Today in History for Jan. 24, 2018

Grave of Thomas C. Cargill in Evergreen, Ala.

Jan. 24, 1670 – Playwright and poet William Congreve was born in West Yorkshire, England.

Jan. 24, 1781 - Patriot commanders Lt. Col. “Light Horse” Henry Lee and Brigadier General Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion raided Georgetown, S.C. and captured three British officers, including the British commander.

Jan. 24, 1806 – Cherokee Chief Doublehead and 16 others signed a treaty ceding lands on the north side of the Tennessee River for a little over $10,000, a cotton gin and a gristmill. Chief Doublehead did not represent the Cherokee, and when the rest of the tribe heard of the treaty, it was revoked. Cherokee traditionalists also killed Doublehead for making the agreement.

Jan. 24, 1814 – The Battle of Enitachopco occurred only two days after General Andrew Jackson’s victory over the Red Sticks in the Battle of Emuckfau. Jackson and his Tennessee militia were ambushed by Red Sticks in a ravine near the village of Anatitchapko in present-day Clay County, Ala.

Jan. 24, 1814 – As Andrew Jackson’s forces started tọ cross Enitachopco Creek in Alabama, they encountered Red Sticks led by William Weatherford. Jackson made a distracting attack, hoping to spring a trap and fool the Creeks, but was unsuccessful. His troops did not hold their ground, but Jackson rallied them and caused considerable losses to the Red Sticks. The Creeks lost 189 warriors during this battle on this day and the battle of Emuckfau two days before. Jackson’s force sustained 20 fatalities.

Jan. 24, 1826 – The 1826 Treaty of Washington, concluded on this day, replaced the fraudulent 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. In the new agreement, the Creeks retained three million acres along the Coosa and Tallapoosa River drainages which had been promised to the state of Alabama in the Treaty of Indian Springs. The Treaty granted them the right to stay on their lands for two more years.

Jan. 24, 1835 – Slaves in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, staged a revolt, which was instrumental in ending slavery there 50 years later.

Jan. 24, 1838 – Learning of Powell's defeat, Major General Thomas S. Jesup ordered his army of 1,600 men forward, hoping to locate this same Seminole force of 300 warriors. At noon on this day some of Jesup's troops were met by Seminole scouts. The Dragoons and a large group of Tennessee Volunteers gave chase, and entered a cypress swamp half a mile wide. The army pushed across the swamp into a dense hammock and up to the Loxahatchee River. The Seminoles regrouped and waited for the troops to follow. The volunteers followed them to the ford and took cover. Volunteer commander, Major William Lauderdale, refused to cross the river and Jesup found himself alone at the river's edge, where he received a wound to the face just below the left eye and was forced to fall back. The Seminoles disappeared into the swamp. Jesup reported that seven of his men were killed in the engagement and 31 wounded.

Jan. 24, 1840 – Small battles between Seminoles and soldiers took place on this day at Fort New Smyrna and near Fort Preston.

Jan. 24, 1848 – In the incident that sparked the “California Gold Rush,” carpenter and wheelwright James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento, Calif.

Jan. 24, 1861 - Federal reinforcements headed to Fort Pickens, Fla. set sail from Fortress Monroe, Va. Also on that day, the U.S. Arsenal at Augusta, Ga. was seized by Georgia state troops.

Jan. 24, 1862 - A six-day Federal expedition to the Little Sandy and Piketon in Kentucky began.

Jan. 24, 1862 – Novelist and short story writer Edith Wharton was born in New York City.

Jan. 24, 1863 – A skirmish was fought at Woodbury, Tenn. Three days of Federal reconnaissance also began in Fauquier County, Va.

Jan. 24, 1864 – Skirmishes were fought at Baker's Springs, Ark.; at Love’s Hill, 5-1/2 miles northeast of Knoxville, Tenn.; and at Tazewell, Tenn. Confederate cavalry, under the command of Brig. Gen. Wirt Adams, began operations in the vicinity of Natchez, Miss. A two-day Federal expedition began up the James River, with assistance of the gunboats General Jessup, Smith Briggs, and the transport, George Washington.

