Today in History for Nov. 19, 2016

James Garfield

Nov. 18, 636 – The Rashidun Caliphate defeated the Sasanian Empire at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah in Iraq.

Nov. 19, 1493 – Christopher Columbus went ashore on an island he first saw the day before. He named it San Juan Bautista. It was later renamed Puerto Rico.

Nov. 19, 1703 – After 34 years of imprisonment, the “Ancient Prisoner,” who inspired “The Man in the Iron Mask,” died in the Bastille Prison in Paris, France. He was buried in a nearby churchyard under a false name.

Nov. 19, 1776 - Congress pleaded for the states to send more soldiers to serve in the Continental Army, reminding them “how indispensable it is to the common safety, that they pursue the most immediate and vigorous measures to furnish their respective quotas of Troops for the new Army, as the time of service for which the present Army was enlisted, is so near expiring.”

Nov. 19, 1778 - New Jersey became the eleventh state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

Nov. 19, 1794 – The United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain signed Jay's Treaty, which attempted to resolve some of the lingering problems left over from the American Revolutionary War.

Nov. 19, 1818 - A year before Alabama became a state, the town of Athens in Limestone County, was incorporated. It was chosen to be the seat of Limestone County in March 1819. The county was created from former Chickasaw and Cherokee Indian lands ceded to the United States in 1816.

Nov. 19, 1819 – A town plat map for Coffeeville, Ala. was drawn up, and the state legislature approved articles of incorporation for Coffeeville six days later.

Nov. 19, 1831 - James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was born in Moreland Hills, Ohio.

Nov. 19, 1836 - Alabama author Anne Newport Royall published the last issue of her newspaper “Paul Pry.”

Nov. 19, 1840 – Richard Francis Burton began attending Trinity College, Oxford.

Nov. 19, 1845 – Poet and short-story writer Edgar Allan Poe published “The Raven and Other Poems.” The 100-page volume sold for 31 cents, and Poe was invited to recite the poem in dimly lit parlors, reading in an otherworldly voice that titillated the guests.

Nov. 19, 1861 – The “Monroe Rebels” were mustered into the Confederate Army in Montgomery as part of Co. E of the 23rd Alabama Infantry.

Nov. 19, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Round Mountain, Indian Territory.

Nov. 19, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Wirt Court House, West Virginia.

Nov. 19, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Fairfax Courthouse, Va.

Nov. 19, 1862 - Union General Ambrose Burnside and his army arrived at Falmouth, Va. His decision to move across the Rappahannock River was delayed until the end of the month because pontoon bridges had not arrived.

Nov. 19, 1862 – Under the cover of foul weather, Capt. Raphael Semmes guided the CSS Alabama out of Martinque, where it had been blockaded in by the USS San Jacinto, which was under the command of Commander William Ronkendorff.

Nov. 19, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Tompkinsville and Tunnel Hill, Ky.; at Pineville, Mo.; at La Vergne, Tenn.; and at Philomount, Va. A two-day Federal expedition from Grand Junction, Tenn. to Ripley, Miss. began.

Nov. 19, 1863 – In front of several hundred people, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered his two-minute “Gettysburg Address” as he dedicated a 17-acre national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield in Pennsylvania. The speech was only 272 words long, and it was the only speech, other than his inaugural addresses, that Lincoln gave during his entire presidency. Today, the words of the Gettsyburg Address are carved into a wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C

Nov. 19, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Lawrenceville, Ark.; at Colwell’s Ford and Mulberry Gap, Tenn.; at Meriwether’s Ferry, near Union City, Tenn.; and near Grove Church, Va. A Federal scouting operation from Memphis, Tenn. to Hernando, Miss. began. A two-day bombarment by Federal gunboats upon Fort Sumter, S.C. began.

Nov. 19, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Duckett’s Plantation near Paint Rock River, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Buck Head Station, Ga.; at Reeves Mill, Mo.; and with Indians near Plum Creek Station in the Nebraska Territory. A nine-day Federal expedition from Terre Bonne to Bayou Grand Cailou, La. began.

Nov. 19, 1867 – Edith Cornwell was named postmaster at Burnt Corn, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1893 - The first newspaper color supplement was published in The Sunday New York World.

