Today in History for Dec. 31, 2017

Dec. 31, 870 – During the Battle of Englefield, the Vikings clashed with ealdorman Æthelwulf of Berkshire, and the invaders were driven back to Reading (East Anglia), many Danes were killed.

Dec. 31, 1225 – The Lý dynasty of Vietnam ended after 216 years by the enthronement of the boy emperor Trần Thái Tông, husband of the last Lý monarch, Lý Chiêu Hoàng, starting the Trần dynasty.

Dec. 31, 1491 – French navigator and explorer Jacques Cartier was born in St. Malo, Duchy of Brittany.

Dec. 31, 1759 – Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease at 45 pounds per year and started brewing Guinness.

Dec. 31, 1775 – During the American Revolutionary War, at the Battle of Quebec, British forces repulsed an attack by Continental Army General Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold under cover of darkness and snowfall.

Dec. 31, 1781 - The British released Henry Laurens from prison in exchange for American-held prisoner General Charles Lord Cornwallis. Laurens had been in the Tower of London for 15 months after being captured off the coast of New Foundland.

Dec. 31, 1835 - A census of the Cherokee in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee was taken. It showed only 16,542 Cherokee living in those four states. They owned 1,592 black slaves and 201 whites had married into the tribe.

Dec. 31, 1835 - A force of 250 Seminoles under Chiefs Alligator and Osceola fought 250 regular army troops in the “Battle of Ouithlacoochie” (also known as the Battle of Withlacoochee) at the Cove on the Withlacoochee River near Tampa Bay. The troops, under the command of Generals Duncan Clinch and Richard Call, were attacked as they tried to cross the Withlacoochee River. Another 460 Florida Volunteers could only watch the pitched battle while on the opposite bank. Being soundly defeated, Clinch was forced to retreat back to Fort Drane and victory was claimed for the Seminole. Osceola is injured during the battle but promised to fight the white invaders "till the last drop of Seminole blood has moistened the dust of my hunting ground."

Dec. 31, 1837 - As the fighting wore on through the summer of 1837 Osceola grew physically weak, suffering from the effects of malaria. By autumn, soldiers had destroyed most of the Seminole towns and their crops. Many of Osceola’s followers had deserted and most of the allied Chiefs had been killed, imprisoned or have surrendered. On Oct. 27, Osceola was arrested under a white flag of truce and imprisoned at Fort Marion, St. Augustine. Osceola and his family were being transferred on this day to Fort Moultrie, South Carolina.

Dec. 31, 1841 – The Burnt Corn Male Academy was incorporated by the Alabama legislature.

Dec. 31, 1841 – Alabama became the first state to license dental surgeons by enacting the first dental legislation in the United States.

Dec. 31, 1857 – National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder, catcher and manager King Kelly was born in Troy, N.Y. He went on to play for the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago White Stockings, the Boston Beaneaters, the Boston Reds, the Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers and the New York Giants, and he also managed the Beaneaters, the Boston Reds and the Killers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1945.

Dec. 31, 1862 – During the Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed an act that admitted West Virginia to the Union, thus dividing Virginia in two.

Dec. 31, 1862 – During the Civil War, the Battle of Stones River began near Murfreesboro in central Tennessee. The battle ended on Jan. 2, 1863 as a victory for Union General William Rosecrans over Confederate Braxton Bragg.

Dec. 31, 1862 – During the Battle of Parker’s Crossroads, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest narrowly escaped capture during a raid in western Tennessee. Despite the close call, the raid was instrumental in forcing Union General Ulysses S. Grant to abandon his first attempt to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Dec. 31, 1862 – During the Civil War, a two-day Confederate operation into Missouri began. Skirmishes were also fought at Plaquemine, La.; at Muldraugh’s Hill, in the vicinity of New Marker, Ky.; and at Overall’s Creek, Tenn.

Dec. 31, 1863 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought in Searcy County, Ark.; and the shelling of Charleston, S.C. began.

Dec. 31, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Paint Rock Bridge and Russellville, Ala.

Dec. 31, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Sharpsburg, Ky.

Dec. 31, 1869 – Painter Henri Matisse was born in Le Cateau, France.

Dec. 31, 1879 – Thomas Edison demonstrated his first incandescent light bulb when he hung strings of lights inside his lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey, and switched them on and off repeatedly, to the awe and delight of his 3,000 spectators.

