Feb. 2, 1046 - Monks recorded the onset of a severe
cold snap, which may have been the start of the Little Ice Age.
Feb. 2, 1536 - The Argentine city
of Buenos Aires was founded by Pedro de Mendoza of Spain.
Feb. 2, 1653 - New Amsterdam, now
known as New York City, was incorporated.
Feb. 2, 1709 – Alexander Selkirk
was rescued after being shipwrecked on a desert island, inspiring the book “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe.
Feb. 2, 1781 - American General
Nathanael Greene received two bags of coins from Elizabeth Maxwell Steele at her
tavern in Salisbury, N.C., an event was later memorialized in a painting by
Alonzo Chappel. She gave him the money to supply him and his army after
learning he was penniless.
Feb. 2, 1803 - Confederate General
Albert Sidney Johnston was born in Washington, Ky. Johnston was considered one
of the best Confederate commanders until he was killed at the Battle of Shiloh,
Tenn., the first major engagement in the West.
Feb. 2, 1833 - Lewis Sewall became postmaster at Burnt Corn, Ala.
Feb. 2, 1834 - Itinerant Methodist minister and author
Lorenzo Dow passed away in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. at the age of 56.
Passing down the Old Federal Road through Conecuh and Monroe Counties, he is
believed to have delivered the first Methodist sermon in what is now Alabama in
1803.
Feb. 2, 1836 – At the ill-fated
Alamo, Col. Jim Bowie and Col. James C. Neill vowed “…we will rather die in
these ditches than give it up to the enemy.” Lt. Col. William B. Travis arrived
at the Alamo on this day with 30 men. (The Alamo)
Feb. 2, 1839 – Linden, Ala. was
officially incorporated as a municipality.
Feb. 2, 1848 - The Mexican War was
ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty turned
over portions of land to the U.S., including Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah,
Arizona, California and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The U.S. gave Mexico
$15,000,000 and assumed responsibility of all claims against Mexico by American
citizens. Texas had already entered the U.S. on Dec. 29, 1845.
Feb. 2, 1862 – During the Civil
War, a skirmish was fought in Morgan County, Tenn.
Feb. 2, 1863 – During the Civil
War, skirmishes were fought at Vine Prairie and at the mouth of the Mulberry
River, Ark.; and near Mingo Swamp, Mo. The Vicksburg and Warrenton, Miss.
batteries were also passed by the Federal vessel, Queen of the West. A Federal
operation began, aimed at the destruction of the Confederate salt works at
Wale’s Head, Currituck Beach, N.C. A four-day Federal reconnaissance of the
area in the vicinity of Saulsbury, Tenn. began.
Feb. 2, 1863 - Samuel Langhorne Clemens used the pseudonym
“Mark Twain” for the first time.
Feb. 2, 1863 – Pvt.
James T. Peacock, who was Lewis Lavon Peacock’s older brother, passed away from
pneumonia around the age of 21 at General Hospital No. 2 in Richmond, Va. A
member of Co. A of the Third Alabama Infantry, he took part in the defense of
Richmond and the Battles of Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill. He was buried in the
Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Va. (According to his headstone, he died on
Feb. 3, 1863.)
Feb. 2, 1864 – During the Civil
War, Federal operations began in the vicinity of Whitesburg, Ala., and the Federal
steamer, Mill Boy, was wrecked nine miles above Jacksonport, Ark. Skirmishes
were also fought on Halcolm Island, Mo.; at Bogue Sound Blockhouse and Gale's
Creek, N.C.; at La Grange, Tenn.; near Aldie and Strasburg, Va.; and at
Patterson's Creek, West Va.
Feb. 2, 1865 – During the Civil
War, Indians attacked the Overland Stage Station at Julesburg, Colorado
Territory. Federal operations began against Indians on the North Platte River
in the Colorado and Nebraska Territories. Federal operations began along the St
John’s River in Fla., with the intention of destroying the Confederate salt
works. Skirmishes were fought at Barker’s Mill, near Whippy Swamp, at Duck
Brank (near Loper’s Crossroads, along the Salkehatchie River), and Lawtonville,
S.C.
Feb. 2, 1870 - The "Cardiff Giant" was revealed in
court to be nothing more than carved gypsum. The discovery in Cardiff, N.Y.,
was alleged to be the petrified remains of a human.
Feb. 2, 1876 - The National League of Professional Base Ball
Clubs (now known as the National League) was formed in New York. The teams
included were the Chicago White Stockings, Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red
Stockings, Hartford Dark Blues, Mutual of New York, St. Louis Brown Stockings,
Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Louisville Grays.
Feb. 2, 1882 – Novelist and short-story writer James Joyce
was born in Dublin, Ireland.
