Today in History for Aug. 18, 2017

Hank Aaron in 1961

Aug. 18, 1587 – Virginia Dare, granddaughter of Governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, became the first English child born in the Americas.

Aug. 18, 1590 - John White, the governor of the Roanoke Island colony in present-day North Carolina, returned from a supply-trip to England to find the settlement completely deserted. White and his men found no trace of the 100 or so colonists he left behind, and there was no sign of violence. To date, no one knows what became of the so-called “Lost Colony of Roanoke.”

Aug. 18, 1612 – The trial of the Pendle witches, one of England's most famous witch trials, began at Lancaster Assizes.

Aug. 18, 1634 – Urbain Grandier, accused and convicted of sorcery, was burned alive in Loudun, France.

Aug. 18, 1735 - The "Evening Post" of Boston, Mass. was published for the first time.

Aug. 18, 1750 – Italian-born Viennese composer Antonio Salieri was born in Legnago in the Republic of Venice.

Aug. 18, 1774 – American soldier, explorer, and co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Meriwether Lewis, was born in Charlottesville, Va.

Aug. 18, 1780 - Following the Continental Army’s disastrous loss two days earlier at the Battle of Camden, two bloody engagements left the Loyalist and Patriot forces each with one more victory in South Carolina’s brutal civil war. British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton defeated Brigadier General Thomas Sumter at Sumter's camp at Fishing Creek on the Wateree River. In South Carolina, at Musgrove's Mill, Patriot forces repelled a Loyalist attack.

Aug. 18, 1783 – A huge fireball meteor was seen across Great Britain as it passed over the east coast.

Aug. 18, 1817 - A special committee was established to collect evidence of the Gloucester Sea Serpent, which according to witnesses was between 80 to 100 feet long with "a head as broad as a horse."

Aug. 18, 1838 – The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighed anchor at Hampton Roads.

Aug. 18, 1842 – French explorer and navigator Louis de Freycinet died at the age of 62 at Château de Freycinet, near Saulce-sur-Rhône, Drôme.

Aug. 18, 1851 – Thomas Chalmers McCorvey was born in Monroe County, Ala. A teacher, poet and historian, he was an active officer and professor at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Aug. 18, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Pohick Church, Va.

Aug. 18, 1862 – William Wright Kilpatrick enlisted in Co. H of the 53rd Alabama Infantry, Mounted “Partisan Rangers,” at Elba, Ala. He received a $50 enlistment bonus, but had no horse. He served 180 days without a horse and was assigned as a teamster until the end of hostilities. Born in 1835 in Barbour County, he passed away in 1898 in Butler County and was buried in the New Home Primitive Baptist Cemetery in the Dottelle community in Monroe County.

Aug. 18, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at White Oak Ridge, Mo.; at Clark's Mountain and near Rapidan Station, Va.; and at Huttonsville, W.Va. Corpus Christi, Texas was bombarded by Federal Naval forces.

Aug. 18, 1863 – During the Civil War, General Thomas Ewing issued orders freeing slaves of Missourians actively involved with the Confederate Army.

Aug. 18, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Pueblo Colorado, Arizona; near Albany and Crab Orchard in Kentucky; at Payne's Plantation, near Grenada, Miss.; and at Bristoe Station, Va.

Aug. 18, 1864 - Union General Ulysses S. Grant attempted to cut Confederate lines into Petersburg, Va. at the Battle of Weldon Railroad at Globe Tavern, Va. The battle lasted for five days, and a Confederate offensive regained control of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad on August 25.

Aug. 18, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred near Antioch Church, Ala.

Aug. 18, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought along Bailey's Creek, on the Charles City Road, Fussell's Mil, and at Opequon in Virginia; at Pine Bluff and near Benton, Ark.; at Camp Creek, Ga.; at Geiger's Lake, Ky.; near Pasquotank, N.C.; and at Point Isabel, Texas.