Dec. 31, 1880 - George C. Marshall, who distinguished himself with his service in France during World War I but is better-known as the commander of United States forces during the Second World War and the author of the Marshall Plan, was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Dec. 31, 1885 - A boy, Harry Thomas, secreted himself in M.V. Middleton’s store at Beuna Vista on this Thursday night, and while the clerk was at supper, he took $7.50 from the cash drawer and made his escape through a window. He was arrested the next day, confessed the theft, was tried before Justice Burns, who fined him $17 and costs. He was hired by Mr. Burns and very unceremoniously took his departure that night and at last accounts had not been heard from, according to the Jan. 9, 1886 edition of The Monroe Journal.

Dec. 31, 1891 - New York's new Immigration Depot was opened at Ellis Island to provide improved facilities for the massive numbers of arrivals.

Dec. 31, 1894 - Prof. Marsh reopened the Monroeville Academy after the holiday recess “with an increased attendance.”

Dec. 31, 1897 – Dr. W.A. Locke of Axle in Monroe County, Ala. passed away.

Dec. 31, 1898 – English ethnographer Sir John Thompson was born in London.

Dec. 31, 1905 – British-American songwriter Jule Styne was born.

Dec. 31, 1907 – The first New Year's Eve celebration was held in Times Square (then known as Longacre Square) in New York, New York.

Dec. 31, 1909 – Manhattan Bridge opened.

Dec. 31, 1910 – The Manistee & Repton Railroad was officially incorporated. (Some sources say this happened on Dec. 29.)

Dec. 31, 1917 - A movie version of Alabama author Octavus Roy Cohen's book, “The Strong Way,” was released.

Dec. 31, 1930 – Odetta Holmes Felious, the woman Martin Luther King Jr. called "The Queen of American Folk Music," was born in Birmingham, Ala.

Dec. 31, 1933 - Joseph Hill, who said he lived in Montgomery, was put in the Conecuh County Jail, charged with placing a crosstie on the L&N Railroad track just this side of Murder Creek in front of Train No. 5 on this Sunday morning. According to reports, the tie was placed on the track at the point of a curve and could not be seen by the train crew until the locomotive was right on top of it. Fortunately for passengers and members of the train crew, as well as the company, the tie did not derail the train but skidded along in front of the cow catcher until the train could be brought to a stop. Passengers on the train saw Hill leaving the scene as the train stopped and were able to give officers a good description. Special agents of the railroad and members of the local sheriff’s office immediately began a search for him. He was apprehended at Wilcox about middle of the afternoon Sunday and brought back to Evergreen and placed in jail. It was understood that (Hill) admitted placing the tie on the track and said that he did so to stop a freight train in order that he might board it.

Dec. 31, 1933 - Funeral services for Tom Robbins Harper were held from the Beatrice Baptist Church at 2:30 p.m. on this Sunday afternoon. The Rev. J.T. Eckford conducted the service. Interment was made in the cemetery at Beatrice. Harper was killed while serving in U.S. Navy off the coast near San Diego, Calif. about two weeks before. Death was caused by asphyxiation from fumes from a storage tank.

Dec. 31, 1935 – Charles Darrow, an unemployed engineer in Germantown, Pa., patented the board game, Monopoly.

Dec. 31, 1944 – During World War II, Hungary declared war on Nazi Germany.

Dec. 31, 1946 - U.S. President Harry Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

Dec. 31, 1954 - The last episode of the radio show "Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" aired.

Dec. 31, 1964 – The Monroe Journal reported that the need for a remedy to the parking and traffic situation in downtown Monroeville, Ala. was clearly in evidence during the past week as Christmas shoppers sought parking places or sought access to stores and places of business. During the previous week when a lot of persons were in Monroeville, traffic “jams” persisted throughout the business hours.

Dec. 31, 1964 – The Monroe Journal reported that Alice Lee and Nell Harper Lee visited during the Christmas holidays Eufaula, Ala. where they were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Herschel Conner and family.

