Today in History for July 26, 2018

Joseph Spangler Southall Sr.

July 26, 1775 - The U.S. postal system was established by the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general.

July 26, 1788 – New York ratified the United States Constitution and became the 11th state of the United States.

July 26, 1813 – Troopers on their way to the Battle of Burnt Corn Creek crossed the Alabama River, the horses swimming beside the canoes. They marched southeastward to the cow pens of David Tate. There they were again reinforced by a company from Tensaw Lake and Little River, that was commanded by an educated, courageous, energetic half-breed Creek, Dixie Bailey. The whole force now numbered 180 men.

July 26, 1825 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette departed Chester, Pa. for the Brandywine Battlefield ending the day in West Chester, Pa.

July 26, 1856 – Nobel Prize-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, Ireland.

July 26, 1861 – During the Civil War, George B. McClellan assumed command of the Army of the Potomac following a disastrous Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run.

July 26, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at McCulla’s Store, Mo. Fort Fillmore, near Mesilla, in the New Mexico Territory, was also abandoned by Federal forces.

July 26, 1862 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Spangler’s Mill, near Jonesborough, Ala.

July 26, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Mill Creek in the vicinity of Pollocksville in North Carolina and at Tazewell, Tenn.

July 26, 1862 – During the Civil War, a four-day Federal operation began in southwestern Missouri, and a four-day Federal operation between Newport and Young’s Cross Road began in North Carolina.

July 26, 1862 – During the Civil War, Federal reconnaissance was conducted in the vicinity of Orange Courthouse, Va.

July 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, Morgan's Raid ended at Salineville, Ohio when Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and 360 of his volunteers were captured by Union forces. Starting in July 1862, Morgan made four major raids on Northern or Northern-held territory over the course of a year. Although they were of limited strategic significance, the raids served as a boost to Southern morale and captured much-needed supplies.

July 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, Sam Houston, who had opposed Texas' secession from the Union, died of pneumonia at the age of 70 at Steamboat House in Huntsville, Texas.

July 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought with Sioux Indians at Dead Buffalo Lake in the Dakota Territory and at London, Ky.

July 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, a five-day Federal expedition from Natchez, Miss. to Kingston, Liberty, and Woodville in Mississippi began. A four-day Federal operation between Plymouth and Foster‘s Mills also began in North Carolina.

July 26, 1864 – Confederate Major General Dabney H. Maury was assigned command of the Confederate Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana, headquartered in Mobile, Ala.

July 26, 1864 – During the Civil War, a three-day Federal operation began between Searcy and West Point in Arkansas. A Federal cavalry operation from Atlanta to Macon, Georgia began. A five-day Federal operation in Johnson County, Mo. began.

July 26, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Shelbina, Mo.; at Wallace’s Ferry, in the vicinity of Big Creek, Ark.; at Decatur, Ga.; at Haddix’ Ferry, Ky.; at Muddy Branch and Falling Waters in Maryland; and at White’s Station, Tenn.

July 26, 1864 – During the Civil War, Federal operations were conducted in the vicinity of Rapidan Station, Va.

July 26, 1865 – During the Civil War, six Federal whalers were captured in the Bering Sea by the CCS Shenandoah.

July 26, 1878 - Attempting to preserve the peace in Dodge City, Kansas, Assistant Marshal Wyatt Earp trades shots with a band of drunken cowboys, fatally wounding one of them, a young Texan named George Hoy.

July 26, 1879 – Monroe County Judge Sowell held a hearing in regard to Charles Roberts, who’d been rearrested on a second murder warrant in connection with the murder of D.W. Rankin on July 21. Col. Hibbard represented Roberts and argued that Roberts should be released because his case had already been “judicially investigated by a competent magistrate,” Justice of the Peace J.L. Marshall. Sowell disagreed and had Roberts put in jail. D.L. Neville represented the government at the hearing.

July 26, 1886 – The steamer “Jewel” gave an excursion from Montgomery to Point Clear on this day, according to The Monroe Journal.

July 26, 1894 – English author Aldous Huxley was born in Godalming, Surrey.

July 26, 1896 - Prof. J.N. Powers and family returned home to Monroeville, Ala. on this Sunday “from a pleasant visit to relatives and friends” in Choctaw County.

July 26, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Pine Apple community, that Miss Etta Norred of Pineapple was teaching school at the Owens school house.

