Today in History for Nov. 1, 2016

Alexander Beaufort Meek

Nov. 1, 1512 – The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, was exhibited to the public for the first time. It took Michelangelo four years to complete the paintings that decorate the ceiling of the chapel. The chapel itself was built about 25 years earlier, and various Renaissance painters were commissioned to paint frescos on the walls.

Nov. 1, 1520 – The Strait of Magellan, the passage immediately south of mainland South America connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, was first discovered and navigated by European explorer Ferdinand Magellan during the first recorded circumnavigation voyage.

Nov. 1, 1604 - "Othello," the tragedy by William Shakespeare, was first presented at Whitehall Palace in London.

Nov. 1, 1611 - "The Tempest," Shakespeare's romantic comedy, was first presented at Whitehall Palace in London.

Nov. 1, 1642 – French-Canadian explorer Jean Nicolet, who was around 44 years old, drowned after his boat capsized during a storm while traveling along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. He was noted for exploring Green Bay of Lake Michigan, in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.

Nov. 1, 1755 - The Great Lisbon Earthquake occurred, which was followed by a tsunami and fires. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history with the near-total destruction of Lisbon, Portugal. Geologists estimate the earthquake was close to a magnitude 9 on the Richter scale.

Nov. 1, 1765 – In the face of widespread opposition in the American colonies, the British Parliament enacted The Stamp Act in the American colonies in order to help pay for British military operations in North America. The Stamp Act was a direct tax on the colonists and led to an uproar in America over an issue that was to be a major cause of the Revolution: taxation without representation. The act was repealed in March of 1766 on the same day that the Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts which asserted that the British government had free and total legislative power of the colonies.

Nov. 1, 1777 - The Congress proclaimed a day of thanksgiving on Dec. 18 to commemorate the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga.

Nov. 1, 1815 – Col. Thomas James Judge was born in Richland District, S.C. He moved to Butler County, Ala. in 1820, established the Greenville Whig newspaper in 1834 and served in the Creek War. He later became an attorney and served as Solicitor of the Second Circuit. He also served as a state representative and state senator. During the Civil War, he served in the Confederate army and served as a military court judge in Mobile. He would later serve as a state supreme court justice. He died on March 3, 1876 and was buried in Butler County.

Nov. 1, 1839 – Believed to be the date on which the Evergreen Academy first opened.

Nov. 1, 1839 – The First Presbyterian Church of Demopolis was organized with nine members by the Tuscaloosa Presbytery with the Rev. Isaac Hadden officiating.

Nov. 1, 1848 – In Boston, Mass., the first medical school for women, The Boston Female Medical School (which later merged with the Boston University School of Medicine), opened. It was started by Samuel Gregory, and the first class — 12 women in all — graduated just two years later, in 1850.

Nov. 1, 1852 – The first organized public school in Alabama was opened in Mobile, Ala. at Barton Academy with 400 children.

Nov. 1, 1861 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln appointed George Brinton McClellan as general-in-chief of all Union forces after General Winfield Scott resigned the previous day.

Nov. 1, 1861 – During the Civil War, a Federal expedition from Rolla, Mo. took place, and a skirmish was fought at Renick, Randolph County, Mo.

Nov. 1, 1861 – During the Civil War, a convoy ship sank off Cape Hatteras, N.C., a part of the Port Royal, S.C. expedition.

Nov. 1, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought against Indians on the Peosi River, Texas.

Nov. 1, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Gauley Bridge or Cotton Hill, West Virginia.

Nov. 1, 1862 – Elijah Byrd Jenkins, at the age of 19, enlisted in Montgomery, Ala. as a private in Co. K of the 1st Alabama Artillery. Jenkins, who served aboard the CSS Selma, was born in Wilcox County, Ala. on Dec. 13, 1842 to Thomas Jenkins and wife. He re-enlisted on Feb. 11, 1863 at Port Hudson, La. with Co. K of the 1st Alabama Artillery before joining the Confederate Navy and transferring to serve aboard the CSS Selma on March 5, 1864. He served on that ship until it was captured at the Battle of Mobile Bay. He was then imprisoned at Ship Island, Miss. for the rest of the war. He filed for his Confederate pension in Wilcox County on June 28, 1902, and he is buried at New Hope Cemetery at Dottelle, Ala.