Aug. 18, 1864 – During the Civil War, Kilpatrick's cavalry raid in Georgia began and continued until August 22.

Aug. 18, 1868 - French astronomer Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen spotted an unknown element in the spectrum of the sun, during a solar eclipse. The element is now known as helium.

Aug. 18, 1870 – Russian general and explorer Lavr Kornilov was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Russian Empire.

Aug. 18, 1879 – The Monroe Journal reported that a new post office had been established at Simpkinsville with Mr. J.J. Simpkins as postmaster. Simpkinsville was located just east of the Old Texas and Midway communities, in the northeastern corner of Monroe County, Ala.

Aug. 18, 1880 – John J. Watson was commissioned as Monroe County, Alabama’s Sheriff.

Aug. 18, 1893 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes was born in Emerald, Wisc. During his career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Brooklyn Robbins, the New York Giants, the Boston Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees, and he also managed the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964.

Aug. 18, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Masonic District Conference held at Perdue Hill the week before was reported “a most interesting and enjoyable occasion.” About 20 lodges were represented. The conference was held under the joint direction of A.M. Scott, Member of the Committee on Work of the Grand Lodge, and W.W. Daffin, lecturer for the first district.

Aug. 18, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that Messrs. Ivey and Martin were speedily erecting a gin house in Repton, “with the expectation of a liberal patronage from surrounding community; arrival of new machinery expected.”

Aug. 18, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that Prof. J.A. Liner, principal of the Southwest Alabama Agricultural School at Evergreen, made a tour of Monroe during the previous week “in the interest of his school and gave The Journal a pleasant call while in town. He hopes to open on Sept. 1 with at least 400 pupils enrolled.”

Aug. 18, 1902 – Margaret Murie was born in Seattle, Wash. Murie was instrumental in the formation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the passage of the Wilderness Act, each of which protected millions of acres of wilderness. She received the Audubon Medal, the John Muir Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Aug. 18, 1903 – German engineer Karl Jatho allegedly flew his self-made, motored gliding airplane four months before the first flight of the Wright brothers.

Aug. 18, 1910 - The Birmingham Barons inaugurated Rickwood Field by defeating the Montgomery Climbers in front of more than 10,000 fans. Rickwood Field is the nation's oldest operating ballpark and served as the home field of the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons for decades. Fittingly, for the center of steel and iron production in the South, Rickwood was the first minor-league ball field to be constructed of steel and concrete, in contrast to the wooden bleachers that were prevalent at the time. In 1936, lights were installed and Rickwood Field became one of the nation's first parks to host night baseball. Over the years, Rickwood has hosted its share of legends. More than 50 members of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame have entertained fans throughout its illustrious history.

Aug. 18, 1911 – The Monroe County (Ala.) Jail was condemned by Alabama State Prison Inspector W.H. Oates, who inspected the jail on July 22. In a letter to Monroe County’s I.B. Slaughter, Oates called the jail “one of the poorest jails in the state.”

Aug. 18, 1915 – Conecuh County Commissioner John F. Salter brought in the “first new bale” of cotton, which was bought for 10 cents.

Aug. 18, 1915 - Braves Field was inaugurated with Boston defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1.

Aug. 18, 1916 - Abraham Lincoln's birthplace was made into a national shrine.

Aug. 18, 1917 - The Italian army launched their 11th battle against Austro-Hungarian troops on the Isonzo River, near Italy’s border with Austria-Hungary.

Aug. 18, 1920 – The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote.

Aug. 18, 1926 – The Evergreen Courant reported that, according to Prof. L.C. Kersh, principal of Conecuh County High School, his school expected to be a real contender in athletics in the South Alabama field that year. The school had been fortunate enough to secure Smoky Bill Hillman to direct athletics that season. With the splendid material in sight it was expected that under the tutelage of Hillman, strong teams could be put out in football, basketball and baseball. Hillman was a three-year letterman from Emory and Henry University in Virginia. He coached in 1925 at Tuscumbia High. His arrival in Castleberry was looked forward to with genuine interest by the sport lovers of that thriving community.