July 26, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported in news from Repton, that Mr. Stephens was moving to Selma and that Mr. Davis had moved into Mr. Stephens’ home and was the railroad foreman in Repton, Ala.

July 26, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Nero community, that the picnic at Hunter Old Mill was “as nice a one as anybody ever witnessed.”

July 26, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Peterman community, that Mr. Kennedy, the hardwood mill man, had moved his family back to Kentucky, their old home. Kennedy was still at Peterman running his mill.

July 26, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Chestnut community, that for the past two weeks, they had had lots of rain. “The water got high enough for a man to swim in Mr. B.C. Dawson’s corn field. Crops are nearly ruined but grass is looking fine.”

July 26, 1910 – E.J. McCreary returned home to Conecuh County, Ala. from a fishing trip near St. Andrews Bay and brought home a king fish about four feet long.

July 26, 1910 – News reached Evergreen, Ala. on this day that prominent Conecuh County citizen and former Confederate officer Pinckney D. Bowles had passed away at the age of 75 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Cobb, in Tampa, Fla., where he’d been several weeks prior to his death. The news came in a telegram to J.S. Stearns, who was Bowles’s nephew.

July 26, 1911 – Teams from Evergreen and Montgomery played each other in baseball in Evergreen, Ala.

July 26, 1914 – The L&N Railroad began running a new train between Georgiana and Flomaton, where it connected with regular trains running to Mobile and Pensacola. The new train left Georgiana at 6 a.m. with the trains departing from Mobile and Pensacola at 4 p.m. This allowed patrons to transact business in Mobile and Pensacola or at any point along the line and return home the same day.

July 26, 1914 - Erskine Hawkins, famed jazz musician, was born in Birmingham, Ala. His band, the “Bama State Collegians,” became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in the late 1930s after gaining a following in New York and winning a recording contract with RCA Victor. The band's biggest hit was the immensely popular "Tuxedo Junction" (1940).

July 26, 1916 - During the epic Battle of the Somme, Australian troops taking part in their first offensive action on the Western Front battled the Germans at Pozieres, near the Somme River in France.

July 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army Cpl. James E. Hendrix, 23, of Roy (present-day Frisco City) was killed in action while serving with the 167^th Infantry’s Machine Gun Co. at Chateau Thierry, France. Hendrix was buried in the American Cemetery at Seringes-et-Nesle, Aisne, France, Grave 103, Section J, Plot 2 and was later reburied at the Mexia Cemetery in Monroe County. He was born on Sept. 8, 1894.

July 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Horace Rigsby of Georgiana was killed in action and was buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial, Fere-en-Tardenois, Departement de l'Aisne, in Picardie, France.

July 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army PFC William T. Cheatham of Greenville was killed in action while serving with the 167^th Infantry, 42^nd Division. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

July 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. James Boggan of Atmore “died from wounds” while serving with the 327^th Infantry Regiment, 82^nd Division. He was buried in the Saint Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial, Thiaucourt-Regnieville, Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle in Lorraine, France.

July 26, 1920 – Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Waterfield was born in Elmira, N.Y. He went on to play for UCLA and the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams, and he also coached the L.A. Rams for three seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965.

July 26, 1921 – Humorist Jean Shepherd was born in Chicago, Ill. The 1983 movie, “A Christmas Story,” is based on his 1967 book, “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.”

July 26, 1922 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm was born in Huntersville, N.C. He would go on to play for the New York Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cleveland Indians, the Baltimore Orioles, the Chicago White Sox, the California Angles, the Atlanta Braves, the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

July 26, 1923 – The Monroe Journal reported that C.L. Brown of Mexia had brought in the first open cotton for that season. “The stalk shown was no pet or stubble, but was taken from his regular field crop.”

July 26, 1923 – The Monroe Journal published the following “NOTICE TO ALL AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS” – “The town of Monroeville has on its Code of Ordinances a speed limit of 15 miles per hour. A car making 15 miles an hour is traveling at very slow speed. So I hope all drivers of automobiles will consider the danger of operating cars at a greater rate of speed on the narrow and crooked streets of Monroeville. I will prosecute all offenders to the fullest extent of the law after this date, July 3, 1923. – J.L. Bowden, Sheriff.”

July 26, 1928 – Movie director Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City.

