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| William Rufus King |
April 18, 1567
– German adventurer Wilhelm von Grumbach, 63, was executed by dismemberment at
Gotha, Germany.
April 18, 1775 – During the American Revolution, the British
advancement by sea began and British troops began marching toward Concord,
Mass. with orders to destroy the armaments stockpiled in the town and to
capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock. American revolutionaries Paul Revere,
William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode though the towns of Massachusetts giving
the warning that the Regulars were coming out. Later, the phrase "the
British are coming" was attributed to Revere even though it is unlikely he
used that wording.
April 18, 1818 - A regiment of Indians and blacks were defeated
at the Battle of Suwann in Florida, ending the first Seminole War.
April 18, 1831 – The University of Alabama formally opened
its doors. Fifty-two students were accepted that first day, but by the end of
the session the student body had swelled to nearly one hundred. The faculty was
made up of four men including the Reverend Alva Woods, who had been inaugurated
president of the university on April 12, 1831.
April 18, 1838 - The Wilkes' expedition to the South Pole
set sail.
April 18, 1840 – Philadelphia Baptist Church at Tunnel
Springs organized with 12 members and with the Rev. John McWilliams as pastor.
John H. Dailey was the church’s first deacon, and Drury A. Randalson was named
clerk.
April 18, 1853 - William Rufus King, Alabama’s leading nineteenth-century
politician, died in Dallas County. King was a member of the state’s first
constitutional convention in 1819 and served for many years in the U.S. Senate
and as Minister to France in the 1840s. In 1852 King was elected vice-president
of the U.S. on the Democratic ticket with Franklin Pierce. King took the oath
of office in Havana, Cuba, where he had gone to recuperate from ill health.
King’s health did not improve and he returned to his plantation in Dallas
County to die, never actually serving as vice-president.
April 18, 1857
– "The Spirits Book" by Allan Kardec was published, marking the birth
of Spiritualism in France.
April 18, 1857 – Lawyer and writer Clarence (Seward) Darrow
was born in Kinsman, Ohio.
April 18, 1858 – St. Andrew’s Church in Prairieville, Ala.
was consecrated by Bishop Nicholas Hamner Cobbs, almost four years after
construction was completed.
April 18, 1861 – Lt. Colonel Robert E. Lee turned down an
offer by Abraham Lincoln to command the Union armies during the U.S. Civil War.
Two days later he resigned from the U.S. Army.
April 18, 1861 - Pro-Confederate volunteers threw rocks at
Pennsylvania troops as they changed trains in Baltimore, Md.
April 18, 1861 – During the Civil
War, U.S. Army subsistence stores were seized at Pine Bluff, Ark.; and the U.S.
Armory at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia was abandoned and burned by its Federal
garrison.
April 18, 1862 – During the Civil
War, the Federal bombardment and subsequent capture of Fort Jackson and Fort
Saint Philip in Louisiana by Flag Officer David Farragut’s gunboats and
Commander David Porter’s mortar fleet began. A skirmish was also fought at
Falmouth, Va., and the occupation of Falmouth began on this day. A skirmish was
also fought at Chapmanville, West Virginia.
April 18, 1863 – During the Civil
War, skirmishes were fought at Fayetteville, Ark.; at New Albany, Miss. as part
of the Grierson raid; at Hartsville, Tenn.; at Sabine Pass, Texas; and in the
vicinity of Johnstown, West Virginia. The destruction of the Confederate salt
works near New Iberia, La. took place, and Federal reconnaissance was conducted
through Shannon County, Mo. A five-day Federal operation encompassing Salem,
Sinking Creek, Current River and Big Creek, Mo. began, and a seven-day Federal
operation from Memphis, Tenn. to Coldwater, Miss. also began.
April 18, 1864 – During what is now known as the Battle of
Poison Spring, Confederate General Samuel Maxey's troops attacked and captured
a Union forage wagon train at Poison Springs, Arkansas. More than 300 Yankee
troops were killed, wounded, or captured, while the Confederates lost just 13
killed and 81 wounded.
April 18, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought
in the vicinity of Decatur, Ala.
April 18, 1864 - A three-day
Federal operation beginning at Burkesville, Ky. and ending at Obey’s River,
Tenn. began. Skirmishes were also fought at Hunnewell, Mo. and at Boykin’s
Mill, S.C.
April 18, 1865 - Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
surrendered to General William T. Sherman near Durham, N.C.
April 18, 1865 – During the Civil
War, skirmishes were fought at Double Bridges and Pleasant Hill, Ga.; out from
Taylorsville, Ky.; and at Germantown, Tenn.
April 18, 1880 – National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder
Sam Crawford was born in Wahoo, Neb. He would go on to play for the Cincinnati
Reds and the Detroit Tigers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957.
April 18, 1882 – A devastating tornado hit Evergreen, Ala.
destroying every building except for the Episcopal Church.
April 18, 1902 - Alabama author and Poet Laureate William
Young Elliott was born in Leeds, Ala.