Nov. 19, 1895 – On this Tuesday night, while the family of Mr. Jas. A. Brady was eating supper at Brady’s residence near Puryearville, an unknown burglar entered the residence and stole a trunk containing “quite a sum of money” and other valuables. Later, the trunk was found about 200 yards from the house, broken open with about $75 in cash missing. Israel Davison was arrested on suspicion of having committed the crime.

Nov. 19, 1895 – According to The Monroe Journal, Henry Gray shot and seriously wounded Joe Kyle during an argument on this Tuesday evening at J.H. Tucker’s residence. Kyle accused Gray of stealing 50 cents from him, which Gray denied and threatened to shoot Kyle if he repeated the accusation. Kyle unwisely did so, and Gray shot him with a shotgun before fleeing the scene.

Nov. 19, 1899 – Poet and novelist Allen Tate was born in Winchester, Ky. Tate is best known for his long poem “Ode to the Confederate Dead,” (1928).

Nov. 19, 1906 – German SS officer Franz Schädle was born in Westerheim.

Nov. 19, 1907 – Western novelist Jack Shaefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his 1949 novel, “Shane.”

Nov. 19, 1910 – English race car driver, author, and explorer Adrian Conan Doyle was born in the United Kingdom. He was the youngest son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes.

Nov. 19, 1911 – The Conecuh Record reported that on this day T.W. Baggett shot and killed J.A. Green at Castleberry, Ala. R.E. Baggett was also slightly injured, and it was said that T.W. Baggett shot in self defense.

Nov. 19, 1911 - Alabama author Mary Elizabeth Counselman was born in Birmingham, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1917 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Ephraim F. McCurley of Opp, Ala. “died from disease.”

Nov. 19, 1919 – Effie beat Mt. Zion, 22-8, during a basketball game that was played during a Community Fair at Mt. Zion, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1921 – National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella was born in Philadelphia, Pa. He played his entire career, 1948-1957, for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.

Nov. 19, 1935 - Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee and Mrs. W.A. Duke spent this Tuesday in Montgomery, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1940 – During a regular drill of Evergreen, Alabama’s National Guard unit on this night, 2nd Lt. John C. Holman was elected first lieutenant in the place of Homer F. Kindig, who had recently resigned.

Nov. 19, 1942 – Poet Sharon Olds was born in San Francisco, Calif.

Nov. 19, 1943 – During the Holocaust, Nazis liquidated the Janowska concentration camp in Lemberg (Lviv), western Ukraine, murdering at least 6,000 Jews after a failed uprising and mass escape attempt.

Nov. 19, 1944 – Herbert Cardwell of Conecuh County, Ala. was wounded in France and was taken to a hospital in England to recover.

Nov. 19, 1944 – During World War II, 30 members of the Luxembourgish resistance defended the town of Vianden against a larger Waffen-SS attack in the Battle of Vianden.

Nov. 19, 1946 – According to The Evergreen Courant, Mrs. S.P. Shoemaker attended a banquet at the Blue Moon Inn in Montgomery in honor of the Grand Officers of the Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, State of Alabama. After the banquet, they were entertained at a party at the Jefferson Davis Hotel.

Nov. 19, 1947 – The murder trial against Elbert J. Hoomes began in Evergreen, Ala. Hoomes was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of his son-in-law, Joe Greer in Brewton in December 1944. The trial was moved to Evergreen from Escambia County to help ensure that Hoomes received a fair trial. Judge A.E. Gamble of Greenville was the presiding judge, and Hoomes was represented by Hybart & Horne. Circuit Solicitor A.H. Elliott, County Solicitor Broox Garrett of Brewton and R.E.L. Cope of Union Springs were in charge of the prosecution. The case was of wide interest in Escambia County and a large number of Escambia County citizens came to Evergreen to observe the trial.

Nov. 19, 1949 – The Airways Communication and Weather reporting station at the Evergreen (Ala.) Airport began operations.

Nov. 19, 1961 - Michael Clark Rockefeller, 23, the fifth child of New York Governor Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, disappeared during an expedition in the Asmat region of southwestern Netherlands New Guinea.

Nov. 19, 1966 - In college football, first-ranked Notre Dame and second-ranked Michigan State played to a 10-10 tie at Spartan Stadium.