July 26, 1928 - Gene Tunney beat Tom Heeney by a technical knockout in the 11th round at Yankee Stadium to retain the world heavyweight title.

July 26, 1931 - Farmers in the American Midwest saw their crops destroyed by a massive swarm of grasshoppers. The insect collective was so big that it allegedly blocked out the sun and devoured entire fields of crops.

July 26, 1932 - The store building and entire stock of goods belonging to Mr. W.H. Tucker at McGill were destroyed by fire early on this Tuesday morning. Soon after the fire was discovered, it was thought that the store might have been robbed and burned, but further investigation failed to furnish any clues.

July 26, 1934 – Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Tommy McDonald was born in Roy, New Mexico. He went on to play for Oklahoma, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Rams, the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

July 26, 1938 – The Evergreen Greenies beat the Panama City Pelicans, 5-1, on this Tuesday afternoon behind the pitching of Lee Anthony. Anthony, “the tall Kansan,” allowed just three hits, struck out six and drove in three runs with a double. Joe Cudillo led Evergreen at the plate with two hits.

July 26, 1939 – Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Bob Lilly was born in Olney, Texas. He went on to play for TCU and the Dallas Cowboys. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

July 26, 1940 – The Monroe County Masonic Conference was held with the Frisco City Lodge, Frisco City, beginning on this Friday at 9 a.m. J.S. Southall, George U. Potter, and Mr. Brown of Mobile, district lecturer of the 23rd district, were among the out-of-town visitors.

July 26, 1944 – During World War II, the Soviet Army entered Lviv, a major city in western Ukraine, capturing it from the Nazis. Only 300 Jews survived out of 160,000 living in Lviv prior to occupation.

July 26, 1945 – The U.S. Navy cruiser USS Indianapolis arrived at Tinian with parts of the warhead for the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

July 26, 1947 – U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the United States National Security Council.

July 26, 1947 - The Blacksher Store Co. at Uriah was scheduled to observe its first anniversary under new management on this Saturday, according to Frank Rush, vice president and manager. The store planned to conduct a special sale on that day, and any person whose birthday anniversary occurred on July 27 was to receive a silver dollar from the store upon bringing proof of his birth date. Actually the store’s anniversary was July 27 but since that date fell on a Sunday, the sale was set for Saturday. The Blacksher Store, one of the largest in Monroe County, was begun almost 40 years before. The ownership at that time was composed of D.W. Blacksher, president, and Rush.

July 26, 1948 - Babe Ruth was seen by the public for the last time, when he attended the New York City premiere of the motion picture, "The Babe Ruth Story."

July 26, 1948 – The Monroe Journal reported that the summer school at Coley-Blacksher was being well-attended for the first session. The enrollment in the boarding department was 18, while others were expected to enroll for the last six weeks. Prospects were bright for a small dairy. A fine Jersey cow was recently given by W.I. Walker of Clarke County. F.H. Davis of Suggsville and the Grove Hill “charge” gave the school a cream separator. The school had also been offered two fine cows for the dairy for only $60.

July 26, 1951 – During the Korean War, Army PFC Isaac Lee Jr., 22, of Monroe County, Ala. was killed in action. Born on Nov. 18, 1928, he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

July 26, 1952 - Alabama Senator John Sparkman was named the Democratic vice-presidential running mate with Adlai Stevenson. Sparkman was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama in 1936 and served in that body until 1946 when he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1979. The Democratic ticket lost the election to Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.

July 26, 1953 – The Evergreen Greenies were scored to play Baker, Fla. on this Sunday at 3 p.m. at Brooks Stadium in Evergreen, Ala.

July 26, 1959 - Alabama author Rick Bragg was born in Piedmont, Ala.

July 26, 1962 – Lewis Ramsey, head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Evergreen High School, resigned to accept head coaching position at Brookwood High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

July 26, 1962 – The Monroe Journal reported that Winston Sessions of Monroeville and Douglas Hitson of Andalusia were attending summer school at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. They were seniors at Livingston State College and were majoring in Spanish. Winston was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Sessions of Monroeville.