Aug. 18, 1926 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Prof. J.B. Murphy, who had been principal of the Conecuh County High School for the past four years, had accepted the principalship of the Flomaton Schools, and would leave about Sept. 1 to take up his duties there.

Aug. 18, 1926 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the piers had been set for an 80-foot steel lookout tower on what was known as Panther Creek Hill in Covington County, according to the State Commission of Forestry. The site was on the Florala and Kinston road in Section 21, Township 2 North, Range 18 East.

Aug. 18, 1934 – National Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente was born in Barrio San Antón, Carolina, Puerto Rico. He played his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Aug. 18, 1936 – Evergreen Boy Scout Troop 80 played a 10-inning baseball game against the Monroeville juniors on this Tuesday. Monroeville won the game, 7-6. Evergreen’s players included Dick Murphy, first base; Vaughn Fountain, second base; Charlie Northcutt, shortstop; Carl Wiggins, third base; Horace Jay, left field; Knud Nielsen, center field; James Tate, right field; Jim Lane, pitcher; and Bill Wiggins, catcher. Pullens pitched for Monroeville, and Latham did the catching.

Aug. 18, 1937 - The first FM radio construction permit was issued in Boston, Mass. The station went on the air two years later.

Aug. 18, 1943 – Congressman George Grant, who represented Alabama’s 2nd District in Washington, visited Evergreen, Ala.

Aug. 18, 1943 – Annie Lenora Stallings Wiggins, 82, passed away at her residence on Rural Street in Evergreen, Ala. One of Evergreen’s oldest and most admired citizens, she was born on Feb. 13, 1861 in the Oaky Streak community in Butler County. She married Willis Thomas Wiggins and they moved to Castleberry, where they lived a short time. They moved to Evergreen in 1890, and her husband died on March 10, 1927. She was buried in the Old Evergreen Cemetery.

Aug. 18, 1950 - W.W. Garrett of Uriah, Monroe County’s representative in the Alabama legislature, was to be the regular speaker at the weekly meeting of the Monroeville Kiwanis Club on this Friday at noon at the LaSalle Hotel. Garrett, who’d received appointment to a special Senate-House committee to study reapportionment during the recess of the legislature, was to speak on activities of the legislative body. Windell C. Owens was in charge of the program.

Aug. 18, 1955 – Major League Baseball catcher Bruce Benedict was born in Birmingham, Ala. He played his entire career, 1978-1989, for the Atlanta Braves.

Aug. 18, 1956 - The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Braves combined for a National League record of 10 home runs. The Reds won, 13-4. Bob Thurman of the Cincinnati Reds hit three of the home runs.

Aug. 18, 1958 – Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel “Lolita” was published in the United States.

Aug. 18, 1960 - Lew Burdette threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. The final score was 1-0.

Aug. 18, 1963 – James Meredith became the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi.

Aug. 18, 1965 – During the Vietnam War, Operation Starlite began as United States Marines destroyed a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.

Aug. 18, 1965 - Condition of a 13-year-old girl was diagnosed as critical on this Wednesday afternoon after she was struck by lightning at her home in Franklin. Ceclestive Henderson, daughter of Mose Henderson, was hit by the bolt during an electrical storm that hit Franklin at approximately 2 p.m. She was receiving treatment at the Monroe County Hospital.

Aug. 18, 1966 – During the Vietnam War, the Battle of Long Tan ensue after a patrol from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment clashed with a Viet Cong force in Phước Tuy Province.

Aug. 18, 1966 – In Evergreen Junior Baseball League action, the Dodgers knocked the Yankees out of a first place tie in the National League, upsetting them in the final game of the season. The members of the Dodgers included Jerry Daw, Lester Daw, Mike Turner, David Jackson, Donald Jackson, Sammy Garrett, Johnny Andrews, Tommy Shipp, Shavon Halford, Donnie Griggers, Gary Gibson, Larry Tranum and Tony Weaver. Matthew Davis was the team’s manager, and Gene Shipp was assistant manager.

