Today in History for July 23, 2017

Congressman James Taylor Jones

July 23, 1793 - Roger Sherman, a Connecticut Patriot and member of the Committee of Five selected to draft the Declaration of Independence, died of typhoid in New Haven, Connecticut, at age 72. Sherman alone among the Patriots of the American Revolution signed all four documents gradually assigning sovereignty to the new United States: the Continental Association of 1774, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution.

July 23, 1861 – During the Civil War, Fort Buchanan, in the New Mexico Territory, was abandoned by Federal forces.

July 23, 1862 – Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s army moved from Tupelo, Miss. in route to Chattanooga, Tenn., via railroad, which took his forces through Meridian, Miss. to Mobile, Ala. They crossed Mobile Bay Delta and proceeded on by rail to Montgomery, Ala. Then they went to Atlanta, Ga. and then north to Chattanooga, Tenn.

July 23, 1862 - General Henry W. Halleck assumed the role of general-in-chief of all Union forces in an effort to better coordinate the overall Union war effort, which was floundering. Under his direction, Union successes continued in the west, but Halleck was unable to orchestrate any progress in Virginia or to enact an overall strategic vision to defeat the Confederates. In 1864, President Lincoln moved Halleck to a higher position as chief of staff for the army while appointing General Ulysses S. Grant general-in-chief, but this was really in recognition of the fact that Halleck failed to effectively direct the armies.

July 23, 1862 – During the Civil War, a three-day Federal operation began from Helena, Ark., aboard the steamboat, Catahoula, to Coldwater, Miss., with a skirmish at White Oak Bayou, Miss.

July 23, 1862 – During the Civil War, extra Union mortar boats on the Mississippi River were transferred to the James River to support the Army of the Potomac.

July 23, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Columbus, Mo. and near Florida, Mo; and multiple skirmishes were fought near Carmel Church, Va.

July 23, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Rockville, Ohio; and near Chester Gap, Gaines Cross Roads, Snicker’s Gap and Manassas Gap in Virginia. A Federal operation was also conducted from Memphis to Raleigh, Tenn.

July 23, 1864 - General Jubal Early's troops engaged Union forces under General Crook near Kernstown, Va. The Union troops fled the area the next day.

July 23, 1864 – During the Civil War, a Federal began operation between Jacksonville and Baldwin, Fla. Federal operations also continued around Atlanta, Ga.

July 23, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Liberty, Mo. and Kernstown, Va. A Federal operation also took place in Randolph County, Mo., with skirmishes at Allen and Huntsville in Missouri.

July 23, 1864 – During the Civil War, a Federal operation began against Apache Indians in the New Mexico Territory.

July 23, 1885 – Just after completing his memoirs, Civil War hero and former President Ulysses S. Grant died of throat cancer in Wilton, N.Y. at the age of 63. He is buried at the General Grant National Memorial in Manhattan, N.Y.

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Steve Renfroe, ex-Sheriff of Sumter County, who’d escaped from the Pratt Mines prison, was captured near Enterprise, Miss. a few days before and carried back to Livingston and lodged in the jail from which he was taken by a mob and lynched.

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Buena Vista community, that Cadet Travis Perryman, who had been attending Howard College, was spending vacation at home.

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that John I. Watson had sent the newspaper a cucumber a few days before that measured 18 inches in length, four inches in diameter and weighing 4-1/2 pounds.

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that there was “a great deal of sickness in the country around Monroeville.”

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mobile was to have a new daily newspaper, The Telegram, to appear about Aug. 1. It was to be conducted by a joint stock company with W.A. Battaile as president, W.B. Sorsby secretary and J. Baennnan treasurer. It was to be issued every morning in the week.

July 23, 1886 – “Old Mr. Burson” of Pineville, Ala. died on this Friday. This may have been a reference to Richard Augustus Burson, who sources say died at the age of 68 on July 24, 1886. Born on April 16, 1818 in South Carolina, Burson, a Freemason, was buried in the Enon Baptist Church Cemetery at Fatama in Wilcox County.

July 23, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that a post office money order office had been secured for Monroeville through the influence of congressman, James T. Jones.

July 23, 1888 – Detective and crime novelist Raymond Chandler, creator of fictional detective Philip Marlowe, was born in Chicago. He wrote seven novels featuring Marlowe, including “The Big Sleep” (1939), “Farewell, My Lovely” (1940), “The Little Sister” (1949), and “The Long Goodbye” (1954).

