Today in History for Dec. 18, 2017

Excel, Alabama's Lee Roy Jordan

Dec. 18, 1707 – Charles Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, was born in Epworth, England.

Dec. 18, 1767 - By 1740, people in England and across the American colonies knew of the valuable white clay deposits in the Cherokee region of the North Carolina Mountains. A British patent was filed around 1744 “for the production of porcelain from an earthy mixture, produced by the Cherokee Nation in America.” An agent of England’s Wedgwood potteries finished extracting several tons of fine white clay on this day from the mountains of North Carolina. With increasing interest in creating porcelain in England and the colonies, Josiah Wedgwood launched efforts to secure what was called Cherokee Clay.

Dec. 18, 1777 – The United States celebrated its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the Americans over British General John Burgoyne and 5,000 British troops in the Battle of Saratoga in October.

Dec. 18, 1778 - A force of New Jersey and New York Loyalists traveled to Liverpool, Nova Scotia to help defend against Patriot privateers.

Dec. 18, 1778 - Considered the "father of modern clowning," Joseph Grimaldi was born in London.

Dec. 18, 1787 - New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Dec. 18, 1793 – French Royalists surrendered the frigate La Lutine to Lord Samuel Hood. The ship was renamed HMS Lutine, and she later became a famous treasure wreck.

Dec. 18, 1796 - The "Monitor" of Baltimore, Md. was published as the first Sunday newspaper.

Dec. 18, 1812 – Mobile County, Ala. was created by a proclamation of Governor Holmes of the Mississippi Territory.

Dec. 18, 1812 - After successfully attacking and burning two peaceful Indian villages, and fighting to a draw in another village the day before, Col. John Campbell with almost 600 white volunteers camped for the night near the destroyed villages on the Mississinewa River. They were there to prevent the peaceful tribes from joining Tecumseh's Rebellion. The Miami considered the previous day's attacks on villages that had pledged not to support Tecumseh's Rebellion as an “unprovoked massacre.” They mounted a retaliatory raid against Campbell's camp before dawn on this day and killed 10 volunteer soldiers and wounded 48 more before they withdrew. Campbell gave up his expedition along the river after this attack.

Dec. 18, 1813 – Benjamin Stoddert, the first Secretary of the U.S. Navy, passed away at Bladensburg, Md., and he was buried in the graveyard at Addison Chapel in Seat Pleasant, Md. Fort Stoddert near present-day Mount Vernon, Ala. was named in his honor in 1799.

Dec. 18, 1821 – An act was passed authorizing the judge of the county court and the commissioners in Butler County to levy an extra tax upon the property in the county for the purpose of building a courthouse and jail in the town of Buttsville (the name afterwards being changed to Greenville), said town having been made the permanent seat of justice for Butler County, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1832 – Barbour County, Ala. was created by act of the state general assembly from portions of Pike County and land that had been ceded to the state by the Creek Indians. Now bordered on the north by Russell County, on the east by Georgia, on the south by Henry County and Dale County and on the west by Pike County and Bullock County. Named for James Barbour (1775-1842), governor of Virginia (1812-14). The county seat was Louisville until 1834 when Clayton, the present one, was chosen. (Places Names in Alabama)

Dec. 18, 1832 – The Alabama legislature created Tallapoosa County and Chambers County on lands previously held by Creek Indians, which had been ceded to the federal government at Cusseta on March 24, 1832.

Dec. 18, 1832 – The Alabama legislature created Randolph County.

Dec. 18, 1832 – Calhoun County, Ala. was created by an act of the state general assembly. Now bounded on the north by Etowah County and Cherokee County, on the south by Talladega County and on the west by St. Clair County. First named for Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858) from South Carolina, later a U.S. senator from Missouri, who had fought here during the Creek Indian War of 1813-14. Because Benton’s political views by 1858 differed from those of most people in this area, the name was changed on Jan. 29 of that year to honor John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, a spokesman for southern causes. The county seat was Jacksonville until 1899, when the present one, Anniston, was chosen. (Place Names in Alabama).

