Today in History for Feb. 10, 2017

William Lewis Watson

Feb. 10, 3641 B.C. - The world was created, according to one Mayan calendar.

Feb. 10, 1258 – Baghdad fell to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate was destroyed.

Feb. 10, 1763 – The 1763 Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War, and France ceded Quebec to Great Britain.

Feb. 10, 1779 - The Battle of Carr's Fort took place in Wilkes County, Ga. as Colonel Andrew Pickens of South Carolina with Colonel John Dooly and Lieutenant Colonel Elijah Clarke of Georgia led 340 men in an attack against a group of approximately 200 Loyalists under the command of Colonel John Hamilton.

Feb. 10, 1840 – John S. Crawford was born in Burnt Corn, Ala. He would go on to serve in Co. B, 3rd Alabama Confederate Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed “The Monroe Blues,” during the Civil War. He enlisted in Monroe County on Sept. 29, 1861 and was taken prisoner in Shelbyville, Tenn. He died on Dec. 19, 1928 and is buried at Old Bethany Baptist Church at Burnt Corn, Ala.

Feb. 10, 1846 – Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – also known as the Mormons – left Illinois for the west.

Feb. 10, 1857 – English-Canadian surveyor and explorer David Thompson died at the age of 86 in Longueuil, Canada East.

Feb. 10, 1861 – Former U.S. Senator from Mississippi and U.S. Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, was notified by telegraph that he had been chosen as provisional President of the Confederate States of America. Davis remained president of the Confederacy until its government was dissolved on May 5, 1865. Less than a week later, he was captured by the Union and jailed for two years. He died at age 81 in New Orleans in 1889.

Feb. 10, 1862 – During the Civil War, a naval action occurred at Elizabeth City, N.C., where Confederate forces lost five vessels, and a skirmish was fought at Barnwell’s Island, S.C.

Feb. 10, 1862 – During the Civil War, a Union naval flotilla destroyed the bulk of the Confederate Mosquito Fleet in the Battle of Elizabeth City on the Pasquotank River in North Carolina.

Feb. 10, 1862 – Richard Hartsfield, 31, of Butler County, Ala. was said to have been murdered by two slaves, Simon and Lewis, at Monterey. A few days later, a large mob would burn Simon and Lewis to death as punishment. (The History of Butler County, pages 124-128)

Feb. 10, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Van Buren, Ark.; at Old River, La.; at Camp Sheldon, Miss.; at Sarcoxie Prairie, Mo.; at Batchelder’s Creek, N.C.; and at Chantilly, Va. Five days of Federal operations began along the Red, Atchafalaya and Black Rivers in Louisiana. Six days of Federal operations began in Westmoreland and Richmond Counties in Virginia. Three days of Federal operations from Beverly into Pocahontas County, West Virginia began.

Feb. 10, 1863 – P.T. Barnum staged the wedding of little people Gen. Tom Thumb and Mercy Lavinia Warren.

Feb. 10, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Lake Village, Ark.; at Lake City and Barber's Ford, Fla.; at Friar’s Point, Hillsboro and Morton, Miss. and at Pocahontas, Mo. Camp Cooper, Fla. was also captured, and the USS Florida captured and destroyed two blockade runners off Masonbrough Inlet, N.C.

Feb. 10, 1865 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Johnson's Crook, Ga.; at Kittredge's Sugar House near Napoleonville, La.; at James Island and Johnson’s Station, S.C.; and in the vicinity of Triune, Tenn. Two days of Federal operations began between Brashear City and Lake Verret, La., and a two-day Federal operation began between Thibodeaux and Lake Verret, La. A single day of Federal reconnaissance out from Friar’s Point, Miss. began.

Feb. 10, 1865 – During the Civil War, Captain Raphael Semmes was promoted to Confederate Rear Admiral and placed in command of the James River Squadron in Virginia.

Feb. 10, 1879 - The electric arc light was used for the first time.

Feb. 10, 1881 - The Alabama Legislature established Tuskegee Institute as a "normal school for the education of colored teachers." The law stipulated that no tuition would be charged and graduates must agree to teach for two years in Alabama schools. Booker T. Washington was chosen as the first superintendent and arrived in Alabama in June 1881. Washington's leadership would make Tuskegee one of the most famous and celebrated historic black colleges in the United States.

Feb. 10, 1890 – Russian novelist Boris Pasternak, who is best known for his 1957 novel, “Doctor Zhivago,” was born in Moscow.