Jan. 24, 1865 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Boggs' Mills and Fayetteville, Ark. and near Bayou Goula, La. A month-long Federal expedition began from Cape Girardeau, Mo. to Eleven Points River, Ark. An action took place at Fort Brady on the James River in Virginia.

Jan. 24, 1865 - The Confederate Congress agreed to continue prisoner exchanges, a process had only operated sporadically for three years.

Jan. 24, 1886 – “Severe cold and rainy weather” prevented many from attending church on this Sunday, according to The Monroe Journal.

Jan. 24, 1888 – Novelist Vicki Baum was born in Vienna.

Jan. 24, 1895 – In this edition of The Monroe Journal, the correspondent from the Nero community reported that “we had a snowfall here last night of about half an inch in depth and have had one of the hardest freezes we have experienced in several years.”

Jan. 24, 1895 – The Monroe Journal reported that work on the Monroe County Courthouse was progressing rapidly. “A few days more and Monroe will have the largest, neatest and most conveniently arranged courthouse of any interior county in Alabama. The large oak trees surrounding the courthouse have been topped and trimmed adding greatly to the appearance of court square.”

Jan. 24, 1907 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mrs. S. Faulk and Miss Callie Faulk were visiting relatives at Laurel and Meridian in Mississippi.

Jan. 24, 1907 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mr. J.L. Bowden, president of the Moore-Bowden Mercantile Co. of Jones Mill, was in Monroeville earlier that week.

Jan. 24, 1907 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Rev. J.W. Killough, pastor of the Bell’s Landing circuit, visited his daughter, Mrs. J.S. Busey, earlier that week.

Jan. 24, 1907 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Chestnut community, that Miss Martha Sessions, who had been teaching school at Finklea, was at home for a while. Also, Miss Mary Beard, who was teaching at Chestnut, visited her “home folks” at Pineapple on the previous Saturday and Sunday.

Jan. 24, 1907 – The Monroe Journal reported, in new from the Buena Vista community, that Mr. O.B. Finklea and his young son had attended the Cotton Press Association in Birmingham, “whilst visiting friends and looking after mill machinery.” Also, Miss Edna Middleton was the happy recipient of some beautifully bound books for her new library – among them, the popular, “John Halifax, Gentleman,” “Miss Merlock, The Prince of the House of David,” and some works of Bulwer and Scott.

Jan. 24, 1908 – The first Boy Scout troop was organized in England by Robert Baden-Powell.

Jan. 24, 1913 – Confederate veteran Thomas C. Cargill, “an old and respected citizen of Evergreen,” passed away at the age of 86 after a lingering illness. Born on Dec. 25, 1826 in Maplesville, Ala., he served as a private in Co. A&K of the 2nd Alabama Cavalry. He enlisted at Camp Hunter in April 1862. He was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Conecuh County, Ala.

Jan. 24, 1914 – On this Saturday afternoon, eight women met at the home of Mrs. E.C. Page in Evergreen, Ala. for the purpose of formally organizing a United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter in Conecuh County. Mrs. Page was elected President; Mrs. Mathews, Vice-President; Miss Mary McCreary, Recording Secretary and Treasurer; Mrs. G.G. Newton, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. Crumpton, Director; and Mrs. A. Cunningham, Historian.

Jan. 24, 1914 – Congressional candidate Woodford Mabry delivered a speech at the Conecuh County Courthouse in Evergreen, Ala., but the audience wasn’t large “owing to the fact that on Saturday afternoons businessmen are engaged with customers and shoppers are anxious to get off home.”

Jan. 24, 1915 – During World War One, British Grand Fleet battle cruisers under Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty engaged Rear-Admiral Franz von Hipper's battle cruisers in the Battle of Dogger Bank.

Jan. 24, 1916 – Several horses and mules were sold at public auction in front of the Conecuh County (Ala.) Courthouse on this Monday, according to The Conecuh Record.

Jan. 24, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported, under the headline “John Paul Jones – Wilcox Boy Selected For Special Service In France,” that “Lt. John Paul Jones of the Medical Reserve Corps, located at Camp Greenlief, is one of the 15 officers selected from the training camp for extended field service in France. The nature of the work, of course, is not given out, but the importance of the same is attested to by the fact that a competitive examination was held to determine the qualifications of the applicants and of the 15 selected all the others were from Princeton, Harvard and Yale, and who had two or more years of hospital training.”