Dec. 18, 1832 – Chambers County, Ala. was created by an act of the state general assembly. Bounded on the north by Randolph County, on the east by Georgia, on the south by Lee County and on the west by Tallapoosa County. Named for Henry Chambers (1790-1826), a Huntsville physician who was one of the first U.S. senators elected from the state following its admission to the Union. Chambers Court House was the temporary county seat, April-October 1833, when the present one, Lafayette, was chosen.

Dec. 18, 1835: Osceola and a force of 80 Seminole, attacked a Florida Militia supply train on this day near Wacahoota on a road from Newnansville to Micanopy in Alachua County. Many of the militia soldiers ran off after the first shots, leaving only a few to defend the wagons against a much larger force. 14 soldiers were killed or wounded. This is known as the “Battle of Black Point.”

Dec. 18, 1839 - Scientist John Draper took the first celestial photograph of the moon.

Dec. 18, 1860 - Alabama author Joseph Holt Ingraham died in Holly Springs, Miss. at the age of 51.

Dec. 18, 1861 – During the Civil War, a Federal reconnaissance mission from Somerset to Mill Springs, Ky. began.

Dec. 18, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Milford, Mo.

Dec. 18, 1861 – During the Civil War, Federal reconnaissance was conducted from Rolla towards Houston in Missouri.

Dec. 18, 1861 – During the Civil War, Federal reconnaissance was conducted to Pohick Church, approximately 12 miles south of Alexandria, Va.

Dec. 18, 1862 – During the Civil War’s Battle of Lexington, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest defeated a Union force under Colonel Robert Ingersoll at Lexington, Tenn., an area held by the Union. Forrest’s troops overwhelmed the panicked Federals and captured more than 140 men, including Ingersoll. The rest of the Union force scattered into the countryside. Forrest also captured artilery pieces, horses, rifles and supplies.

Dec. 18, 1862 - Alabama author Milford W. Howard was born in Floyd County, Ga.

Dec. 18, 1862 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Water Valley, Miss.

Dec. 18, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Barren Fork, in the Indian Territory, with Col. Stand Watie’s Confederates; at Indiantown, N.C.; at Bean’s Station and Rutledge in Tennessee; and at Culpepper, Vienna and Middleburg in Virginia. Thirteen days of Federal operations began in northern Mississippi and West Tennessee.

Dec. 18, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Dudley Lake, Ark.; on Little River, in New Madrid County, Mo.; and at Spring Hill, Tenn. The second of two days of sustained skirmishing also occurred near Marion, Va.

Dec. 18, 1864 – Confederate Lt. General William Hardee refused General William T. Sherman’s demand of the surrender of Savannah, Ga., opting to withdraw his forces from the city.

Dec. 18, 1865 - U.S. Secretary of State William Seward issued a statement verifying the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment abolished slavery with the declaration: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Dec. 18, 1870 – British short-story writer Saki was born Hector Hugh Munro in Akyab, Burma (now Myanmar).

Dec. 18, 1879 – Artist Paul Klee was born in Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland.

Dec. 18, 1886 – National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Ty Cobb was born in Narrows, Ga. He would go on to play for the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelpia Athletics. He also managed the Tigers from 1921 to 1926. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

Dec. 18, 1888 – Richard Wetherill and his brother in-law discovered the ancient Indian ruins of Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde.

Dec. 18, 1892 – The premiere performance of “The Nutcracker” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky took place in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Dec. 18, 1897 – Jazz musician Fletcher Henderson was born in Cuthbert, Ga.

Dec. 18, 1901 - Alabama author Viola Goode Liddell was born in Gastonburg, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1903 - The Panama Canal Zone was acquired 'in perpetuity' by the U.S. for an annual rent.

