Today in History for Dec. 9, 2018

Greening Masonic Lodge in Evergreen, Ala.

Dec. 9, 1531 - On this morning, an Indian peasant in Tepeyac, Mexico City named Juan Diego was said to have encounterd a blinding light and unearthly music. Before him appeared the apparition that was to become known as the Virgin of Guadalupe. Later the image of the Virgin was found imprinted inside Juan's cloak.

Dec. 9, 1608 – John Milton, who is best known for his epic poem “Paradise Lost,” was born in London, England.

Dec. 9, 1729 - The Natchez wanted the Tunica to join them in the war against the French. On this day, the Natchez sent two of their tribe to convince the Tunica. The Tunica would not join them to fight the French.

Dec. 9, 1775 – During the American Revolutionary War, Virginia and North Carolina militias defeated 800 slaves and 200 redcoats serving John Murray, earl of Dunmore and governor of Virginia, at Great Bridge outside Norfolk, ending British royal control of Virginia.

Dec. 9, 1793 - "The American Minerva," founded by Noah Webster, was published for the first time, and it was the first daily newspaper in New York City. The paper was produced on Wall Street, near the Tontine Coffee-House, which was the birthplace of the New York Stock Exchange. The American Minerva ran for 744 issues, from 1793 until 1796.

Dec. 9, 1803 - The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. Congress. With the amendment, Electors were directed to vote for a President and for a Vice-President rather than for two choices for President.

Dec. 9, 1815 – Fort Claiborne became the recognized county seat of Monroe County, in present-day Alabama.

Dec. 9, 1835 – During the Texas Revolution, the Texian Army captured San Antonio, Texas.

Dec. 9, 1835 - By a treaty on this day, the United States agreed to convey to the Cherokee Indians "the following additional tract of land, situated between the west line of the State of Missouri and Osage Reservation: Beginning at the southeast corner of the same and running north along the east line of the Osage lands fifty miles to the northeast corner thereof, and thence east to the west line of the State of Missouri; thence with said line south fifty miles; thence west to the place of beginning--estimated to contain eight hundred thousand acres of land."

Dec. 9, 1836 - The Army relieved General Call and turned over command of all Florida's forces on this day to Major General Thomas Sidney Jesup. With the Seminole continuing to raid plantations and settlements almost as they pleased, 1836 has been a disastrous year for the Army.

Dec. 9, 1840 - Forces under Col. Harney located and destroyed a Seminole village on this day in the Everglades. Six women and children were captured. Soldiers pursued and captured two warriors who were immediately hung.

Dec. 9, 1841 – The Grand Lodge of Alabama issued the charter to Greening Masonic Lodge No. 53 in Evergreen.

Dec. 9, 1845 – Writer and folklorist Joel Chandler Harris was born in Eatonton, Ga. He is best known for his 1880 best-seller, “Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings.” (Some sources say he was born in 1848.)

Dec. 9, 1854 - Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade," was first published in England.

Dec. 9, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at what was later known as Tulsa, Okla. between pro-Confederate Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw and Pro-Federal Creek Indians.

Dec. 9, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Union Mills, Mo.

Dec. 9, 1861 – During the Civil War, the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War was established by the U.S. Congress to monitor both military progress and the Lincoln administration. The War Committee, as it was called, was created in the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Ball's Bluff in October 1861 and was designed to provide a check over the executive branch's management of the war. The committee was stacked with Radical Republicans and staunch abolitionists, however, and was often biased in its approach to investigations of the Union war effort.