Nov. 1, 1865 - Alexander Beaufort Meek, lawyer, poet, newspaper editor, and state legislator, passed away at the age 51. Meek was responsible for the passage of the Public School Act of 1854, the first statewide legislation to create a fund for public education and the position of state superintendent of education. Meek’s most famous poem, “The Red Eagle,” a lyrical epic about Creek chief William Weatherford, was published in 1855.

Nov. 1, 1869 – The construction of the Escambia County Jail was completed at Pollard, which was then the county seat of Escambia County, Ala.

Nov. 1, 1870 – In the United States, the Weather Bureau (later renamed the National Weather Service) made its first official meteorological forecast.

Nov. 1, 1871 – Novelist and short-story writer Stephen Crane was born in Newark, N.J.

Nov. 1, 1888 – Russian geographer and explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky died of typhus at the age of 49 at Karakol, Russian Empire (Now Kyrgyzstan). A renowned explorer of Central and East Asia, he traveled through regions then unknown to the West, such as northern Tibet (modern Tibet Autonomous Region), Amdo (now Qinghai) and Dzungaria (now northern Xinjiang). He contributed significantly to European knowledge of Central Asia and was the first known European to describe the only extant species of wild horse, which is named after him: Przewalski's horse.

Nov. 1, 1897 – The first Library of Congress building opened its doors to the public. The Library had been housed in the Congressional Reading Room in the U.S. Capitol.

Nov. 1, 1907 – In H.P. Lovecraft’s fictional work, “The Call of Cthulhu,” New Orleans police official John Raymond Legrasse led a party of policemen in search of several women and children who disappeared from a squatter community. The police found the victims' "oddly marred" bodies used in a ritual in which almost 100 men—all of a "very low, mixed-blooded, and mentally aberrant type"—were "braying, bellowing, and writhing" and repeatedly chanting the phrase, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn". After killing five of the participants and arresting 47 others, including the ancient sailor “Castro,” Legrasse interrogated the prisoners and learned "the central idea of their loathsome faith.”

Nov. 1, 1912 – The Orphans Call, a small 25-cent newsletter published by the Louise Short Baptist Widows and Orphans Home of Alabama, was established. It later changed its name to “Our Children.”

Nov. 1, 1913 - Notre Dame defeated Army 35-13. It was the first time the forward pass was used as a main offensive weapon in football.

Nov. 1, 1914 – On this Sunday night, five businesses in Evergreen, Ala. were burglarized, including the Powell & Son’s store, the Moorer-Williams Mercantile Co., Marlin’s drug store, S. Sudeiha’s fruit stand and Braxton’s meat market.

Nov. 1, 1914 – The census bureau reported that 12,559 bales of cotton had been ginned in Conecuh County, Ala. up to this date compared to 12,201 up to that same date in 1913.

Nov. 1, 1914 – Special Agent S.D. Nettles reported that 17,932 bales of cotton had been ginned in Monroe County, Ala. up to this date, compared to 17,534 up to that same date in 1913.

Nov. 1, 1934 – Mrs. D.W. Haskew, the wife of Dr. D.W. Haskew, a prominent and widely known Methodist minister from Dothan, was instantly killed on this Thursday afternoon, when the automobile in which she was riding and driven by her husband, turned over several times on the highway near Repton. According to reports of the accident, Dr. Haskew attempted to dodge a cow, which suddenly ran onto the highway in front of the machine, causing him to lose control of the car. Mrs. Haskew was thrown from the front into the rear seat with such force that it broke her neck, causing instant death.

Nov. 1, 1939 – The C.W. Jackson residence, east of Monroeville, Ala., was damaged by a fire that was discovered around 10 a.m. Damage was restricted to the roof of the home thanks to little wind and the fire department.

Nov. 1, 1943 – During World War II, the Bougainville Campaign (aka, “The Battle of Bougainville”) began in the South Pacific. According to the Aug. 10, 1944 edition of The Evergreen Courant, Sgt. Joseph Spears of Evergreen, Ala. received a Purple Heart for bravery at Bougainville. The son of Ganey and Gussie Spears of Evergreen, he was wounded in the shoulder and sent to a California hospital to recover.

Nov. 1, 1944 - Alabama author Lee Smith was born in Grundy, Va.

Nov. 1, 1947 – Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Nov. 1, 1947 – Up to this date, 4,839 bales of cotton had been ginned in Conecuh County, Ala. from the crop of 1947, compared with 3,523 bales ginned up to that date in 1946.

