Today in History for July 9, 2017

Grave of Daniel Kimball McMurphy

July 9, 1540 – As the DeSoto Expedition approached, the chieftain of the ancient Indian village of Tali tried in vain to send the women and children across the Tennessee River in canoes to safety only to have them turned back by DeSoto. The village was located on McKee’s Island near Guntersville in Marshall County.

July 9, 1706 – Canadian captain and explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville died suddenly, perhaps of yellow fever, at the age of 44 in Havana, Cuba. In addition to being a ship captain and explorer, d’Iberville was a soldier, colonial administrator, knight of the order of Saint-Louis, adventurer, privateer, trader, member of Compagnies Franches de la Marine and founder of the French colony of Louisiana of New France.

July 9, 1764 – English author Ann Radcliffe, a pioneer in supernatural and Gothic literature, was born in London.

July 9, 1776 – George Washington ordered the Declaration of Independence to be read out loud to members of the Continental Army in New York, New York for the first time, while thousands of British troops on Staten Island prepared for the Battle of Long Island.

July 9, 1777 - New York elected Brigadier General George Clinton, who was friends with George Washington, as the first governor of the independent state of New York, and Clinton would go on to become New York’s longest-serving governor, as well as the longest-serving governor in the United States, holding the post until 1795 and again from 1801 to 1804.

July 9, 1777 - Colonel William Barton of the Rhode Island Patriot militia led his men toward Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The next day, shortly after midnight, he captured British General Richard Prescott.

July 9, 1793 – The Act Against Slavery was passed in Upper Canada and the importation of slaves into Lower Canada was prohibited.

July 9, 1811 – Explorer David Thompson posted a sign at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers (in modern Washington state), claiming the land for the United Kingdom.

July 9, 1850 – Kentucky native Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, died suddenly at the age of 55 from an attack of cholera in Washington, D.C., having served only 16 months as president. Vice President Millard Fillmore became President upon Taylor's death.

July 9, 1853 – Former Monroe Journal publisher Horace Hood, who also founded and edited the Montgomery Journal, was born at Madisonville, Tenn. He moved to Monroe County, Ala. in 1875 and published The Monroe Journal for a decade.

July 9, 1861 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Vienna, Virginia and at Monroe Station, Missouri.

July 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Aberdeen, Arkansas; at the Weaverville Crossing of the Mad River, California; at Lotspeich Farm, near Wadesburg, Missouri; and on Fenwick Island and another at Pocotaligo, South Carolina.

July 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, Confederate cavalry led by John Morgan captured Tompkinsville, Kentucky.

July 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, Nathan Bedford Forrest began his raid into Middle Tennessee.

July 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, the Siege of Port Hudson ended.

July 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought with Indians at Redwood Creek in California; at Corydon, Indiana with Morgan’s Raiders; at Bradenburg, Kentucky; at Benevola, Maryland; and near Clinton and Jackson, Mississippi.

July 9, 1864 – Confederates under General Jubal Early attacked Union forces at the Battle of Monocacy near Frederick, Maryland. The battle delayed Early's advance toward Washington long enough for Union reinforcements to arrive. Early’s expedition towards the Union capital was designed to take pressure off Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia around Petersburg, Virginia. Union losses for the day stood at 1,800, and Early lost 700 of his men. However, the battle delayed Early’s advance to Washington and allowed time for the Union to bring reinforcements from Grant’s army.

July 9, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Urbana, Maryland; near Wellington, Missouri; and along Burden’s Causeway, John’s Island, South Carolina.

July 9, 1864 – During the Civil War, two additional divisions of the 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, embarked at City Point, Virginia for the defense of Washington, D.C.

July 9, 1868 – The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing African Americans full citizenship and all persons in the United States due process of law.

July 9, 1877 – The Wimbledon tennis tournament began when the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club begins its first lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon.

July 9, 1878 - The corncob pipe was patented by Henry Tibbe.

July 9, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that “the baseball fever” had “taken possession of several of our Southern cities.”

July 9, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Selma military companies were drilling “preparatory to entering the grand encampment.”

July 9, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Selma had “discarded gas” and was now “rejoicing over electric lights.”

July 9, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that The Brewton Banner had just entered its fourth volume as a seven-column newspaper.

July 9, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Revs. Sam Jones and Sam Small were attending the Sea Shore camp meeting at Biloxi, Miss. and many would “go there to hear the matchless eloquence of the one and the startling truths proclaimed by the other.”

July 9, 1894 – Journalist Dorothy Thompson was born in Lancaster, N.Y.

July 9, 1896 – William Jennings Bryan delivered his Cross of Gold speech advocating bimetallism at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

July 9, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that Captains Thos. A. Nettles of Kempville and Thomas M. Riley of Riley, in Monroe County, attended the reunion of Confederate veterans the week before at Richmond Va.

July 9, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that Dr. McDaniel had reported that Mr. W.R. Shirley, who was recently shot by his brother, was out of danger of dying and that he had discharged the medical case.