Feb. 2, 1886 - F.A. Seymour “was stricken very suddenly and
severely with apoplexy” on this Tuesday about 11 a.m., while sitting near the
fire in the post office. Sheriff Burns chanced to be near and ran to his
assistance. Dr. Russell was called in and immediately began treatment. As of
the night of Feb. 4, Seymour was “doing as well as could be reasonably
expected,” according to The Monroe Journal.
Feb. 2, 1887 - Groundhog Day was first observed in
Punxsutawney, Pa.
Feb. 2, 1895 – Pro Football Hall of Fame end, coach and
owner George Halas was born in Chicago, Ill. He was inducted into the Hall of
Fame in 1963.
Feb. 2, 1901 – Andalusia, Ala. was officially incorporated
as a municipality.
Feb. 2, 1901 – The funeral of Queen Victoria was held.
Feb. 2, 1908 – The sanctuary at Evergreen Baptist Church in
Evergreen, Ala. was dedicated.
Feb. 2, 1913 – In Lovecraftian fiction, Wilbur Whateley of
Dunwich was born to Lavinia Whateley and an unknown father. He first appeared
in “The Dunwich Horror” by H.P. Lovecraft.
Feb. 2, 1915 – W.M. Robinson, who lived near Paul, Ala.,
shot and killed John Holmes. Sheriff A.A. Williams arrested Robinson and
transported him to Evergreen, Ala.
Feb. 2, 1916 – A “second breath of winter” struck
Monroeville, Ala. on this Wednesday and
was “more severe than that of January. The ground was frozen to a greater depth
than on the former occasion and the freeze will doubtless be effective in
destroying a greater number of hibernating boll weevils.”
Feb. 2, 1916 – A “cold wave struck” Evergreen, Ala. on this
Wednesday morning, and thermometers registered 18 degrees on the following
Thursday morning, according to The Conecuh Record.
Feb. 2, 1916 – The “negro school building, located opposite
the cemetery… burned to the ground” on this Wednesday night in Evergreen, Ala.
The cause of the fire was unknown.
Feb. 2, 1916 – Vietnamese poet and author Xuân Diệu was born
in Bình Định, Vietnam.
Feb. 2, 1916 - Two days after nine German zeppelins dropped close to 400 bombs throughout the English Midlands, the crew of the British fishing trawler King Stephen came across the crashed remains of one of the giant airships floating in the North Sea.
Feb. 2, 1917 – Đỗ Mười, the fifth Prime Minister of Vietnam, was born in Dong Phu, Thanh Trì, Hanoi.
Feb. 2, 1920 – According to The Evergreen Courant, on this
day the “groundhog surely failed to see his shadow,” and “we shall now see if
this portends an early spring or the end of winter, whichever it means, if it
means anything.”
Feb. 2, 1922 – “Ulysses”
by James Joyce was first published.
Feb. 2, 1923 – National Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman
Red Schoendienst was born in Germantown, Ill. During his career, he played for
the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Giants and the Milwaukee Braves and he
went on to manage the Cardinals three different times. He was inducted into the
Hall of Fame in 1989.
Feb. 2, 1925 – During
what is now known as the “Serum Run to Nome,” Dog sleds reached Nome, Alaska
with diphtheria serum, inspiring the Iditarod race.
Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Mr. and
Mrs. F.M. Yarbrough and family had returned to Evergreen, Ala. to live and
planned to occupy the old Feagin home on Belleville Street.
Feb. 2, 1933 - The local post of the American Legion was
scheduled to meet at the Conecuh County (Ala.) Courthouse to discuss veterans
affairs. Similar meetings were being held all over the state at this time. All
members and eligible veterans were urged to attend.
Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Esko
Dunn of the Wilcox community was in St. Margaret’s Hospital due to “serious
injuries” caused by the train.
Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the
Bank of Evergreen was showing “substantial and steady growth” as evidenced by a
comparison of a statement of the bank’s condition at the close of business on
Jan. 30 compared with earlier statements. The bank opened for business on Sept.
1, 1932, “just a little over a month after Evergreen’s old bank was closed for
liquidation. In opening so quickly after the other institution closed it is
believed that the city has made a record. So far as has been observed, no other
city in this section of the country has been able to open a new bank as quickly
as this. In fact, so far as has been observed few have been able to get one
opened at all.”
Feb. 2, 1934 - Alabama author Wade H. Hall was born in Union
Springs, Ala.
Feb. 2, 1936 – Babe Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall
of Fame.
Feb. 2, 1939 – Red Level High School’s varsity boys
basketball team beat Evergreen High School, 39-24, on this Thursday night in
Red Level.
Feb. 2, 1940 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys
basketball team beat Georgiana, 11-9.
Feb. 2, 1940 – E.B. Aycock of Evergreen, Ala. was seriously
injured when he became pinned beneath the trunk of a falling tree while working
near Brewton. He was operating a skidder when the accident occurred, and it was
reported that the tree to which the machine was anchored broke in two and
caught him in falling. He suffered severe internal injuries, including
fractures of the pelvis bones, and was carried to the hospital in Atmore.