Nov. 19, 1967 - For action this date, Chaplain (Major) Charles Watters of the 173rd Airborne Brigade was awarded the Medal of Honor. Chaplain Watters was serving with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry when it conducted an attack against North Vietnamese forces entrenched on Hill 875 during the Battle of Dak To. The Catholic priest from New Jersey moved among the paratroopers during the intense fighting, giving encouragement and first aid to the wounded. At least six times he left the defensive perimeter with total disregard regard for his own personal safety to retrieve casualties and take them for medical attention. Once he was satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he busied himself helping the medics, applying bandages, and providing spiritual strength and support. According to reports filed by survivors of the battle, Father Watters was on his knees giving last rites to a dying soldier when an American bomber accidentally dropped a 500-pound bomb onto the group of paratroopers. Father Watters was killed instantly. He was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor on Nov. 4, 1969, in a ceremony at the White House.

Nov. 19, 1967 - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed a resolution to curb the commitment of U.S. armed forces and a resolution urging the President Johnson to take the initiative to have the Vietnamese conflict brought before the United Nations Security Counci

Nov. 19, 1970 – The Evergreen Courant reported that U.S. Navy Airman Michael Burt, a graduate of Lyeffion High School, had been commended by his commanding officer for for “outstanding performance of duty while attached to and serving in USS Hancock (CVA-19) as Ground Support Equipment Petty Officer from 1 September 1969 to 26 March 1970 during combat operations against the enemy” in Vietnam.

Nov. 19, 1971 – Singer-songwriter Alice Peacock was born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. She has recorded five independent albums and an album released by Aware/Columbia Records (2002). Several of her songs have been featured in films, commercials, and television.

Nov. 19, 1971 – In the opening round of the APSA state playoffs, Monroe Academy, the defending state private school champions, beat Glenwood Academy, 40-20, at Vanity Fair Park in Monroeville. Leading the Vols in one of their most outstanding games was Rob Kelly, 190-pound junior quarterback. Kelly passed for 286 yards, completing 20 of 27 passes, five of them for TDs. Other outstanding Monroe players in that game included Doug Boswell, Johnny Mack Hollinger, K.J. Lazenby and Danny Wilson.

Nov. 19, 1971 - Cambodians appealed to Saigon for help as communist forces moved closer to Phnom Penh. Saigon officials revealed that in the previous week, an eight-person Cambodian delegation flew to the South Vietnamese capital to officially request South Vietnamese artillery and engineer support for beleaguered Cambodian government troops. Cambodian Premier Lon Nol and his troops were involved in a life or death struggle with the communist Khmer Rouge force and their North Vietnamese allies for control of the country.

Nov. 19, 1976 – American businessman Jack Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter, was born in St. Louis, Mo.

Nov. 19, 1976 - Weather reporter Earl Windham reported a low temperature of 30 degrees in Evergreen, Ala.

Nov. 19, 1977 – The Conecuh County Branch of the NAACP celebrated “Clint Jackson Day” in Evergreen, Ala. in honor of Olympic boxer Clint Jackson, who fought on behalf of the U.S. in the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Nov. 19, 1979 - Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros signed a four-year contract for $4.5 million. At the time, Ryan was the highest paid player in Major League Baseball.

Nov. 19, 1980 - Arvin Industries’ Monroeville, Ala. plant manager T.I. Sparks announced that the plant would cease production on Dec. 19. Sparks attributed the closing to the high cost of transporting the plant’s products to Indiana, the sagging condition of the automotive replacement parts industry and the fact that the plant was not selling what it was costing according to the company’s cost-accounting system. Built in 1966 and expanded twice, the plant made automotive exhaust systems and employed between 200 and 300 people at its peak.

Nov. 19, 1984 - Dwight Gooden, 20-year-old, of the New York Mets, became the youngest Major League pitcher to be named Rookie of the Year in the National League.

Nov. 19, 1993 - Nirvana recorded an MTV unplugged concert in New York.

Nov. 19, 1993 – Episode No. 10 of “The X-Files” – entitled “Fallen Angel” – aired for the first time.

Nov. 19, 1996 - Albert Belle signed a contract with the White Sox for a record $55 million. He was the first player to surpass the $10 million per year mark.

  

Nov. 19, 1999 - Alabama author Robert Bell died in Davis, Calif.

Nov. 19, 2001 - Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants became the first baseball player to win four Most Valuable Player Awards.

Nov. 19, 2011 – The post office at Brooklyn, Alabama closed.

Nov. 19, 2015 – Excel, Ala. received 2.4 inches of rain during a 24-hour period.