Nov. 1, 1950 – Legislator and judge John McDuffie, who was a native of Monroe County, Ala., passed away in Mobile at the age of 67.

Nov. 1, 1953 – According to government records, 10,677 bales of cotton were ginned in Conecuh County, Ala. from the 1953 crop prior to this date, compared to 9,945 bales ginned up to the same date in 1952.

Nov. 1, 1953 - Lt. Windell Owens, a Monroeville attorney, was appointed commanding officer of Monroeville’s Battery D of the 108th National Guard Antiaircraft Battalion. Owens replaced R. Jeff Martin, who had resigned at the end of October. Owens received his appointment via telephone from State National Guard headquarters in Montgomery.

Nov. 1, 1960 – Major League pitcher Fernando Valenzuela was born in Navojoa, Sonora. He would go on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the California Angels, the Baltimore Orioles, the Philadelphia Phillies, the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nov. 1, 1963 – The Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, with the largest radio telescope ever constructed, officially opened.

Nov. 1, 1964 - Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns became the first NFL player to exceed 10,000 yards rushing.

Nov. 1, 1968 – J.U. Blacksher High School, under head coach Buddy Rhodes, beat Lyeffion High School, 21-12. Standout Blacksher players in that game included Bohannon, Joe Dale Harris, McGee and Howard Metts.

Nov. 1, 1968 – Excel High School’s football team beat Fruitdale High School, 27-6, in Fruitdale. Standout Excel players in that game included Jimmie Dawson, Harold Johnson, Tommy Jordan, Danny Wiggins and Eddie Wiggins,

Nov. 1, 1973 – The Evergreen Courant reported that John B. Jordan had donated a piece of land on South Main Street to the City of Evergreen for use as a cemetery. The city planned to lay out burial plots on the land, which was to be called the John B. Jordan Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Nov. 1, 1973 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the Evergreen City Council had authorized the purchase of a piece of land from Billy Melton, which was to be developed into a park with tennis courts. The land was between Belleville and Liberty Hill Drive, adjoining Pugh & Son, Inc.

Nov. 1, 1973 – During the Watergate scandal, Leon Jaworski was appointed as the new Watergate Special Prosecutor.

Nov. 1, 1976 – The Perdue Hill Masonic Lodge was added to Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

Nov. 1, 1980 – Seacoast Coast Line Industries, parent of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, merged with Chessie System to form CSX Transportation.

Nov. 1, 1980 – On homecoming night in Lyeffion, Ala., Lyeffion High School beat J.U. Blacksher, 14-6, at Mabry Covin Field. Donald Lee was the leading Jacket rusher with 83 yards. The Taylor brothers, Freddie and Ardell, led the Jacket defense with four solo tackles and six assists each, and Freddie also had a fumble recovery. Other standout Lyeffion players in that game included Richard Benson, Bobby Blount, Mack Daily, Rickey Gill, Mike Grace, Howard Johnson, Jerry Lymon, Floyd McNeil, Garnet Mims, Jesse Mixon, Roosevelt Mixon, Robert Riley and Tim Searcy.

Nov. 1, 1983 – Monroe County Sheriff Lenwood Sager announced that assistant chief deputy Darrel Ledkins had been promoted to the position of chief deputy, filling a position held by former Chief Deputy Alvin Royster. Ledkins joined the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department in October 1975 and he was promoted to assistant chief deputy in 1978. Steve Griffis was also named assistant chief deputy, and James Prevo was promoted to sergeant.

Nov. 1, 1986 – Between 10:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., Patrick Henry Junior College student Ronda Morrison of Monroeville, Ala. was murdered at Jackson Cleaners in Monroeville, shot three times with a .25 caliber handgun. Her body was discovered by customers Jerrie Sue Dunning, Florence Mason and Coy Stacey.

Nov. 1, 1991 - The Nirvana album "MTV Unplugged in New York" was released.

Nov. 1, 1994 - Nirvana's "MTV Unplugged" performance was released as "MTV Unplugged in New York."

Nov. 1, 2001 - Dan Neil of the Denver Broncos was fined $15,000 for an illegal block that broke the leg of Bryan Cox of the New England Patriots.

Nov. 1, 2008 – “Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Surpreme,” an animated movie based on the Marvel character, had its broadcast premiere on the Cartoon Network.

Nov. 1, 2010 - The San Francisco Giants won their first World Series since moving to California. They defeated the Texas Rangers in five games.