July 9, 1902 - The foundation of the present courthouse in Livingston, Ala. was laid. Livingston was named the seat of Sumter County in 1832. The county's first courthouse was built of logs at the intersection of Spring and West Main (now Chapman) Streets. In 1839, the county constructed a frame courthouse to replace the log structure, but it burned in 1901. The probate judge's office was the only structure to survive the fire, and it now contains the county commission office.

July 9, 1903 - A “deplorable homicide” occurred near Buena Vista in Monroe County on this Thursday night, Daniel “Dan” Kimball McMurphy, age 46, being shot and instantly killed by Julius Farish, his nephew. The circumstances, according to The Monroe Journal, were as follows: McMurphy and Farish were at a church supper at the home of Mrs. Bettie Griffith, when a dispute arose between the parties over a voting contest. McMurphy assaulted Farish, striking him several times in the face when the latter drew his pistol and shot the former, the bullet taking effect in the heart, producing death in a few moments. The close relationship existing between the two families renders the affair the more deplorable. McMurphy left a wife and eight children. McMurphy, who was born on April 2, 1857, was buried in the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Wilcox County. (His headstone indicates that he died on July 3, 1903.)

July 9, 1906 - Miss Maggie Nettles was expected to start a school at McWilliams on this Monday for the benefit of the younger children.

July 9, 1914 – Confederate veteran Crocket Janes of Conecuh County, Ala. passed away at his son’s home. Believed to have been about 100 years old, he enlisted in the army in 1861 at the age of 46, served four years and was wounded three times. A native of Georgia, he moved to Alabama after the war and lived the rest of his life there.

July 9, 1915 – On this Friday night, shortly after midnight, four masked bandits held up the No. 37 New York & New Orleans fast mail train a few miles south of Greenville, Ala. and robbed the mail car of all money and valuables. No passengers were harmed by Capt. Phil McCrea, conductor in charge of the train, died "from a weak heart" due to the excitement.

July 9, 1915 - With the Central Powers pressing their advantage on the Western Front during World War I, the Allies scored a distant victory, when military forces of the Union of South Africa accepted a German surrender in the territory of Southwest Africa.

July 9, 1918 - The Great Train Wreck of 1918 took place in Nashville, Tenn. An inbound train collided head-on with an outbound express, killing 101 and injuring 171 people. It's considered the deadliest rail accident in U.S. history.

July 9, 1918 – Noble Prize-winning author William Faulkner of Oxford, Miss. joined the Royal Air Force on this day, but would never see combat because World War I would end before he completed his training. Faulkner joined the RAF after his high school sweetheart, Estelle, married another man. He quit his hometown, Oxford, Mississippi, visited friends in the North, and headed to Canada, where he joined the Royal Air Force.

July 9, 1919 - Dr. Dickinson, Dr. Stewart, E.J. McCreary, T.S. Hagood and J.W. Byrd from Conecuh County attended a meeting of the Orphanage Board in Montgomery, Ala. on this Thursday.

July 9-10, 1930 - The annual session of the Conecuh County Masonic Conference was held in Evergreen on this Wednesday and Thursday at Greening Lodge No. 53. Something like 50 delegates representing the nine lodges in this county and a number of visitors from lodges in adjoining counties were in attendance. The lecture sessions were in charge of J.W. Thurmond of Castleberry.

July 9, 1933 – Neurologist and writer Oliver Sacks was born in London.

July 9, 1937 – The silent film archives of Fox Film Corporation were destroyed by the 1937 Fox vault fire.

July 9, 1937 – Artist David Hockney was born in Bradford, England.

July 9, 1939 – Evergreen’s baseball team beat Brewton in Evergreen on this Sunday afternoon, 11-1.

July 9, 1942 – The Monroe Journal reported, under the headline “SCHOOL HEADS RETURN FROM NEA IN DENVER,” that Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Greer had returned from a trip to Denver, Colo. While there, they attended the session of the National Education Association and also visited several places of interest. Miss Luna Nichols remained in Colorado to attend a two-week conference of supervisors and Directors of Instruction at Estes Park, Colo.

July 9, 1942 – The Monroe Journal reported, under the headline “EXCEL PRODUCING SOME FINE PEACHES,” that the finest peaches in the Excel community were being grown on the farm of Emmit Hall. His daughter, Mary Lou, purchased these trees in a cooperative fruit tree order through the Vocational Agriculture department. Mary Lou said, “The peaches this year on one tree will pay the cost of the entire orchard.” Mr. Terrell, Excel Vocational Agriculture teacher, reported that he was sure that one may purchase some peaches by visiting Mary Lou’s home near Hall’s store in the Excel community.

July 9, 1942 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Blass and two sons spent the holidays with relatives in Waynesboro and other points in Mississippi.

July 9, 1942 – The Monroe Journal reported that Frisco City had sent another young man into the armed services on this day when James Forest Rikard enlisted for aviation training in the Naval Reserve. Rikard, 23, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. F.F. Rikard. He was a graduate of Frisco City High School and attended Marion Military Institute where he had two years of ROTC training. He then enrolled at the University of Alabama and graduated on May 25, 1942 with a B.S. degree.

July 9, 1945 – Horror writer Dean Koontz was born in Everett, Pa.