Jan. 24, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported that George Hawthorne, who was stationed at Fort Monroe, Va. with the Coast Artillery, was now at home. Hawthorne stopped by at Auburn and stood his term examination. “He is looking well and seems pleased with his army work.”

Jan. 24, 1918 – This day’s edition of the Wilcox Progressive Era carried the following notice – “Lost, from the depot in Camden, one dehorned Devon steer, branded ‘WH’ on left hip. Last seen going in the direction of Possum Bend. Reward of $5 if returned to Wm. Henderson.”

Jan. 24, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported, under the headline “Labor Agent Arrested in Wilcox,” that “the revenue of the county was swelled to the tune of $750 when a man by the name of Wallace was caught attempting to entice labor to Florida without a license. He was arrested at Nadawah before he had time to make any serious raid on Wilcox labor. He plead guilty and was fined $750 and costs of $11. This is the first case so far to come into our court of this nature and we trust should any more similar proceedings be necessary that the full limit will be imposed. We believe this warning however will convince others that such business in Wilcox is unprofitable.”

Jan. 24, 1918 – This day’s edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era carried the following “Town License Notice” – “Privilege Licenses were due Town of Camden on Jan. 1 and will be delinquent Feb. 1. Fifteen percent is added after Feb. 1. Call on the Town Clerk S.C. Godbold at his office upstairs over the post office, and save the penalty.”

Jan. 24, 1918 - Granville Oral Roberts was born in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, the fifth and youngest child of the Rev. Ellis Melvin Roberts and Claudius Priscilla Irwin Roberts. He is raised in Ada, Oklahoma in hopeless poverty. On his mother’s side, he was descended from the Cherokee and was a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He became an American Methodist-Pentecostal televangelist.

Jan. 24, 1925 - A moving picture of a solar eclipse was taken from dirigible over Long Island.

Jan. 24, 1928 – Zoologist and writer Desmond Morris was born in Purton, England.

Jan. 24, 1929 – The Evergreen Courant reported that there were only 21 living Confederate veterans left in Conecuh County. Six passed away during 1928 and another died in early 1929.

Jan. 24, 1932 – The county-wide interdenominational revival meeting, part of a statewide series, was held at the Conecuh County Courthouse in Evergreen, Ala., starting at 2:30 p.m. Dr. D.L. Coale, “noted evangelist of California,” was the guest preacher.

Jan. 24, 1933 – The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, changing the beginning and end of terms for all elected federal offices.

Jan. 24, 1935 - Canned beer made its debut. In partnership with the American Can Company, the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company delivered 2,000 cans of Krueger's Finest Beer and Krueger's Cream Ale to faithful Krueger drinkers in Richmond, Va. Ninety-one percent of the drinkers approved of the canned beer, driving Krueger to give the green light to further production.

Jan. 24, 1941 - Alabama author John Finlay was born in Ozark, Ala.

Jan. 24, 1941 – Evergreen High School’s basketball team was scheduled to play Monroe County High School in Monroeville, Ala.

Jan. 24, 1946 – The political pot in Conecuh had begun to boil since the meeting of the County Democratic Executive Committee held at the court house on Sat., Jan. 19. A number of candidates promptly qualified and their formal announcements could be found elsewhere in that issue of the newspaper. Those who had announced as of Jan. 24 were J.G. Moore for sheriff, A.E. Johnson Sr. for member of board of directors from District One, Walter C. Simmons, for member of board of directors, from District Two and A.K. Williams for member of the board of directors from District Two.

Jan. 24, 1947 - NFL owners voted to allow a sudden-death overtime in playoff games, but the rule wasn't used until 1958.

Jan. 24, 1948 – Austrian SS officer Maria Mandl was executed by hanging at the age of 36 at Kraków, People's Republic of Poland (present-day Kraków, Poland).