July 23, 1896 - The Confederate veterans of Wilcox County hosted a reunion and “grand barbecue” at Camden on this Thursday. Dr. J.M. McDaniel and D.M. Gordon of Monroeville and Ed (Ned?) Robison and Geo. Marshall of Perdue Hill attended the event, reported a grand time and returned home on Sun., July 26. From the Perdue Hill community, Misses Minnie and Bessie Lee Marshall and Messrs. G.F. Marshall and E.E. Robison also attended the event. Capt. W.H. Andrews also attended, according to The Monroe Journal. 

July 23, 1896 – James T. Snow brought The Monroe Journal two well-matured open bolls of cotton, which he said opened on July 15.

July 23, 1896 - Prof. J.N. Ivey passed through Monroeville, Ala. on this day on his way to Perdue Hill.

July 23, 1896 - Dr. Yarbrough and John Fore attended a picnic and political speaking at Repton, Ala. on this Thursday.

July 23, 1903 – Ford Motor Co. sold its first car, a two-cylinder Model A, to a Chicago dentist named Ernst Pfenning for $850. The Model A was painted red, with a seat that fit two people, and no roof. It reached 28 mph at top speed.

July 23, 1914 - At six o’clock in the evening, nearly one month after the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by a young Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Baron Giesl von Gieslingen, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Serbia, delivered an ultimatum to the Serbian foreign ministry.

July 23, 1918 – National Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Pee Wee Reese was born in Ekron, Ky. He played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

July 23, 1925 – Evergreen’s baseball team was scheduled to play Andalusia in Evergreen, Ala. at 4 p.m. The two teams had met four times earlier in the season with Andalusia having won two and tied one. Evergreen won the last game between them, 4-3.

July 23, 1929 - The Fascist government in Italy banned the use of foreign words. Regional dialects were still so prevalent when Mussolini came into power in 1922 that no more than 12 percent of the population of the unified state spoke straightforward Italian. The regime wanted to promote unity and a strong national identity, so anything that was seen to undermine these things was a cause for concern.

July 23, 1931 – In Evergreen, “What promised to be one of the most closely contested baseball games of the season between the Methodists and Baptists was abruptly ended” due to rain with the score tied, 0-0. The game, which was sponsored by the Lions Club for the benefit of the Boys Scouts, was rescheduled for Aug. 6.

July 23, 1936 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale was born in Van Nuys, Calif. He played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

July 23, 1938 – Evergreen Greenie’s manager Charlie Hilcher was released from the team and was replaced by pitcher Charlie Richards, who was to act as temporary manager. Hilcher had replaced Harry Rice as manager after Rice went to the Deland (Fla.) Reds to become their manager.

July 23, 1940 – The Boy Scouts of Frisco City left on this Tuesday afternoon for Ward’s Creek, which was about five miles northwest of Frisco City, Ala. Early the next morning, they “explored a large cave, approximately 100 yards from where we were camping.” They were accompanied by Assistant Scout Master Bennet Dean.

July 23, 1954 - The movie “Living It Up,” story by Alabama author James H. Street, was released.

July 23, 1954 - A law was passed that stated "The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to repair, equip, and restore the U.S.S. Constitution, as far as may be practicable, to her original appearance, but not for active service, and thereafter to maintain the U.S.S. Constitution at Boston, Massachusetts."

July 23, 1958 - The submarine Nautilus departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, under orders to conduct "Operation Sunshine." The mission was to be the first vessel to cross the north pole by ship. The Nautilus achieved the goal on August 3, 1958.

July 23, 1961 – Indian author Vikram Chandra was born in New Delhi.

July 23, 1964 - Ambassador Maxwell Taylor met twice with South Vietnamese Premier General Nguyen Khanh to register U.S. disapproval of the recent calls by Khanh and Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky to extend the war into North Vietnam.

July 23, 1965 - President Lyndon B. Johnson, in the course of discussions about what to do concerning the deteriorating situation in Vietnam, was told by some that he should give the American public all the facts, ask for an increase in taxes, mobilize the reserves, and declare a state of national emergency in the United States. Johnson rejected this approach, and informed his staff that he wanted any decisions implemented in a “low-key manner” in order to avoid an abrupt challenge to the communists, and to avoid undue concern and excitement in Congress and in domestic public opinion.

July 23, 1967 – Philip Seymour Hoffman, who portrayed Truman Capote in 2005’s “Capote,” was born in Fairport, N.Y. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Capote in the film.

July 23, 1967 – The “12th Street Riot,” one of the worst riots in United States history, began in the predominantly African American inner city of Detroit, Mich. It ultimately killed 43 people, injured 342 and burned about 1,400 buildings.