Dec. 9, 1861 - Pro-Union Creek and Seminole under Muscogee Creek Chief Opothleyahola were at Chusto-Talasah on the Horseshoe Bend of Bird Creek on this day when Col. Douglas H. Cooper’s 1,300 Confederates attacked about 2 p.m. Chief Opothleyahola knew Cooper was coming and had placed his troops in a strong position in heavy timber. For almost four hours, Cooper attacked and attempted to outflank the Federals. His troops finally drove Chief Opothleyahola east across Bird Creek just before dark. The Confederates claimed victory. The Federal loss was estimated by Cooper at 500. Confederate casualties were 15 killed and 37 wounded. Perhaps 1,700 refugees, many of whom were women and children, were with Opothleyahola following his defeat on this day. The loss of horses and supplies, and the arrival of ice, forced Opothleyahola's band to halt before it could reach the safety of Kansas.

Dec. 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, a six-day Federal reconnaissance from Corinth, Miss. to Tuscumbia, Ala. began with skirmishes occurring at Cherokee Station and Little Bear Creek in Alabama.

Dec. 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Mudtown, Ark.; and in the vicinity of La Vergne and near Brentwood in Tennessee.

Dec. 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, a seven-day Federal operation from Ozark, Mo. into Marion County Ark. began, resulting in the destruction of the extensive Confederate salt works.

Dec. 9, 1862 – During the Civil War, on the heights opposite Fredericksburg, Va., the Grand Divisions of the Army of the Potomac were being prepared for the strife to come. Orders were issued to the division commanders on this day to supply their men with 60 rounds of ammunition apiece, and to prepare three days’ supply of cooked-in-advance rations. Aside from these preparations there was little going on. The Confederate defenders had burned the bridges over the Rappahannock River, and the waterway was far too deep, not to mention cold, to wade across this time of year. Action had to wait on the arrival of pontoon bridges, which were on the way from Washington, but moving slowly.

Dec. 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, a Federal reconnaissance mission began from Waldron to Dutch Creek in Arkansas.

Dec. 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, the mutiny of black troops at Fort Jackson, La. took place, after two black troops are punished by whipping. There were few dedicated abolitionists like Robert Gould Shaw who were proud to command units of the United States Colored Troops, but many more found it mortifying. One of these latter was in command at Ft. Jackson, Louisiana, downriver from New Orleans. His loathing for this posting was translated into cruel and abusive treatment of the black soldiers under his command. On this day they decided this was behavior with which they would no longer tolerate. There was a mutiny. Other white officers at the installation managed to halt the uprising before blood was shed.

Dec. 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Okolona, Miss.; at Bean’s Station and at Cumberland Mountain, in the vicinity of Crossville, Tenn.; and at Lewinsville, Va.

Dec. 9, 1863 – During the Civil War, Federal scouts departed from Houston, Mo. in pursuit of Rebel partisans.

Dec. 9, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Cuyler’s Plantation, between Eden and Pooler Stations, Monteith Swamp and Ogeechee Canal in Georgia.

Dec. 9, 1864 – During the Civil War, the USS Otesgo and the tugboat, Brazely, were sunk by Confederate torpedoes on the Roanoke River, close to Jamesville, N.C.

Dec. 9, 1864 – U.S. General George H. Thomas did not get his nickname of “Old Slow Trot” for nothing. It was not his decision making or command in battle that was slow, as reflected in his other nickname “The Rock of Chickamauga” commemorating his solid defense during that battle which allowed the rest of the Union force to retreat to Chattanooga and safety. But he was not going to attack before he was ready, in this case Hood’s forces outside of Nashville. U.S. Grant had actually written out the orders relieving Thomas of command on this day and his replacement by Schofield. However, protocol required that Grant send this order through Gen. Halleck, while Halleck said it had to come straight from Grant. While this was being settled a heavy ice and sleet storm struck Nashville, making fighting impossible. Thomas’ career remained in the balance.

Dec. 9, 1864 – During the Civil War, a two-day Federal reconnaissance to Hatcher’s Run, Va. began.

Dec. 9, 1865 – The organizational charter was issued to Georgiana Masonic Lodge No. 285 in Georgiana, in Butler County, Ala.