Feb. 10, 1896 - The regular term of the commissioners court convened in Monroeville, Ala. on this Monday with the full board in attendance. “The all-absorbing question of ‘stock law,’ which occupied the attention of the court for the first two or three days, attracted an unusually large crowd, our streets presenting much the appearance of a circuit court occasion. There was a petition from Beat Five to establish a district, and petitions from Beats Three, Six and Nine to abolish the districts already established, and interested parties pro and con were present to see the matter through. After hearing argument on both sides and maturely considering the matter, the court rendered decision, sustaining its action in establishing districts in the beats named and declining to create a new district in Beat Five. We have heard it intimated that there is some dissatisfaction over the decision of the court.”

Feb. 10, 1897 - The New York Times began printing "All the news that's fit to print" on their front page.

Feb. 10, 1898 – Playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht was born in Augsburg, Germany.

Feb. 10, 1906 – William Lewis Watson, a carpenter from Brewton, was accidentally shot and killed at Jeddo, Ala. Watson, who was around 45 years old, had left Brewton the day before on a business trip to Monroe County and on the day of the shooting was at the residence of his brother, John Watson. While there, his nephew, Frank Watson, got into an argument with Frank Boone. Frank Watson came out of the house with a gun, and W.L. Watson caught hold of it to prevent it from being fired when it accidentally discharged. The blast entered Watson’s right side, and he died about three hours later. Watson, who was born in 1861, was buried in Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Brewton in Escambia County, Ala.

Feb. 10, 1915 - Alabama journalist Grover C. Hall Jr. was born in Montgomery, Ala.

Feb. 10, 1916 – In this day’s edition of The Conecuh Record, Editor J.C. Whitcomb told readers that “owing to circumstances beyond our control, we are late in going to press this week, will endeavor so to be on time in the future.”

Feb. 10, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that Sheriff L.M. Sawyer captured a few days before a Will Franklin, alias “Shine,” was wanted in Mississippi on murder charges. Franklin was working with a railroad construction crew, and Sawyer recognized him from a “descriptive list that accidentally fell into his hands.” Sawyer contacted Mississippi authorities and learned that there was a $100 reward out for Franklin’s arrest. Monroe County Deputy Kilpatrick left on Sat., Feb. 5, for Meridian with Franklin in custody for identification. Sawyer was later notified that Franklin was in fact the wanted man and that he would receive the $100 reward.

Feb. 10, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that M.M. Fountain had returned from a trip to Tennessee where he had purchased a “fine saddle horse. He will probably keep the highways and trails of the county warm from now until the date of the primary election.”

Feb. 10, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that Dr. S.J. Yarbrough moved his dental practice to Monroeville, and had “fitted up handsome dental parlors in the apartments adjoining the Coxwell drug store.”

Feb. 10, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that I.J. Kearley and Son were moving their stock of merchandise from Franklin to Monroeville, Ala., and they were to occupy the Fore Building on Southside.

Feb. 10, 1916 - As a result of bitter disagreements with President Woodrow Wilson over America’s national defense strategies, Lindley M. Garrison resigned his position as the United States secretary of war.

Feb. 10, 1920 - Major League Baseball representatives outlawed pitches that involve tampering with the ball.

Feb. 10, 1922 – In the fictional video game, “Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth,” private investigator Jack Walters was rescued by the USS Urania, a Coast Guard cutter which was part of a group heading to Devil's Reef, following up on a lead provided by the FBI. On the way there, wizards on the reef summoned powerful tidal waves to destroy the flotilla, but Jack killed them.

Feb. 10, 1928 – Confederate veteran Howell Crenshaw of Evergreen, Ala. passed away at the age of 95. Born in Warrenton County, Ga. on July 10, 1832, Crenshaw served with Co. B and Co. D of the 17^th Alabama Infantry. He was captured at the end of the war near Notasulga. He is buried in Union Cemetery in Georgiana in Butler County, Ala.

Feb. 10, 1933 - The American Legion was scheduled to hold a fish fry for ex-servicemen only at the American Legion Club House in Monroeville, Ala. on this Friday night at 7 p.m. The two attractions for the evening’s program were to be speeches by Pete B. Jarmon of Montgomery and Eddie Murray of Foley. Jarmon was Alabama Secretary of State, and Murray was American Legion State Commander.