July 23, 1969 - U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew threw out the first ball at the Major League All-Star Game.

July 23, 1970 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the members of the National League All-Star team included (Giants) Larry Reid, Walker Scott, Woody Register, Ronnie Pugh, Karl Dubose, Joe Andrews, Delane Hartzog, Darwin Covin, Tom Nielsen; and (Yankees) Buddy Carrier, Freddie Sellers, Junior Nelson, Allen Padgett, Jerry Kendrick, Jeff Daniels and Gray Stevens.

July 23, 1970 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the members of the American League All-Star team included (Pelicans) Donnie Ray Butts, David Sabino, Steve DuBose, Bret Gearhart, Darin Gearhart, Mike Webb, Tony Rains and Randall Cooper; and (Orioles) Tony Hawsey, David Bass, Mike Nelson, Bobby Padgett, Bill Cope, Ronnie Brooks and Wayne Gladwell.

July 23, 1974 - Local weather observer Earl Windham reported 2.4 inches of rain on this day in Evergreen, Ala.

July 23, 1976 – The Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton, Ala. was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

July 23, 1976 - Local weather reporter Earl Windham reported a high of 100 degrees in Evergreen, Ala. for the third day in a row.

July 23, 1977 – Local weather reporter Earl Windham reported a high temperature of 101 degrees in Evergreen, Ala. He recorded a high of 100 degrees the day before.

July 23, 1982 - Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Shinn Chen and Myca Dinh Le, were killed in an accident involving a helicopter during filming on the California set of “Twilight Zone: The Movie.” Morrow, age 53, and the children, ages six and seven, were shooting a Vietnam War battle scene in which they were supposed to be running from a pursuing helicopter. Special-effects explosions on the set caused the pilot of the low-flying craft to lose control and crash into the three victims. The accident took place on the film’s last scheduled day of shooting.

July 23, 1985 - Oddibe McDowell became the first Texas Ranger player to hit for the cycle.

  

July 23, 1992 – The Monroe Journal reported that Hope Alexis Daniels, 11, of Monroeville had been invited by the Country Music Association of Alabama to vie for the title of 1993 Top Female Vocalist of the Year in Alabama. Daniels was the daughter of Joe and Margie Daniels and had been singing since she was seven. Her most recent performance was at the Hank Williams Memorial Concert in Georgiana in June 1992.

July 23, 1992 – The Monroe Journal reported that construction of a building for Frisco City’s newest industry, Medline Industries Inc., had been temporarily delayed. Bids were opened July 10 from three general contractors vying to build the 39,080-foot pre-engineered building, but all seemed “excessive in relation to the budget for the building,” according to Frisco City Mayor Billy McCrory.

July 23, 1995 – Comet Hale–Bopp was discovered, and it became visible to the naked eye on Earth nearly a year later.

July 23, 1995 - The National Inventors Hall of Fame opened in Akron, Ohio.

July 23, 1998 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Wesley Persons, a graduate of Auburn University and a star player with the Cleveland Cavaliers, had visited Evergreen to help with the Evergreen Summer Youth Basketball Camp. That year, 74 young players participated in the camp. Earnest Boykin, youth basketball director, said that this was one of the biggest camps ever, and he extended his thanks to Persons and his staff.

July 23, 1998 – The Evergreen Courant reported that LaFrancis Davis had been hired to serve as the new band director at Hillcrest High School. A reception welcoming him to Evergreen was to be held on this Thursday at 7 p.m. in the cafetorium at the school.

July 23, 1998 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Landstar Systems, Inc. had agreed to sell Poole to Schneider National. If all went well, Landstar Poole was to be under new ownership by late August 1998, after agreeing to sell out to Schneider National, Inc. Landstar Poole was a wholly owned subsidiary by its parent company Landstar Systems, Inc. The announcement was made on Thurs., July 16. Poole had its headquarters in Evergreen and was the third acquisition made by Schneider National in the previous several months. Prior acquisitions were Highway Carrier Corporation of Des Moines, Iowa and Builders Transport of Camden, South Carolina. Purchase price for the Poole-Schneider National deal was $42 million.

July 23, 2008 – Former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell was interviewed on Kerrang Radio by Nick Margerrison, and Mitchell claimed the Roswell crash was real and that aliens have contacted humans several times, but that governments have hidden the truth for 60 years, stating: "I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet, and the UFO phenomenon is real."

July 23, 2009 – The Gulf State Park Pier, the largest pier on the Gulf of Mexico, opened in Gulf Shores, Ala.

July 23, 2009 - Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history. The Sox beat Tampa Bay, 5-0.