April 18, 1906 - San Francisco was shaken by an earthquake
measuring close to 8.0 on the Richter scale. City blocks crumbled, fires
erupted, and when it was all over, the quake had claimed hundreds of lives.
April 18, 1915
– French pilot Roland Garros was shot down and glided to a landing on the
German side of the lines during World War I.
April 18, 1917 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the
criminal docket was completed on this day shortly after noon and court
adjourned for the week. A number of important cases were continued to the next
term.
April 18, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Ollie Mims of
Jeddo in Monroe County, Ala. “died from disease.”
April 18, 1918 – Publisher Clifton Keith Hillegass, the man
behind CliffsNotes, was born in Rising City, Nebraska.
April 18, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported that
they had received Issue No. 1 of Vol. 1 of The Evergreen Enterprise. A.J. Kempton
was the editor and proprietor and “his bow to the public is made with grace,
dignity and a determination to be of material benefit to his town, county and
state with the nation thrown in for good measure. Mr. Kempton is a good
newspaper man as is evidenced by the first issue of the Enterprise, and the
people of Evergreen should see to it that his efforts are well rewarded by
giving him a big share of their patronage.”
April 18, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported that
the Rev. B.H. Grier brought to the newspaper office during the previous week
some fine specimens of Irish potatoes he raised that year. He planted the patch
of potatoes in December 1917 and began to supply his table in March.
April 18, 1918 – This day’s edition of The Wilcox Progressive
Era included the following notice – “My cattle are branded “O” in right side,
tagged in right ear. – H.H. Dale, Camden, Ala.”
April 18, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported, in
news from the Lower Peach Tree community, that J.W. Gibson had installed a
tractor plow on his plantation. “He plows, pulls his wagons, drags the roads
and does various work with it.” Also that week, it was reported that the “Peach
Tree school” children had a “merry Easter hunt” at Mrs. Comer Gibson’s.
April 18, 1918 – The Wilcox Progressive Era reported in news
from the Lamison community that the school, having been suspended for several
weeks on account of measles, had “resumed its former duties.”
April 18, 1919 – A tree from the “battlefields of France”
was planted on the lawn of the Conecuh County Courthouse in Evergreen, Ala.
“This tree will ever speak to us of those noble sons going from our homes and
it will ever be a tree of interest and pride to the people of Conecuh.”
April 18, 1921 - Fire did slight damage to the home of Lewis
Cook on this Tuesday morning, according to The Evergreen Courant.
April 18, 1923 – Yankee Stadium, "The House that Ruth
Built," opened in the Bronx, N.Y. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox,
4-1. John Phillip Sousa's band played the National Anthem.
April 18, 1924 – The first crossword puzzle book was
published.
April 18, 1925 – In H.P. Lovecraft’s fictional work, “The
Call of Cthulhu,” an article appeared in the Sydney Bulletin, an Australian
newspaper, on this day that reported the discovery of a derelict ship in the
Pacific Ocean with only one survivor—Norwegian sailor Gustaf Johansen, second
mate on the schooner Emma, which sailed from Auckland, New Zealand.
April 18, 1925 – Poet Bob Kaufman was born in New Orleans,
La.
April 18, 1935 – The Monroe Journal reported that Miss
Louise Lee, an Alabama Polytechnic Institute student, spent the weekend with
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee.
April 18, 1935 – The Monroe Journal reported that, on
account of the heavy rains which fell during the previous 10 days and the
continued cool spell, many farmers in the vicinity of Monroeville, Ala. and in
many parts of Monroe County had been forced to plant their cotton the second
time. Reports coming to The Journal were to the effect that a large portion of
the early plantings and up to size-almost ready to be chopped cotton would in
all probability have to be plowed up and planted over.
April 18, 1938 - Superman made his debut when he appeared in
the first issue of Action Comics. (Cover date June 1938)
April 18, 1938 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt threw out
the first ball preceding the season opener between the Washington Senators and
the Philadelphia Athletics.
April 18-21, 1940 - “Gone With the Wind,” presented at the
Monroe Theatre on this Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, attracted the
largest crowds ever seen in the history of the Monroe Theatre. W.A. Hendrix,
manager of the theatre, stated that approximately 1,900 people attended the
show during its four-day run. The attendance at “Jesse James” some time before
had been the largest up to Friday, but the attendance at “Gone With the Wind”
doubled that of “Jesse James.”
April 18, 1949 – The opening game of the Alabama State
League was played on this Monday evening between Brewton and Andalusia in
Brewton, Ala.
April 18, 1956 - Ed Rommel became the first umpire to wear glasses
during a Major League Baseball game. The game was between the New York Yankees
and the Washington Senators.
April 18, 1958 – The U.S. Government dropped its treason
charges against 72-year-old poet Ezra Pound and ruled that he be released from
an insance asylum.
April 18, 1959 – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Susan
Faludi was born in Queens, N.Y.