Dec. 31, 1964 – The Monroe Journal reported that new officers had been named by the Monroe County (Ala.) Medical Society, and they were to assume office on Jan. 1. Named president was Dr. Jack Whetstone of Monroeville; Dr. R.A. Smith Sr. of Monroeville, vice president; and Dr. R.A. Smith Jr. of Monroeville, secretary and treasurer. Named as delegates to the state convention were Dr. Whetstone and Dr. Smith Jr.

Dec. 31, 1964 – The Monroe Journal reported that Miss Joanna Ivey, senior at Monroe County High School, had been named Miss Good Citizen at MCHS. She was go to Montgomery, Ala. on Feb. 13, 1965 to compete for the statewide Miss Good Citizen. It was sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Dec. 31, 1965 – Novelist Nicholas Sparks was born in Omaha, Neb.

Dec. 31, 1967 - The Green Bay Packers won the National Football League championship game by defeating the Dallas Cowboys, 21-17. The game is known as the Ice Bowl since it was played in a wind chill of 40 degrees below zero.

Dec. 31, 1968 – Dominican-American fiction writer Junot Diaz was born in Santo Domingo.

Dec. 31, 1968 - The bloodiest year of the Vietnam War came to an end. At year’s end, 536,040 American servicemen were stationed in Vietnam, an increase of over 50,000 from 1967.

Dec. 31, 1971 - The gradual U.S. withdrawal from the conflict in Southeast Asia was reflected in reduced annual casualty figures. The number of Americans killed in action dropped to 1,386 from the previous year total of 4,204. After 10 years of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, a total of 45,627 American soldiers had been killed.

Dec. 31, 1972 – National Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates, age 38, was killed in a plane crash near Puerto Rico while flying relief supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims. He played his entire career, 1955-1972, for the Pirates, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Dec. 31, 1972 - With the end of Linebacker II, the most intense U.S. bombing operation of the Vietnam War, U.S. and communist negotiators prepared to return to the secret Paris peace talks scheduled to reconvene on Jan. 2.

Dec. 31, 1973 – No. 3-ranked Notre Dame, coached by Ara Parseghian, beat Bear Bryant’s No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 24-23, in the Sugar Bowl at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

Dec. 31, 1974 – Fort Sinquefield in Clarke County, Ala. was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Dec. 31, 1975 – Bear Bryant’s No. 3-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide beat Joe Paterno’s No. 7-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, 13-6, in the Sugar Bowl in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

Dec. 31, 1977 – Evergreen, Ala. weather reporter Earl Windham reported 55.12 inches of rain in 1977 as compared to 56.29 inches of rain in 1976. Approximately 111 inches fell in 1975.

Dec. 31, 1981 – NFL quarterback Jason Campbell was born in Laurel, Miss. He went on to play for Taylorsville (Miss.) High School, Auburn, the Washington Redskins, the Oakland Raiders, the Chicago Bears, the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dec. 31, 1984 - ESPN debuted in Hawaii, making it available in all 50 states.

Dec. 31, 1988 – Mark Childress’ second novel, “V for Victor,” was released by Knopf.

Dec. 31, 1988 – The first winter ascent of Lhotse (8,516m) was achieved by Krzysztof Wielicki (solo).

Dec. 31, 1990 – Pro Football Hall of Fame coach George Allen died at the age of 72 in Palos Verdes Estates, California. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Dec. 31, 1991 – Weather reporter Harry Ellis reported 3.24 inches of rain in Evergreen, Ala. during the month of December 1991. Total rainfall for 1991 amounted to 60.38 inches.

Dec. 31, 1992 – Weather reporter Harry Ellis reported 5.08 inches of rain in Evergreen, Ala. during the month of December 1992. Total rainfall for 1992 was 70.08 inches.

Dec. 31, 1999 – The United States Government handed control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.

Dec. 31, 1999 - The world braced for the “Y2K” chaos as computer systems switched over to the year 2000.

Dec. 31, 2000 – Weather observer Harry Ellis reported a low of 17 degrees in Evergreen, Ala. Total rainfall in December was 5.24 inches, and Ellis recorded 40.91 inches during the year 2000.

Dec. 31, 2006 – Major League Baseball second baseman Marv Breeding passed away at the age of 72 in Decatur, Ala. He played for the Baltimore Orioles, the Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dec. 31, 2014 – Total rainfall during the month of December in Excel, Ala. amounted to 8.10 inches. Total rainfall during 2014 in Excel amounted to 63.60 inches.