Dec. 9, 1871 – National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder and manager Joe Kelley was born in Cambridge, Mass. He went on to play for the Boston Beaneaters, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Baltimore Orioles, the Brooklyn Superbas, the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Doves, and he also managed the Reds and the Doves. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Dec. 9, 1873 - The Colored Normal School at Huntsville, Ala. was created by legislative act. Founded by ex-slave William Hooper Councill, the school educated black teachers for the public schools. It became a land-grant institution in 1891, eventually evolving into Alabama A&M University.

Dec. 9, 1887 – Famous Alabama outlaw Rube Burrow, who would rob a train near Flomaton, Ala. and eventually got gunned down in Linden, Ala., and his gang committed their fifth train robbery near Genoa, Arkansas around 6 p.m.

Dec. 9, 1891 - President Benjamin Harrison delivered his third speech on Indian lands. “The work in the Bureau of Indian Affairs was perhaps never so large as now, by reason of the numerous negotiations which have been proceeding with the tribes for a reduction of the reservations, with the incident labor of making allotments, and was never more carefully conducted… Everything else--rations, annuities, and tribal negotiations, with the agents, inspectors, and commissioners who distribute and conduct them--must pass away when the Indian has become a citizen… The relation of the Five Civilized Tribes now occupying the Indian Territory to the United States is not, I believe, that best calculated to promote the highest advancement of these Indians. That there should be within our borders five independent states having no relations, except those growing out of treaties, with the Government of the United States, no representation in the National Legislature, its people not citizens, is a startling anomaly… Since March 4, 1889, about 23,000,000 acres have been separated from Indian reservations and added to the public domain for the use of those who desired to secure free homes under our beneficent laws.”

Dec. 9, 1899 – Jean de Brunhoff, the man who created Babar, the beloved elephant of children’s literature, was born in Paris, France.

Dec. 9, 1901 – Florala was officially incorporated as a municipality, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities.

Dec. 9, 1906 – Grace Hopper, who helped invent the modern computer, was born in New York City.

Dec. 9, 1914 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the City Grocery in Evergreen, Ala. had closed due to “voluntary bankruptcy.”

Dec. 9, 1915 – The Monroe Journal reported that Dr. A.B. Coxwell had attended the session of the Masonic Grand Lodge in Montgomery during the previous week.

Dec. 9, 1915 – Turkistan postmistress Jennie C. Turk, the oldest daughter of John Turk, died at the age of 21. Sixteen months before, John Turk lost his wife and baby. Jennie was the postmistress at Turkstan and the office was moved to the store of Mr. W.H. Chase, who was appointed to fill the vacancy. Jennier Turk was buried at Indian Springs Baptist Cemetery, and according to her headstone, she was born on Jan. 3, 1894 and she died on Dec. 31, 1915.

Dec. 9, 1917 – During World War I, Fieldl Marshal Edmund Allenby captured Jerusalem, Palestine.

Dec. 9, 1917 - On this morning, after Turkish troops moved out of the region after only a single day’s fighting, officials of the Holy City of Jerusalem offered the keys to the city to encroaching British troops.

Dec. 9, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Ryx Ivey Smith, 18, of Evergreen, Ala. “died from wounds” with serving in Co. I of the 167^th Infantry. Born on March 25, 1900, he was buried in the Old Town Cemetery in Conecuh County, Ala. (Some sources give his first name as “Roy,” but his headstone does have “Ryx.)

Dec. 9, 1920 – In Conecuh County, Ala., George Ruston, charged with the killing of Will Yates, was given a preliminary trial on this day before Judge Dunn. Ruston was discharged because the evidence proved justifiable homicide.

Dec. 9, 1930 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, manager and owner Rube Foster died at the age of 51 in Kankakee, Illinois. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Dec. 9, 1932 – A fiddlers convention was scheduled to be held at the Effie School building on this Saturday night. Everyone was invited, and admission was free.