Jan. 24, 1949 – Monroeville, Ala. Mayor Fred A. Fountain, a 58-year-old retired merchant, passed away from a heart attack at his home a few months into his term as Monroeville’s mayor after his election without opposition to that office in September 1948. Prior to his retirement, he operated Fountain’s Fancy Grocery. Funeral services were held the following day.

Jan. 24, 1953 – The Alabama Historical Association erected six historical markers in Butler County. The markers were erected in memory of the Creek Indian Confederacy, Fort Bibb, the Butler Massacre, the Ogly Massacre, Gary’s Stockade and Fort Dale.

Jan. 24, 1955 - The rules committee of Major League Baseball announced a plan to strictly enforce the rule that required a pitcher to release the ball within 20 seconds after taking his position on the mound.

Jan. 24, 1956 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Repton in Evergreen, Ala. Randy White led Evergreen with 23 points, and other standout Evergreen players in that game included Robert King, Wayne Frazier, Kelly, Tolbert, Joyner, Boykin, Pugh and Edson. Ray Blackwell led Repton with 14 points and other standout Repton players in that game included Terry Nall, William Ashcraft and Gerald Owens.

Jan. 24, 1956 – Excel High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Lyeffion, 45-38. Matchett led Excel with 20 points, and Stacey followed with 16 points. Gabe “Tiger” Booker and Robert Dees led Lyeffion with 10 points each, and Clarence Riley followed with nine points.

Jan. 24, 1956 - A “historic landmark,” the old water standpipe of Standpipe Hill, was torn down on this Tuesday, and as The Evergreen Courant went to press, was being cut up with torches, headed for the scrap pile. The old reservoir was erected in 1900, and for years was a guide for people coming to Evergreen. The “new” water tower was erected about four years before this, according to the Jan. 26, 1956 edition of The Courant.

Jan. 24, 1957 – The Monroe Journal reported that John Shannon was named president of the Monroe County Cattlemen’s Association at a recent meeting in Monroeville. He replaced P.J. Norris of Eliska in the position. Vice-presidents named were Gene Garrett of Uriah and Edward Broughton of Perdue Hill. Jeff Martin of Monroeville was elected secretary-treasurer.

Jan. 24, 1958 - Two light atoms were bashed together resulting in first man-made nuclear fusion.

Jan. 24, 1961 – In what’s now called the “Goldsboro B-52 crash,” a bomber carrying two H-bombs breaks up in mid-air over North Carolina. The uranium core of one weapon remains lost.

Jan. 24, 1964 - CBS-TV acquired the rights to televise the National Football League’s 1964-1965 regular season. The move cost CBS $14.1 million a year. The NFL stayed on CBS for 30 years.

Jan. 24, 1964 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball team, led by Coach John Law Robinson, ended a long losing streak against Conecuh County High School by beating the Blue Devils, 85-59. Sid Lambert and Kenny Harper led Evergreen with 18 points each, and George Godwin led CCHS with 17 points. CCHS Principal M.C. Thomasson coached CCHS in place of head coach Wayne Pope, who missed the game because he was recuperating from surgery.

Jan. 24, 1966 – The Royal Air Force issued its analysis of the Tim Dinsdale film, stating that the movement in the water of the “hump” of the creature in Loch Ness indicated that the 12 to 16-foot-long object was moving at the speed of about 10 miles per hour. After much technical discussion about the relative size and perspective of the “solid black, approximately triangular shape” (the hump) and a comparison of the unidentified creature with a motorboat moving in the same area, the RAF conceded that the object was not a surface vessel.” And: “One can presumably rule out the idea that it is any sort of submarine vessel for various reasons, which leaves the conclusion that it probably is an animate object.”

Jan. 24, 1966 - In the largest search-and-destroy operation to date – Operation Masher/White Wing/Thang Phong II – the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), South Vietnamese, and Korean forces swept through Binh Dinh Province in the central lowlands along the coast.

Jan. 24, 1966 - Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, in a memorandum to President Lyndon Johnson, recommended raising the number of U.S. troops in Vietnam to more than 400,000 by the end of the year.

Jan. 24, 1968 - A television version of “Laura,” teleplay by author Truman Capote, was broadcast.