Dec. 18, 1908 – American geographer and explorer Paul Siple was born in Montpelier, Ohio.

Dec. 18, 1912 - The discovery of the Piltdown Man in East Sussex was announced by Charles Dawson. It was proved to be a hoax in 1953.

Dec. 18, 1914 – Bill Rogers accidentally killed his friend Bob Roberts during a “prank” near Rogers’ home in Greenville, Ala. Rogers shot Roberts in the lower abdomen, and Roberts died about three hours later. The incident was described as “one of the saddest accidents that has ever happened in the southern part of this county.”

Dec. 18, 1916 – During World War I, the Battle of Verdun, the longest engagement of the war, ended after 10 months when German forces under Chief of staff Erich von Falkenhayn were defeated by the French, and suffered 337,000 casualties.

Dec. 18, 1917 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Fletcher W. Smith of Lower Peachtree, Ala. “died from disease.”

Dec. 18, 1917 – The resolution containing the language of the Eighteenth Amendment to enact Prohibition was passed by the United States Congress and was then officially proposed the states.

Dec. 18, 1932 – The Chicago Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans, 9–0, in the first ever NFL Championship Game. Because of a blizzard, the game was moved from Wrigley Field to the Chicago Stadium, the field measuring 80 yards long.

Dec. 18, 1934 – Following their preliminary hearing on this Tuesday in Monroeville, James McCreary and J.C. McCreary, brothers, were held without bail at the Monroe County Jail. The men, who were residents of Beatrice, were brought to Monroeville following “a shooting and cutting affray,” which took place at Beatrice on the night of Sat., Nov. 17. During the incident, two men were killed and about 11 others injured as a result of the fights.

Dec. 18, 1940 - Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Operation "Barbarossa" was launched in June 1941.

Dec. 18, 1950 – Evergreen High School’s boys basketball team picked up their third straight win by beating Lyeffion High School, 27-22, at Memorial Gym in Evergreen, Ala. Jeff Moorer led Evergreen with eight points, and Miller Dees led Lyeffion with nine points.

Dec. 18, 1950 – Evergreen High School coach Wendell Hart and his wife, Gerry, celebrated the birth of a son, James Wendell Hart Jr., who was born on this afternoon at Stabler’s Infirmary in Greenville. He weighed seven pounds, 10 ounces.

Dec. 18, 1952 – Evergreen (Ala.) High School’s Quarterback Club, led by President Brown Boykin, was scheduled to hold its annual football banquet in the high school lunchroom, and Alabama assistant coach and scout Bubber Nisbet was the scheduled guest speaker. The D.T. Stuart Sportsmanship Award and Trophy was also to be awarded, and letters were to be awarded to players who earned them. Team captains for 1953 were to be elected before the banquet and introduced during this night’s program.

Dec. 18, 1963 – Greenville High School beat Evergreen High School, 86-36, in the final round of a tournament on this Wednesday night in Evergreen, Ala. Joe Terrell led Greenville with 34 points, and teammate Snake Raybon followed with 19 points. Kenny Harper led Evergreen with 16 points. In that night’s consolation game, Frisco City beat W.S. Neal, 69-66. Larry Eddins led Frisco with 28 points while Gilbert Emmons and James Ryals had 20 and 17, respectively, for W.S. Neal. Players named to the all-tournament team included Gilbert Emmons of W.S. Neal, Ronnie Jackson of Evergreen, Johnny Mack King of Frisco City, Snake Raybon of Greenville and Joe Terrell of Greenville.

Dec. 18, 1965 – Army Spc. 5 Jack Elliott Clemmons, 25, of Atmore, Ala. was killed in action in Vietnam while serving with HHC, 1^st Brigade, 1^st Cavalry Division. Born on April 6, 1937, he was buried in the McCullough Community Cemetery in Escambia County, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1969 - Rufus Reid Rushton, age 79, died at a local hospital on this Thursday afternoon, following a brief illness. Rushton was born in Rutledge in Crenshaw County and moved with his parents to Andalusia when a young boy and resided there until he moved to Evergreen more than 50 years before his death. He engaged in the contracting business till he retired about 10 years before his death. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of the American Legion. Born on Aug. 24, 1890, he was burned in Magnolia Cemetery in Evergreen.