Dec. 9, 1934 – James B. Stanley, the founder and longtime editor of The Greenville Advocate, passed away in Greenville, Ala. at the age of 90. Born on Aug. 9, 1844 in Lowndes County, he was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Greenville. He founded The Greenville Advocate in 1865, and served as editor and publisher for almost 70 years. Stanley was the son of Robert H. Stanley, who was born in South Carolina, and Emma Stone, who was born in Paris, France.

Dec. 9, 1935 – Walter Liggett, American newspaper editor, investigative journalist and muckraker, was killed in a gangland murder in Minneapolis, Minn. His murder has never been solved.

Dec. 9, 1935 – The Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, later renamed the Heisman Trophy, was awarded for the first time. The winner was halfback Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago.

Dec. 9, 1937 - Alabama author and dramatist Francis Nimmo Greene died in Birmingham, Ala.

Dec. 9, 1938 – Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones was born in Eatonville, Fla. He would go on to play for the Los Angeles Rams, the San Diego Chargers and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Dec. 9, 1940 - The Longines Watch Company signed for the first FM radio advertising contract with experimental station W2XOR in New York City.

Dec. 9, 1942 – Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus was born in Chicago, Ill. He went on to play for Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Dec. 9, 1942 – Evergreen High School’s basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a 38-17 win over Conecuh County High School in Castleberry. Johnson led Evergreen with 19 points, and Garrett led CCHS with nine points.

Dec. 9, 1946 – The "Subsequent Nuremberg trials" began with the "Doctors' trial," prosecuting physicians and officers alleged to be involved in Nazi human experimentation and mass murder under the guise of euthanasia.

Dec. 9, 1948 – Evergreen High School played its first ever game in its new “Memorial Gym,” suffering a 47-32 loss to Pensacola High School. The gym’s playing court was 84x50 feet, and the gym could seat up to 700 fans. About 350 fans turned out for the first game and saw Guerry Moorer lead Evergreen with 12 points.

Dec. 9, 1951 - Bob Waterfield of the Los Angeles Rams became the first professional football player to kick five field goals in one game.

Dec. 9, 1953 – The fourth annual Conecuh County Christmas Carnival was scheduled to be held in downtown Evergreen, Ala.

Dec. 9, 1956 - A radio version of Alabama author Ambrose Bierce's story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" was broadcast as part of the “Suspense” series.

Dec. 9, 1962 - "Lawrence of Arabia" by David Lean had its world premiere in London.

Dec. 9, 1965 – What is known as the “Kecksburg UFO Incident” occurred when a fireball was seen from Michigan to Pennsylvania. Witnesses reported something crashing in the woods near Pittsburgh. In 2005 NASA admitted that it examined the object.

Dec. 9, 1965 - The Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles, in exchange for the pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and the outfielder Dick Simpson. The trade is widely regarded as one of the worst in Major League Baseball history.

Dec. 9, 1965 – National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher, manager and executive Branch Rickey died at the age of 83 in Columbia, Mo. During his career, he played for the St. Louis Browns and the New York Highlanders, and he also managed the Browns and the St. Louis Cardinals. He also served as the general manager for the Browns, Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967.

Dec. 9, 1965 - An article in the New York Times asserted that the U.S. bombing campaign had neither destabilized North Vietnam’s economy nor appreciably reduced the flow of its forces into South Vietnam.

Dec. 9, 1967 - Jim Morrison of The Doors was arrested onstage in New Haven, Conn. and charged with breach of peace and resisting arrest.

Dec. 9, 1971 - For the first time since the Paris peace talks began in May 1968, both sides refused to set another meeting date for continuation of the negotiations.

Dec. 9, 1973 - Jim Bakken of the St. Louis Cardinals kicked six field goals against the Atlanta Falcons.

Dec. 9, 1976 – Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher Christopher “Scottie” Booker born in Monroeville, Ala. He graduated from Monroe County High School in 1995 and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 1995 amateur draft. He made his MLB debut for the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 5, 2005. He would go on to play for the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals. His final MLB appearance was on July 25, 2007 for the Washington Nationals.

