Today in History for Jan. 26, 2019

Jan. 26, 1699 - Four French ships captained by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville appeared in Pensacola Bay. The Spanish governor refused to let the Frenchmen land, so the ships continued west along the coast. On Jan. 31, d'Iberville's ships anchored off Mobile Point, sounded the channel, and explored present-day Dauphin Island, naming it Île du Massacre (Massacre Island) for the 60 human skeletons they found there. The ships then sailed west and anchored in Mississippi Sound. While Iberville explored the Mississippi River, his men began construction of Fort Maurepas on Biloxi Bay.

Jan. 26, 1809 - Alabama author J. H. Ingraham was born in Portland, Maine.

Jan. 26, 1827 – Charles Lewis Scott was born in Richmond, Henrico County, Va. He went on to graduate from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. and became a lawyer before traveling to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Scott served in the California State Assembly from 1854 to 1856 and represented California in Congress from 1857 to 1861. When the Civil War began, he resigned his seat in Congress and joined the Fourth Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, of the Confederate Army, serving as major. He never returned to California. In 1861 he suffered a serious leg wound at the First Battle of Bull Run and resigned his commission due to injury in 1862, after the Battle of Seven Pines. After the war, Scott farmed in Wilcox County, Alabama, then during 1869–1879 was a journalist. He was a delegate to every Democratic National Convention from the end of the Civil War to 1896. In 1885, he was appointed by President Cleveland as minister to Venezuela, serving until he resigned in 1889. He returned to the U.S. and farmed. Scott died on April 30, 1899 near Mount Pleasant and is buried at a private cemetery at Eliska.

Jan. 26, 1839 - Alabama's first state prison was established by legislative act. In 1842, at the Wetumpka State Penitentiary, the state's first inmate began serving time for harboring a runaway slave. The first female was incarcerated in 1850 for murder. Today, the Alabama Department of Corrections oversees a multi-facility state prison system.

Jan. 26, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Athens, Ala.; Caddo Gap, Ark.; with Indians in the San Andres Mountains, the New Mexico Territory; and at Flat Creek and Muddy Creek, in the vicinity of Dandridge, near Knoxville, and at Sevierville, Tenn.

Jan. 26, 1865 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Paint Rock, Ala. and in the vicinity of Pocotaligo, S.C. A six-day Federal reconnaissance also began from Pine Bluff toward Camden and Monticello, Ark. A 10-day Federal expedition began from Plaquemine to The Park, La. A 17-day Federal expedition began from Memphis, Tenn. into Southeastern Arkansas and Northwestern Louisiana.

  

Jan. 26, 1870 – County Court convened in Monroeville, Ala. with the Hon. J.W. Leslie presiding. Solicitor Duke represented the state.

Jan. 26, 1879 – Dr. William R. Strode, 48, died at Perdue Hill, Ala. and was buried at McConnico Cemetery. Born in Culpepper County, Va. on March 5, 1833, he graduated from the Medical College of Philadelphia in 1853. He served as a surgeon in the Confederate Army and married Mary Gorin of Monroe County in October 1870.

Jan. 26, 1879 – Noah Dallas Peacock (Lewis Lavon Peacock’s older brother) and daughter, Susan, joined the Mossy Grove Universalist Church at Ariton, Ala.

Jan. 26, 1905 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Monroeville Library would be ready to open its doors to the public in a few days. “Nice rooms have been neatly fitted up in the old court house and a choice collection of standard works covering a wide range of literature gathered for the entertainment and instruction of patrons.” Miss Mann was the librarian.

Jan. 26, 1915 – Liston A. Hixon passed away at his home in Monroeville, Ala. on this Tuesday night. A former farmer and merchant, he was about 63 years old. He was buried in Hamilton Hill Cemetery.

Jan. 26, 1916 - Alabama author Amelie Rives's play “The Fear Market” opened on Broadway.

Jan. 26, 1917 - The first match games of basketball of the season were played on the high school grounds on this Friday afternoon between the Monroeville and Brewton teams. The games were “swift and exciting and the visitors worsted in both,” according to The Monroe Journal. The score stood 27 to 5 and 20 to 4 respectively in favor of Monroeville.

Jan. 26, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Adrien (Adren) F. Hardy of Brewton, Ala. was killed in action while serving with the 42^nd Division, 167^th Infantry. Born in Baldwin County in July 1901, he is listed on the “Tablets of the Missing” at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Picardie, France. (Some sources say he died on July 26, 1918.)

Jan. 26, 1919 – William E. Molett was born in Orrville, Ala. He would go on to graduate from Evergreen High School and then joined the military, became a master navigator, recorded 6,000 hours as an aircraft navigator, including 91 flights over the North Pole. He also taught polar aviation for three years and returned as a Lt. Col. in the Air Force. In 1996, he wrote a book called “Robert Peary and Matthew Henson at the North Pole.”

Jan. 26, 1919 - Dr. L.C. Branscome, editor of the Christian Advocate, was scheduled to preach at the Methodist church in Evergreen on this Sunday morning. Branscome had been editor of the Advocate for three years and had increased its circulation from 7,000 to 17,000 during that time. He was considered one of the best editors in the South, and also a preacher of “unusual ability.”