July 26, 1962 – The Monroe Journal reported that five new instructors for Monroe County schools were approved at a recent meeting of the Board of Education. Miss Bobby Nell Northrop had been named to the elementary school faculty in Frisco City. A graduate of J.U. Blacksher School at Uriah, Northrop was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education at Auburn University, where she also served as head majorette. Mrs. Marlene Brantley Grissette of Excel was to replace Mrs. Wilbur Sessions of Monroeville on the elementary school faculty at Excel. Gerald R. Irby, a native of Millry, had been named as coach and teacher at Excel. He replaced Charles Walston in the coaching position. Walston was to remain on the Excel faculty as a science instructor. For the previous five years, Irby had been an assistant coach at Satsuma High School in Mobile County. Benny G. Rhoades Jr., a Selma native, had been appointed coach and teacher at J.U. Blacksher School. He had been an assistant coach for four years in Shelby County and for one year in Geneva County. Mrs. Betty Watkins Irby had been hired as an elementary school teacher in Uriah.

July 26, 1968 - Spc. 4 Randle Varner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Varner, was scheduled to leave on this day for Fort Lewis, Washington and was to go on from there to Vietnam, according to The Evergreen Courant. He had spent a 30-day leave in Conecuh County with his parents after being assigned from Hunter AFB, Georgia to overseas duty.

July 26, 1968 – During the Vietnam War, South Vietnamese opposition leader Trương Đình Dzu was sentenced to five years hard labor for advocating the formation of a coalition government as a way to move toward an end to the war.

July 26, 1972 - Although South Vietnamese paratroopers hoisted their flag over Quang Tri Citadel, they proved unable to hold the Citadel for long or to secure Quang Tri City.

July 26, 1973 – The Monroe Journal reported that the South Monroe Little League all-stars swept the Atmore Little League tournament and won the right to meet Andalusia, the winner of the tournament in that city. The playoff game was set for this Thursday night, July 26, in Frisco City at the Little League park at 7:30 p.m. The winner of that game was to advance into the state playoffs set for Thurs., Aug. 2, in Huntsville. Players on South Monroe’s team that year George Curry, Kenny Baggett, Chuck Black, Dennis Curry, Jeff Tatum, Rickie Smith, Timmy Qualls, Mitchel Mixon, Kevin Barnes, Ben Wiggins, Mike Turberville, Tracey Baggett, Jeff Kilpatrick and Phil Hollinger. Grafton Coleman was the team’s manager, and Lawrence Brantley was coach.

July 26, 1974 - Local weather observer Earl Windham reported 1.4 inches on this day in Evergreen, Ala.

July 26, 1977 – Troy David Jenkins was born in Phoenix, Az. Jenkins grew up in Evergreen, graduated from Hillcrest in 1995, and was fatally wounded in April 2003 while serving in Iraq.

July 26, 1977 - The body of Jerry Peacock, 18, of Evergreen was pulled from the Alabama River by Monroe County Rescue Squad members at 11:30 a.m. on this Tuesday, Monroeville Police Chief Charles Colbert said. Fifteen squad members dragged the river from five small boats for nearly 17 hours before recovering the body. Bobby Johnson, 18, Evergreen, was piloting a small motor boat near the east bank of the river when the accident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. Mon., July 25, Monroe County Chief Deputy Sheriff Larry Ikner said. Ikner said although Peacock reportedly did not know how to swim, neither man was wearing a life preserver.

July 26, 1979 – An organizational meeting for the varsity football team at Lyeffion High School was scheduled to be held on this Thursday night at 7 p.m.

July 26, 1990 – The Monroe Journal reported that construction of a new firefighter training facility had begun in Monroeville near the Monroe County Agricultural Center.

July 26, 1998 – According to The Regina Leader Post, Janet Gamble spotted huge footprints while jogging near her home in northern Saskatchewan. She alerted her husband, Dennis, and he and his brother videotaped the tracks to establish a permanent record. The footprints were 14-inch by seven-inches and came from something with a six-foot stride.

July 26, 2000 - Oasis stormed off stage after being hit with bottles, can and coins at a Swiss music festival.

July 26, 2001 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the Evergreen Florist women’s softball team was the league champions that year with an impressive 13-1 record. Members of the team included Kyantrae Lewis, Shantavia Harrison, Louise Hines, Andrell Baxter, Selinda Thomas, Sha Matthews, Sabrina Harrison, Tricia Walmack, Melinda Baxter, Nebertha Matthews, Sabrina Baxter, Coach Tony Baxter, Stephanie Rudolph, Shaquella Spears and Manager Dot Floyd.

July 26, 2004 - The Arizona Diamondbacks ended their club-record losing streak of 14 games.