Feb. 10, 1942 - The Monroe County High girls basketball team beat a strong Pine Hill team, 36-28, on this Tuesday night. The main attack was led by Sylvia Parnell, while Nan Jones was outstanding on the defense. The Monroe County Boys seemed to have great difficulty in finding the range to the basket early in the game. However, in the later stanzas of the fray, the MCHS boys took over the lead and held it throughout the game. (MCHS’s boys team won, 26-22.)

Feb. 10, 1943 – Little Eva crash survivor 2nd Lt. John Dyer died.

Feb. 10, 1946 – Baseball legend Jackie Robinson and Rachel Isum were married.

Feb. 10, 1954 – United States President Dwight Eisenhower warned against United States intervention in Vietnam.

Feb. 10, 1955 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Wayne Thames had been named Alabama’s “Future Farmer of the Year” and that he would receive the $300 Turner E. Smith Educational Award and an engraved cup during the State FFA Convention in June. Thames was a member of the Lyeffion FFA Chapter and “was selected on a basis of his leadership in FFA, school and community in addition to his outstanding farming program.”

Feb. 10, 1961 - The American Football League's Los Angeles franchise was transferred to San Diego.

Feb. 10, 1965 - Viet Cong guerrillas blew up the U.S. barracks at Qui Nhon, 75 miles east of Pleiku on the central coast, with a 100-pound explosive charge under the building, resulting in a total of 23 U.S. personnel were killed, as well as two Viet Cong.

Feb. 10, 1967 - The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The amendment required the appointment of a vice-president when that office became vacant and instituted new measures in the event of presidential disability.

Feb. 10, 1969 – Sarah Matthews allegedly shot Matthew Stallworth, 35, an Evergreen city sanitation department worker, with a .22 caliber pistol on this Monday night in Evergreen, Ala. Matthews allegedly fired three shots, and one round hit Stallworth in the back of the head. The wound was not considered serious because he was back at work the following day. Evergreen policemen Tal Smith and Henry C. Jackson arrested Matthews on charges of assault with the intent to murder and she was turned over to Sheriff James “Shorty” Brock.

Feb. 10, 1970 – Walter Poole and Eugene Darby were elected to Sparta Academy’s board of directors, increasing the board’s membership from five members to seven. The other board members included Eldon Scott, president; Sam Cope, Dr. Cecil Price, L.W. Price Jr. and John Greel Ralls. The board also scheduled a March 3 open meeting at the Murphy Club in Evergreen, Ala. to allow parents to receive information about the school.

Feb. 10, 1970 – Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstad, who is best known for her 2003 book, “The Bookseller of Kabul,” was born in Oslo.

Feb. 10, 1971 - Four journalists, including photographer Larry Burrows of Life magazine, Kent Potter of United Press International, Nenri Huett of the Associated Press, and Keisaburo Shimamoto of Newsweek, who had been covering Operation Lam Son 719, died in a South Vietnamese helicopter operating in Laos, when their helicopter crashed.

Feb. 10, 1976 – Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman Lance Berkman was born in Waco, Texas. He went on to play for the Houston Astros, the New York Yankees, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.

Feb. 10, 1980 – Nine years after the famous D.B. Cooper hijacking, eight-year-old Brian Ingram uncovered a package in the sand along the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon that contained three packs of $20 bills from the hijacking.

Feb. 10, 1985 – Mildred Riggs Price, 67, of 102 South Main St. in Evergreen, Ala. passed away in a Brewton nursing home. She was a retired school teacher who taught in Conecuh County schools for over 30 years. Her late husband, Dr. Everette Price, was the county coroner for over 40 years. Born on Marcy 10, 1917, she was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Evergreen.

Feb. 10, 1996 - Chess champ Gary Kasparov was defeated by Deep Blue, the IBM computer.

Feb. 10, 2000 – The Bank of Evergreen (Ala.) announced that Timothy P. Dantz had joined their staff as Executive Vice President.

Feb. 10, 2003 – France and Belgium broke the NATO procedure of silent approval concerning the timing of protective measures for Turkey in case of a possible war with Iraq.

Feb. 10, 2005 – Hillcrest High School’s girls basketball season ended with a 48-45 loss to Andalusia in the opening round of the 4A Area 2 tournament in Geneva. Also that night, Geneva beat Opp. Geneva went on to win the area title by beating Andalusia in the tournament championship game, 48-30.