Dec. 18, 1970 – Local historian and author Elizabeth Riley was honored with an “autograph party” at The Nannette Shop in Evergreen, Ala. to celebrate her recently published book, “The Old Evergreen Historical Cemetery.”

Dec. 18, 1970 - Labe Turk Johnston, age 76, passed away at his home in Evergreen, Ala. He was a semi-retired farmer and life-long resident of Conecuh County. He was a member of the Brooklyn Baptist Church, a World War I veteran, member of American Legion, Chairman of the County Board of Education and a member of the Democratic Executive Committee.

Dec. 18, 1972 – Dallas Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, a native of Excel, Ala., appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

Dec. 18, 1972 – During the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon announced that the United States would engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on Dec. 13.

Dec. 18, 1974 – National Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Harry Hooper died at the age of 87 in Santa Cruz, Calif. During his career, he played for the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Dec. 18, 1975 - Father Ralph J. Pecoraro arrived at the “Amityville Horror” house to bless the house before the Lutz family moved in. When he flicked the first holy water and began to pray, he heard a masculine voice demand that he "get out."

Dec. 18, 1975 – Weather observer Earl Windham reported a low temperature of 23 degrees in Evergreen, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1978 – Weather observer Earl Windham reported a low temperature of 27 degrees in Evergreen, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1984 - John H. Pate, a well-known Conecuh County farmer, was named to the county Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee by delegates to the county ASCS convention, held on this day in the ASCA Office.

Dec. 18, 1985 – Weather reporter Earl Windham reported a low of 29 degrees in Evergreen, Ala.

Dec. 18, 1993 - The NFL announced a new 4-year agreement with ABC, ESPN, TNT and FOX. FOX had taken the NFC championship package from CBS.

Dec. 18, 1994 – Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry pled not guilty to tax evasion charges.

  

Dec. 18, 1998 - Russia recalled its U.S. ambassador in protest of the U.S. attacks on Iraq.

Dec. 18, 2001 – Baseball pitcher John Rocker was traded to the Texas Rangers.

Dec. 18, 2001 - The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority announced that they would ban all bottles, including plastic, from Giants Stadium.

Dec. 18, 2002 - U.S. President Bush condemned Iraq's 12,000-page weapons declaration but did not immediately assert that Iraq was in "material breach."

Dec. 18, 2003 – Paranormal author Charles Berlitz passed away at University Hospital in Tamarac, Fla. at the age of 89.

  

Dec. 18, 2007 - Aruban prosecutors announced that the case into the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, 18, of Mountain Brook, Ala. would be closed without any charges made against the former suspects.

  

Dec. 18, 2013 – NFL linebacker Ken Hutcherson, a native of Anniston, Ala., died at the age of 61 in Redmond, Wash. During his career, he played for Livingston, the Dallas Cowboys, the San Diego Chargers, the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.

Dec. 18, 2014 – In the opening round of the Hub City Classic Tournament, Monroe County High School’s varsity boys beat Excel, 82-49, in Monroeville. Christian Gross and Quamie Penn led Excel with 10 points each.

Dec. 18, 2014 - Sparta Academy’s varsity boys basketball team picked up its eighth win of the season on this Thursday night by downing region opponent Patrician Academy, 87-86, in overtime in Butler. Zane Lambert led Sparta with 20 points, a rebound, four steals and an assist. Other standout Sparta players in that game included Taylor Chavers, Stone Riley, Nathan Pipkin, Griffin Weaver, Hunter Bolton, Tanner Bledsoe, Dakota Stokes.