Feb. 2, 1942 – The Osvald Group was responsible for the
first, active event of anti-Nazi resistance in Norway, to protest the
inauguration of Vidkun Quisling.
Feb. 2, 1943 – The Battle of Stalingrad ended with the surrender
of German forces, leaving as many as two million people wounded, killed or
captured before the battle reached its end, making it one of the largest and
bloodiest battles in history.
Feb. 2, 1952 – A British York transport, carrying 33
passengers and crew, vanished on the northern edge of the Bermuda Triangle
while on its way to Jamaica.
Feb. 2, 1954 – McKenzie High School’s varsity boys
basketball team beat Conecuh County High School, 46-38, in McKenzie. Bobby Daw
led CCHS with 12 points, and Wilbur Heaton followed with 11 points. Other top
CCHS players in that game included Charles Hart, Lamon Reaves, Lewis Heaton and
Leon Raines.
Feb. 2, 1955 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys
basketball beat Lyeffion, 86-24, at Memorial Gym in Evergreen, Ala. Center
Randy White led Evergreen with 35 total points.
Feb. 2, 1959 – The Dyatlov Pass incident occurred in the
northern Ural mountains.
Feb. 2, 1962 - The first U.S. Air
Force plane was lost in South Vietnam, a C-123 aircraft that crashed while
spraying defoliant on a Viet Cong ambush site, as part of Operation Ranch Hand,
a technological area-denial technique designed to expose the roads and trails
used by the Viet Cong.
Feb. 2, 1963 – In an incident attributed to the Bermuda
Triangle, the Marine Sulphur Queen, a 425-foot freighter, vanished without
message, clues or debris while en route to Norfolk, Va. from Beaumont, Texas
with all hands. The ship was last heard from near the Dry Tortugas.
Feb. 2, 1968 – Marine PFC Allen Twiggs Merritt IV, age 18,
of Atmore, Ala. was killed in action in Thua Thien-Hue, Vietnam. Born on March
7, 1949, he is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.
Feb. 2, 1968 - Army Warrant Officer Horace Gilbert Giddens
Jr., age 22, of Andalusia, Ala. was killed in action at Hai Phong Municipality in
Vietnam. Born on Nov. 13, 1945 in Andalusia, he was a member of Unit C/1/9 CAV
1 and was killed when a round came up through his Huey helicopter, deflected
off his kevlar chest protector, entered his neck and severed his jugular vein.
He was dead on arrival at base Dong Ha, Quang Tri Province. He was buried in
Andalusia Memorial Cemetery in Andalusia.
Feb. 2, 1970 - Antiwar protestors
took legal action in an attempt to prove that the Dow Chemical Company was
still making napalm.
Feb. 2, 1978 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Lyeffion
High School’s Yellow Jackets basketball team was “knocking off opponents right
and left and working toward competing for the state championship in Class A.”
Players on the team included Charles Watts, Ricky Hall, Kenny Nevlous, Ricky
Johnson, Joe Salter, James Riley, Willie Hunter, Adrian Woods, Harold Kyser and
Erick Finklea. Ronnie Williams was head coach, Jim McKinnon was assistant coach
and Steve Searcy was manager.
Feb. 2, 1980 - The Murder Creek Historical Society was
scheduled to hold a “flea market” at the historic L&N Depot in Evergreen,
Ala. on this Saturday. The Murder Creek Historical Society was making final
plans to “really fix up the old depot.”
Feb. 2, 1982 - Alabama author Annie Vaughan Weaver died in
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Feb. 2, 1988 - Alabama author Richard Chase died in
Claremont, Calif.
Feb. 2, 1993 – During a meeting on this Tuesday night at
Evergreen City Hall, the Evergreen City Council recognized the accomplishments
and the dedication of a former city council member who died recently. A special
resolution was signed and presented to the widow of former councilman,
businessman and civic leader, T.L. Sims. After a moment of silence in memory of
the late councilman, who had perished in a recent automobile accident,
Councilman Jerry Caylor praised Mr. Sims’ work for the city, and the business
community and the people of Evergreen and Conecuh County.
Feb. 2, 2000 – Jason Watkins, a senior at Hillcrest High
School in Evergreen, Ala., signed a full football scholarship with the
University of West Alabama in Livingston. Watkins was recruited to play
fullback at UWA. Watkins was the son of James and Hazel Watkins.
Feb. 2, 2003 - Alabama author Mildred Lee died in St.
Petersburg, Fla.
Feb. 2, 2014 – Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away at the age
of 46 in Manhattan, N.Y. He portrayed Truman Capote in 2005’s “Capote” and won
the Academy Award for Best Actor for role.
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