Aug. 18, 1968 – Marine PFC Douglas Sidney Scroggins, 21, of Wing in Covington County, Ala. was killed in action in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Born on April 24, 1947 to Alfred L. Scroggins and Bertha M. Scroggins of Wing, Scroggins enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on Oct. 26, 1967 in Montgomery. He arrived in Vietnam on Aug. 5, 1968, where he was assigned for duty and served with Co. G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st MARDIV (Rein) FMF. During the month of August, the Battalion continued to participate on Operation MAMELUKE THRUST, with their Command Post at An Hoa, and provide security for Liberty Bridge with one Company positioned at Phu Lac 6 in Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam Province. On Aug. 18, Co. G came into contact with the enemy on the north bank of the Son Thu Bon (River) in the near the Giao Thuy village complex. A heavy volume of small arms fire and rocket propelled fire greeted the advancing Marines, and as the men moved forward the gun fire intensified slowing the advance. Air strikes enabled the Marine to sweep though the enemy defenses, with a loss of seven men killed in the action and twenty wounded. One of the casualties was Scroggins, who was killed in action by hostile rocket fire. He was buried in Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery in Covington County.

Aug. 18, 1968 - The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched a limited offensive in the south with 19 separate attacks throughout South Vietnam.

Aug. 18, 1971 – During the Vietnam War, Australia and New Zealand decided to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.

Aug. 18, 1973 - Wilcox County native Hank Aaron set a Major League record with his 1,378th extra base.

Aug. 18, 1980 - George Brett of the Kansas City Royals had his batting average reach the .400 mark.

Aug. 18, 1981 - Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia took out an insurance policy with Lloyd’s of London. The All-American was insured for one million dollars.

Aug. 18, 1981 – The Evergreen City Council approved a resolution in favor of providing a public defender for defendants in city court. An attorney was to be appointed to represent indigent defendants, according to the resolution.

Aug. 18, 1982 - The longest baseball game played at Wrigley Field in Chicago went 21 innings before the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cubs, 2-1.

Aug. 18, 1984 – An open ladies softball tournament was scheduled to be played in Atmore, Ala.

Aug. 18, 1987 - Earl Campbell announced his retirement from the National Football League.

Aug. 18, 1987 – U.S. Senator Richard Shelby talked with constituents at the Conecuh County Courthouse in Evergreen, Ala.

Aug. 18, 1990 - The first shots were fired by the U.S. in the Persian Gulf Crisis when a U.S. frigate fired rounds across the bow of an Iraqi oil tanker.

Aug. 18, 1992 - Kurt Cobain of the band, Nirvana, and Courtney Love of Hole became parents to daughter Frances Bean.

Aug. 18, 1992 – Adventurer and hiker Christopher McCandless, made famous by Jon Krakauer in his 1996 book “Into the Wild,” died at the age of 24 in Stampede Trail, Alaska.

Aug. 18, 1994 – Ronnie Brogden was sworn in as Superintendent of Education for Conecuh County Schools by Probate Judge Rogene Booker. Brogden was selected to fill the unexpired term of former superintendent, Steve Coker.

Aug. 18, 1995 - Tom Henke of St. Louis became only the seventh Major League player to record 300 saves.

Aug. 18, 1996 - Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox became the fourth player to reach 100 RBIs in each of his first six seasons.

Aug. 18, 1996 - Wade Boggs became the 41st major league player to get 2,000 career singles.

Aug. 18, 2004 – Carlisle Hall, near Marion, Ala., was designated a National Historic Landmark. (13 Alabama Ghosts)

Aug. 18, 2006 - Alabama’s first-ever regulated alligator hunting season was scheduled to begin in portions of Baldwin and Mobile counties. Fifty hunters were to be randomly chose by computer for an Alligator Possession Tag, and the season was scheduled to end on Aug. 24.