Jan. 24, 1968 – During the Vietnam War, the 1st Australian Task Force launched Operation Coburg against the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong during wider fighting around Long Bình and Biên Hòa.

Jan. 24, 1972 – Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi was found hiding in a Guam jungle, where he had been since the end of World War II.

Jan. 24, 1972 - Monroe Academy’s varsity boys basketball team defeated Crenshaw Academy, 59-48, on this Monday night in the Monroeville Coliseum for the ninth win of their season. Leading the scoring for the Vols was Rob Kelly with 16. Other standout Monroe players in that game were Johnnie Aiken, Doug Boswell and Jack Everette.

Jan. 24, 1973 - National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger announced that a truce was expected in Laos and Cambodia.

Jan. 24, 1974 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Repton High School linebacker Gerry Watson had been named to the Who’s Who National High School Athletics All-American Football Team. He was one of only 26 players from Alabama named to the team, which was selected by the vote of more than 1,500 coaches and sportswriters on a nationwide panel. Watson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Watson of Bermuda.

Jan. 24, 1978 – Greenville High School’s boys basketball team beat Evergreen, 55-53. Evergreen had three players in double figures. Terry Floyd led the scoring with 18 points; Earnest Williams, 11; and Michael Floyd, 10. Other players on Evergreen’s team were Tony Rogers, Joe Mitchell and Christopher Askew.

Jan. 24, 1978 – Weather observer Earl Windham recorded 4.30 inches of rain on this day in Evergreen and a total of 3.60 inches the following day, for a total of 7.90 inches over a two-day period.

Jan. 24, 1982 - The San Francisco 49ers won their first Super Bowl, and Joe Montana won the first of his three MVP awards.

Jan. 24, 1984 - Apple unveiled its Macintosh personal computer.

Jan. 24, 1987 - Walter Payton and Joe Montana were guests on "Saturday Night Live."

Jan. 24, 1989 - Ted Bundy, the confessed serial killer, was put to death in Florida's electric chair for the 1978 kidnap-murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach.

Jan. 24, 1991 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Mike Bledsoe’s Sparta Warriors had run their season record to 11-2 with a sound 78-32 defeat of Catherine Academy. Leading scorers were Wayne Cook with 18 points, Steven Gall with 16, Mark Watts with 15 and Tim Salter with 13 points. Others scoring included Scott Brown with five points; McPherson Cook, four points; Terry Conway, three points; Chip Gibson, two points; and Sandy Salo with two points. Team member Richard Weaver was sidelined at that time because of injury.

Jan. 24, 1991 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Southern Pine Electric Cooperative was in the process of upgrading the three-phase line on the Owassa-Brownville Road. This construction was part of the cooperative’s two-year work plan and was expected to be completed by late March or early April, depending upon the weather.

Jan. 24, 1992 - Monroe Academy was the overall winner of the first match of Alabama Southern Community College’s Scholar’s Bowl held on this day. The competition included 19 area schools in two divisions, large school and small school. Monroe Academy’s scholars bowl team that year included team captain Mary Hinnant, Mike Broughton, Stacey Hamrick, Courtney Hardee, Missy Hardee, Jason Pope, Chad Sessions, Wade Wilson and Jeff Wohlers. Winston Session was the team’s advisor.

Jan. 24, 1994 – The Conecuh County Commission and election officers in Conecuh County, Ala. met to discuss possible solutions to potential problems brought about by the new House of Representative and State Senate division lines that split the county. The problem arose because the court-approved lines did not follow district and voting precinct lines in the county.

Jan. 24, 2002 - John Walker Lindh appeared in court for the first time concerning the charges that he conspired to kill Americans abroad and aided terrorist groups. Lindh had been taken into custody by U.S. Marines in Afghanistan.

Jan. 24, 2006 – Veteran Circuit Judge Sam Welch of Monroeville announced on this Tuesday that he would run for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals as a Republican. Welch had been the circuit judge serving Conecuh and Monroe counties (the 35th Judicial Circuit) since 1989.

Jan. 24, 2015 – Former Conecuh County (Ala.) Sheriff Edwin L. Booker, who served as sheriff for 28 total years, passed away at the age of 74.