Dec. 9, 1979 – The eradication of the smallpox virus was certified, making smallpox the first and to date only human disease driven to extinction.

Dec. 9, 1984 - Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams became only the second pro football player to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. O.J. Simpson held the previous record at 2,003.

Dec. 9, 1984 - Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears ran six plays as quarterback. He ran the ball four times and threw two interceptions.

Dec. 9, 1984 - Iranian security men seized control of the plane ending a five-day hijacking of a Kuwaiti jetliner, which was parked at the Tehran airport.

Dec. 9, 1985 - Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers began a streak of over 100 consecutive games with receptions.

Dec. 9, 1986 – Escambia Academy’s basketball teams swept three games from Sparta Academy in games played in Evergreen. The Cougar varsity boys beat the Warriors, 79-66. Sparta had four players in double digits: Brad Watts, 18 points; Jason West, 18; Lynn Ralls, 16; and Johnny Brock, 10. Jeff Walker added five. Sparta’s girls lost to Escambia, 56-44, in spite of a 25-point performance by Kim Searcy. Shawn Hammonds had eight points; Julie Johnson, six; Lee McNeil, four; and Baby Girl Floyd, one. The Escambia junior varsity beat Sparta, 42-24, according to Sparta Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr. Steven Gall had eight points; Jason Williams and Craig Blackburn, six each; and Jeff Brundage and Neal Sanford, two each.

Dec. 9, 1989 – NBA guard Eric Bledsoe was born in Birmingham, Ala. After graduating from Birmingham’s Parker High School, he went on to play one year at the University of Kentucky, where he aveaged 11.3 points per game. He went on to play in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.

Dec. 9, 1990 - The first American hostages to be released by Iraq began arriving in the U.S.

Dec. 9, 1991 - Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins reached the 20-touchdown mark for an NFL record ninth season.

Dec. 9, 1996 – United Nations Secretary General Boutros-Ghali approved a deal allowing Iraq to resume its exports of oil and easing the UN trade embargo imposed on Iraq in 1990.

Dec. 9, 1997 – In the first game between the two schools in six years, Class 5A Monroe County High School beat J.U. Blacksher, 78-73, at Uriah. Standout Blacksher players in that game included Anthony Adams, Tony Dean, Larry Nichols, Josh Qualls and Anthony Tucker. Mark Chaney was Blacksher’s head coach.

Dec. 9, 1999 - Alabama author Marian Cockrell died in Roanoke, Va.

Dec. 9, 2011 - Sparta Academy’s varsity girls basketball team, ranked No. 5 in the AISA, in the opening round of the Wilcox Academy Pepsi Invitational Tournament on this Friday in Camden, the Lady Warriors blasted Escambia Academy, 66-46. Players on Sparta’s team that year included Kayla Baggett, Jessica Coleman, Emily Deason, Alex Etheridge, Drew Ann Lambert, Stephanie Martin, Tiffany Martin, Grace Matlock, April Palmer, Rachel Riley, Michaela Stabler, Rachel Stacey and Reagan Wild. 

Dec. 9, 2017 – A witness reported seeing a UFO around 5:05 p.m. in Alabaster, which is in Shelby County, south of Birmingham. The witness in this case said that for two or three minutes he watched a strange object travel straight across the sky from the southwest towards the southeast. Around this same time, he saw a pair of airplanes, including a small two-seater plane in the same area as the same object. The witness described the strange object as square-shaped with what looked like a small domed parachute attached to its four corners. He also noted that the object was emitting a light that looked like a flame with “sharp” rays of light emitting from around the light source. He went on to say that there was a reddish orange object on top of the box-shaped object beneath the parachute. He reported that this unusual object stayed on its path until it disappeared out of sight behind some trees in the distance. He noted that there is a small municipal airport in the direction that it was traveling and that there is a weather service office located at the airport. The witness also mentioned that the object emitted no noise and left no type of visible trail in its wake.