April 18, 1960 – Huntsville, Ala. native Don Mincher made
his Major League debut with the Washington Senators.
April 18, 1960 – Conecuh County’s Annual Fat Calf Show began
at 9 a.m. at the Conecuh Cooperative Stockyard on North Main Street in
Evergreen, Ala.
April 18, 1966 – Betty Baggett of Repton High School won top
Grand Champion honors at the 21st Annual Conecuh County 4H & FFA Fat Calf
Show at the Livestock Arena of the Conecuh Cooperative Stockyard. Jerald
Padgett of Evergreen High School was the Reserve Champion. A total of 77 calves
were expected to be shown by the youthful exhibitors. There were 62 youngsters
exhibiting calves, 41 of them being 4H members and 21 FFA members.
April 18, 1969 - At a news
conference, President Nixon said he felt the prospects for peace had
“significantly improved” since he took office, citing the greater political
stability of the Saigon government and the improvement in the South Vietnamese
armed forces as proof.
April 18, 1970 - Alabama author Lonnie Coleman's play “A Place for Polly” opened on Broadway.
April 18, 1971 - Turberville’s Store near Franklin was
destroyed by fire on this Sunday, at approximately 12 noon. Monroeville Fire
Chief Wilbert Pickens said the building was already a total loss when they
arrived at the scene. Pickens said he thought the fire started in the loft of
the building, but the cause was undetermined.
April 18, 1973 – Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker
Derrick Brooks was born in Pensacola, Fla. He would go on to play for Florida
State and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in
2014.
April 18, 1976
– Actor and singer Gavin Creel was born in Findlay, Ohio.
April 18, 1976 – Actress, director and producer Melissa Joan
Hart was born in Smithtown, N.Y.
April 18, 1976
– English actor Sean Maguire was born in Ilford, London.
April 18, 1976
– American politician Justin Ross was born in Bowie, Md.
April 18, 1977 - Eddie Murray hit his first career home run.
April 18, 1981 – The longest professional baseball game ever
began in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The game was suspended at 4:00 the next
morning and finally completed on June 23.
April 18, 1982 - The Atlanta Braves set a National League
record when they won their eleventh straight game from the start of the season.
April 18, 1987 - Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies
hit his 500th career home run.
April 18, 1995 - Joe Montana retired from the National
Football League.
April 18, 2002 – Sparta Academy’s Mary Hamilton Robinson
became the first recipient of the Wayne Peacock Sportsmanship Award at Sparta
Academy’s Sports Banquet in the school gym in Evergreen, Ala.
April 18, 2002 – Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer Thor
Heyerdahl passed away at the age 87 in Colla Micheri, Italy.
April 18, 2005 - It was announced the NFL's "Monday
Night Football" would leave ABC in 2006 for a new home with ESPN.
"Monday Night Football" had been on ABC since 1970.
April 18, 2007 – The Searcy School near Greenville, Ala. was
added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
April 18, 2007 – The First National Bank of Florala
(Fidelity Masonic Lodge No. 685) in Florala and the Bethel Primitive Baptist
Church and Cemetery in Babbie in Covington County, Ala. were added to the
Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
April 18, 2007
– A series of bombings, two of them being suicides, occurred in Baghdad,
killing 198 and injuring 251.
April 18, 2009 – The 23rd Annual Castleberry
Strawberry Festival was scheduled to be held on this Saturday in downtown
Castleberry, Ala.
April 18, 2011 – Before a standing-room-only crowd, the
Conecuh County Commission approved Conecuh Woods’ application to construct a
landfill between Repton and Range by a 3-2 vote during a special meeting at the
Conecuh County Government Center in Evergreen. Commissioners Wendell Byrd,
Jerold Dean and Leonard Millender cast the deciding ‘yes’ votes in favor of the
landfill application. Commissioners Hugh Barrow and D.K. Bodiford cast ‘no’
votes against the application.
April 18, 2011 - Earl Lavon Thompson, 63, of Evergreen, Ala.
was fatally injured when he was struck by a train at 9:43 a.m. at the railroad
crossing near the intersection of West Front Street and Belleville Street in
Evergreen, Ala.
April 18, 2013
– A suicide bombing in a Baghdad cafe killed 27 people and injured another 65.
April 18, 2014 – Sixteen people are killed in an avalanche
on Mount Everest.
April 18, 2016 - Members of the Harris/Sawyer family were
scheduled make another appearance on Family Feud, a popular TV game show, on this
Monday. Jessica Sawyer, her twin brothers Daniel and Michael Sawyer, and their
cousins Bart Harris and Ashley Harris first appeared on the show in February
2016, winning one match and losing a match. Karen Harris Sawyer, who is
Jessica’s and Michael’s and Daniel’s mother, appeared on the show in 1982 along
with her siblings Susan, Steve and Jeff Harris and Steve’s wife Kathy Harris.
Bart and Ashley are Steve and Kathy’s sons.
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