately unsuccessful, would provide the idea for the massive assault against the Bloody Angle on May 12. Upton was slightly wounded but was immediately promoted to brigadier general.

May 10, 1864 – Sgt. William D. Clark of the Conecuh Guards was wounded at Spotsylvania Court House, Va. He survived war and returned to Conecuh County.

May 10, 1865 – The Civil War officially ended by declaration.

May 10, 1865 – During the Civil War, Jefferson Davis was captured by a detachment of Union General James H. Wilson’s near Irwinville, Georgia.

May 10, 1865 – During the Civil War, in Kentucky, Union soldiers ambushed and mortally wounded Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingered until his death on June 6.

May 10, 1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah (not Promontory Point, Utah) with the golden spike.

May 10-11, 1885 – According to the Monroe Journal’s correspondent from the Fork community, there was a frost on May 10 and May 11 at Fork.

May 10, 1895 – A concert was scheduled to be given at the Masonic Hall at Perdue Hill at 8 p.m. “for the purpose of raising funds to purchase an organ for the Methodist church.”

May 10, 1895 – A rain and hail storm took place in Monroe County’s River Ridge community and was said to have been the “heaviest witnessed in 40 years,” according to the community’s oldest inhabitants.

May 10, 1899 – Famous dancer Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Neb.

May 10, 1900 – Allen G. Coleman passed away at the age of 69 in Clarke County, Ala. The Allen community in Clarke County, Ala. was named in his honor in recognition of him being an early settler. The Allen post office was established in 1900. In 1813, a defensive fort was founded in this area and named Fort Madison for James Madison (1751-1836), president of the U.S. (1809-1817). After the Southern Railroad reached this point, the settlement was called Suggsville Station for the town located 1-1/2 miles to the east. The name was later changed to Allen. (Place Names in Alabama)

May 10, 1905 – The preliminary trial of Elbert Jones of Buena Vista, who was accused of murder, was held in Monroeville, Ala. Jones, the 15-year-old son of Tom Jones, allegedly killed a negro boy named “Jack” during an argument around 4 p.m. on April 10 in the “Kearly” field. Judge Slaughter set Jones’ bail at $1,000.

May 10, 1908 – Mother's Day was observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia.

May 10, 1909 – The “largest crowd of people that ever gathered at Owassa” witnessed the unveiling of a Woodmen of the World monument erected in memory of B.E. Pickens, who was killed in a railroad accident in Brewton a few months before. About 1,000 people were in attendance, many coming from Haynesville, Gregville, Georgiana, McKenzie, Garland, Evergreen and other neighboring towns.

May 10, 1912 – The Agriculture School in Evergreen, Ala. held its closing exercises in the school chapel with Prof. C.M. Dannelly delivering the baccalaureate address. The graduating class included Nell Brown of Owassa, Kathleen Lundy, Ethel Kyser, Dora Amos, Glenn Lile, Early Gilchrist, Ernest Barlow, William Harper and Bertram Harper of Herbert.

May 10, 1913 - The New York Yankees committed eight errors against the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees won the game, 10-9, in 10 innings.

May 10, 1916 – Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrived at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island.

May 10, 1916 - The Monroeville Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was scheduled to observe Memorial Day/Decoration Day with a short program at the Baptist cemetery at 2:30 p.m. on this day, which was the 63^rd anniversary of Stonewall Jackson’s death. All Confederate veterans in Monroe County were invited to be present and were to be entertained by the men of Monroeville. All veterans who expected to attend the exercises were asked to notify Dr. G.C. Watson by May 6. Mrs. Frank Emmons of Monroeville was leading an effort to compile the names, regiments and companies of all Confederate soldiers who had died in Monroe County as well as the name of the graveyard where they were buried.

May 10, 1916 - The home of Mr. J.O. Rainer of Castleberry was destroyed with all contents by fire around 2:30 a.m. When the fire was discovered the roof was falling in and it was impossible to save anything. Rainer and his family had gone to Foley on a visit and no one was in the house at the time. It is supposed a spark from a passing locomotive started the fire. The loss was partially covered by insurance.