July 9, 1947 – Pro Football Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson was born in San Francisco, Calif. During his career, he played for Southern Cal, the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

July 9, 1948 – Mobile, Ala. native Leroy “Satchel” Paige, age 42, made his Major League debut, pitching two innings for the Cleveland Indians in a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Browns. The game came 21 years after the great pitcher’s first Negro League appearance.

July 9, 1951 – National Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder and first baseman Harry Heilmann passed away at the age of 56 in Southfield, Mich. During his career, he played for the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1952.

July 9, 1951 - Southern writer Larry Brown was born in Oxford, Miss. His books include “Dirty Work” (1989) and “Facing the Music” (1988).

July 9, 1955 – Major League Baseball center fielder and left fielder Willie Wilson was born in Montgomery, Ala. During his career, he played for the Kansas City Royals, the Oakland Athletics and the Chicago Cubs.

July 9, 1958 - The tallest wave ever recorded-- 1,720 feet (500 ft. taller than the Empire State Building) hit Lituya Bay in the Gulf of Alaska. The tsunami was triggered by a massive landslide/earthquake.

July 9, 1963 – The Union Bank of Repton, Ala. was robbed of $34,070 at 12:22 p.m. by a middle-aged white man. Bank cashier Carl W. Ryals was alone in the bank when the bandit walked in about 12:22 p.m. Two women employees were out for lunch, and the bank president, A.E. (Bill) Kelly, had stepped next door.

July 9, 1966 - The Soviet Union sent a note to the U.S. embassy in Moscow charging that the air strikes on the port of Haiphong endangered four Soviet ships that were in the harbor.

July 9, 1968 - The first All-Star baseball game to be played indoors took place at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.

July 9, 1968 – The Battle of Khe Sanh began in Vietnam. Luther Upton was there with the U.S. Marine Corps’ 1^st Battalion, Ninth Marines.

July 9, 1968 - The following officers had been recently installed by Alabama Lodge No. 3, according to The Monroe Journal. They were Lewis Robinson, senior deacon; Richard Tatum, senior warden; Charles Glidewell, worshipful master; Woodrow Ikner, junior warden; Landis McMillon, junior deacon; Floyd Harper, marshal; Marion Craft, senior steward; Henry Champion, junior steward; Forest Wade, treasurer; Glenn Gladwell, secretary; Kermit Branum, chaplain; David Nettles, tyler.

July 9, 1971 - Four miles south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), about 500 U.S. troops of the 1st Brigade, 5th Mechanized Division turned over Fire Base Charlie 2 to Saigon troops, completing the transfer of defense responsibilities for the border area.

July 9, 1976 – Actor, director and producer Fred Savage was born in Highland Park, Ill.

July 9, 1977 - In a hotly contested rugby match on this Saturday at Sparta Academy, the Evergreen Rugby Club downed Birmingham by the score of 13-6, improving Evergreen’s record to 7-3. The game, which was divided into three 15-minute periods, was scoreless at the end of the first period. As the second period began, Darwin Cook intercepted a pass and ran it back to Birmingham’s 45-yard line, where he was pushed out of bounds. Taking the inbounds pass, Jim Andrews dropkicked the ball from about the 35-yard line to give Evergreen the lead, 3-0. Birmingham wasted no time as they took advantage of a broken play to make the score 6-3. As the third period began, Don Owens, playing Rugby for the first time, promptly took a pass from Cook on Birmingham’s 40-yard line and outran the opposition to the end zone. Jim Andrews later picked up a loose ball and scored. He also added the two extra points as the game ended 13-6 in Evergreen’s favor. The ironic thing about the game was that since Birmingham was short two players at the start of the game, Homer Holland and Jeb Barron played for them. These two almost singlehandedly beat the hometown club with their hustle and alert play. Joe Andrews, Greg Still, Walker Scott and Stanley Johnson showed good effort in the scrum as did backs J. Phillippi, Hutcheson, Owens, Holland, Cook and Andrews.

July 9, 1979 – A car bomb destroyed a Renault motorcar owned by the famed "Nazi hunters" Serge and Beate Klarsfeld at their home in France. A note purportedly from ODESSA claimed responsibility.

July 9, 1985 - Herschel Walker of the New Jersey Generals was named the Most Valuable Player in the United States Football League (USFL).

July 9, 1985 - Joe Namath signed a five-year pact with ABC-TV to provide commentary for "Monday Night Football.”

July 9, 1990 - Local members of the Tactical Team of the Department of Public Safety and members of the Conecuh County Rescue Squad met on this Monday night at Mr. Pizza for a meal before going to the Evergreen Airport to conduct a drill.

July 9, 1993 - British forensic scientists announced that they had positively identified the remains of Russia’s last czar, Nicholas II; his wife, Czarina Alexandra; and three of their daughters. The scientists used mitochondria DNA fingerprinting to identify the bones, which had been excavated from a mass grave near Yekaterinburg in 1991.

July 9, 2002 - The Major League Baseball All-Star game ended in a 7-7 tie after 11 innings. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig called the game after both team managers informed him that they had run out of players.