May 10, 1929 – John Trotwood Moore, who lived in Monterey in Butler County, Ala. for four years and Pine Apple in Wilcox County, Ala. for two years, passed away at his home in Nashville, Tenn. An author, novelist, magazine publisher, newspaper editor and columnist, teacher and State Librarian for Tennessee, he was born in Marion on Aug. 26, 1858.

May 10, 1929 – Rain ended a baseball game early in the fifth inning between Evergreen High School and T.R. Miller on this Friday. At the time, Evergreen was leading, 6-2, and if the Aggies had retired two more, it would have been a “legal game.” “Mountain” Stallworth pitched for Evergreen and had allowed only two hits.

May 10, 1929 - Alabama author Hudson Strode's play “The End of the Dance” was performed on Broadway as part of the Little Theatre Tournament.

May 10, 1935 – On this Friday night, Mrs. Ely Bradley and her 12-year-old son, Ely Bradley Jr., were arrested in connection with the shooting and subsequent death of Hobson Mason at the Bradley home on the Lawrence Farm on the “old Castleberry road.” The Bradleys claimed to have shot at Mason when he attempted to come into their home by forcing a door open. Mason died on Sun., May 12, around 3 p.m.

May 10, 1938 – On this Tuesday, the Troy Trojans baseball team beat the Evergreen Greenies, 6-5, in Troy. Bryant, who was Evergreen’s new catcher, led Evergreen with three base hits.

May 10, 1945 – That week’s edition of The Evergreen Courant announced that the German POW camp in Evergreen, Ala. had been closed and the prisoners and their guards had been transferred to Camp Rucker near Ozark.

May 10, 1946 - The Boston Red Sox won their 15th straight game.

May 10, 1951 – Army Pvt. Carlos D. Weaver of Escambia County, Ala. was killed in action in Korea.

May 10, 1953 – Second baseman Warren “Slugger” Bolton joined the Evergreen Greenies as they lost to Atmore, 4-2. In his first appearance with the team with no practice, Bolton played “flawlessly afield” and recorded two hits, including a home run over the left-center field fence. George Gaston pitched for Evergreen.

May 10, 1953 – Around 12:45 a.m. on this Sunday morning, Boss Griffin, 69, allegedly shot and killed Robert “Slick” Harris, 45, during an argument over 25 cents in a card game being played at Griffin’s home in the “Bear Mash” neighborhood on the lower end of Magnolia Avenue in Evergreen, Ala. Griffin allegedly shot Harris once in the abdomen with a .32 caliber pistol, and Harris was taken immediately to a Brewton hospital, where he died on May 11 around 10 p.m. Sheriff John H. Brock and Deputy Sheriff James Brock arrested Griffin a short time after the shooting and Griffing was confined in the Conecuh County Jail on charges of murder.

May 10, 1955 - A television version of Alabama author Ambrose Bierce's story "The Soldiers" was broadcast as part of the “Danger” series.

May 10, 1960 – The nuclear submarine USS Triton completed Operation Sandblast, the first underwater circumnavigation of the earth. The trip started on February 16.

May 10, 1962 – Marvel Comics published the first issue of “The Incredible Hulk.”

May 10, 1967 - Hank Aaron hit an inside the park homerun.

May 10, 1968 - Jim Morrison of The Doors incited a riot during a Chicago concert.

May 10, 1969 - The National and American Football Leagues announced their plans to merge for the 1970-71 season.

May 10, 1979 - John McMullen became the CEO of the Houston Astros.

May 10, 1990 - Alabama author Walker Percy died in Covington, La.

May 10-11, 1996 – On Mt. Everest in Nepal, eight climbers died near the summit during a storm on the mountain.

May 10, 1997 - The Chicago Cubs got the 68th triple play in Major League Baseball history.

May 10, 2000 – The Flat Rock Saints Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

May 10, 2002 – Alabama Gov. Don Siegleman visited Evergreen, Ala. as part of a statewide tour to boost economic development.

May 10, 2005 – Jackson, Ala. voted to legalize alcohol sales.

May 10, 2007 – Hillcrest High School was scheduled to play Georgiana High School in a spring football game in Evergreen, Ala. Maurice Belser was Hillcrest’s head football coach.