Jan. 26, 1918 - Spright Dowell, Alabama’s state superintendent of education, made a forceful address to the teachers of Conecuh County on this Saturday at their regular bi-monthly meeting held at the Conecuh County High School in Castleberry. Prof. Bennett, county superintendent, was also present.

Jan. 26, 1922 – The Rev. Eugene Clarke, the rector of St. James Episcopal Church at Perdue Hill, Ala., was scheduled to hold services in the Monroe County Courthouse at 7 p.m. on this Thursday.

Jan. 26, 1926 - Alabama author Elise Sanguinetti was born in Anniston, Ala.

Jan. 26, 1944 - Alabama author Angela Davis was born in Birmingham, Ala.

Jan. 26, 1956 – Evergreen High School’s varsity basketball team was scheduled to make its first official appearance in South Alabama Conference competition when they were to play Luverne at Elba, Ala. in the first game of the SAC Tournament at 6 p.m. The only other game on tap in the first round of play was Enterprise vs. Greenville, at 7:15 p.m. Georgiana and Florala, who drew first round byes, were to meet in the first game of the quarterfinals at about 8:30 p.m.

Jan. 26, 1956 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the U.S. Naval Air Station in Pensacola would soon begin using the Evergreen Airport, Middleton Field, for an auxiliary field in training students. Presumably, pilots and ground crews would be flown up each day, in an operation similar to that of Camp Rucker, when a large number of students and instructors flew to Evergreen for touch and go landings.

Jan. 26, 1956 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Peace Pilgrim, who had walked over 7,600 miles on her pilgrimage for peace, passed through Evergreen over the weekend on her way to Montgomery. Peace Pilgrim began her 100-mile walk in Alabama at Castleberry, walking into Evergreen after dark. She spent the night at the bus station, The Rebel, and began her long trek about 7 a.m. the next morning. On Sun., Jan. 22, about 3:30 p.m., she was seen a few miles above Georgiana, and several people reported having seen her Mon., Jan. 23, the last in the afternoon, about two miles above the junction of the Ft. Deposit road and the new highway, at Priester’s.

Jan. 26, 1960 – On this Tuesday evening, the Conecuh County Training School Eagles beat Camden Academy, 70-60. “The Eagles used a combination of shooting and rebounding by Marvin Jones and Douglas Evans and the playmaking of Eley Randerson and Martin were particularly effective with their passing and general ball handling skills. Marvin Jones gained the scoring honors with 22 points. Evans was second with 19 valuable points, but an even more important contribution of Evans and Jones was their rebounding on the offensive and defensive backboards.”

Jan. 26, 1966 - The Pine Belt Conference basketball tournament, hosted by the J.U. Blacksher High Bulldogs, got under way on this Wednesday night with three games being played at the coliseum in Monroeville, Ala. The tournament was to continue through that Saturday night when the championship game was to be played. Teams in the tourney included Blacksher, Chatom, Coffeeville, Excel, Frisco City, Grove Hill, Jackson, Leroy, Millry, Monroeville, Repton, Silas and Thomasville.

Jan. 26, 1967 – Dr. R. Dale LeCount, a retired Presbyterian minister who was then assistant to the president of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Alabama, was to be the guest speaker at the annual Ladies Night Banquet of the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce on this Thursday night at the Community House. The banquet was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. LeCount, a native of Syracuse, Ind., had been retired from the ministry since 1962.

Jan. 26, 1978 - Rhonda Griffin was chosen ‘Miss Rubicon” for 1978 at the annual pageant at Evergreen High School on this Thursday. The Rubicon was the school’s annual and was to feature Rhonda and Katrinka Rankins, first alternate, and Melissa Johnson, second alternate, in the annual’s beauty section.

Jan. 26, 1978 - The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce held its first Executive Board meeting of the year on this Thursday at Evergreen City Hall. The new board members were installed by the past-president, Ed Smith. New officers were elected as follows: President, Gary Robinson; Vice President, Coston Bowers; Treasurer, Claude Jernigan. Mrs. Doris Sexton will continue to serve as Executive Secretary for the Chamber.

Jan. 26, 1983 - Alabamians were shocked and saddened when retired University of Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant died suddenly from a heart attack. Bryant began coaching at Alabama in 1958 and went on to win six national championships with the team. In 1981 he became football's "winningest" coach with 315 victories.

Jan. 26, 1988 – Frisco City High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Excel, 54-48. Top Frisco City players in that game included Cleveland Banks, Robert Byrd, Lorenzo Lawson, Terry Tucker and Clifton Tucker.

Jan. 26, 1989 – The Andalusia Commercial Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Jan. 26, 2006 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Hillcrest’s varsity boys basketball team was just two games away from posting a perfect record in area play that season, after adding wins over Opp and Geneva to its record during the previous week. Four Jaguars scored in double figures against Opp with Cleveland Knight getting 15 points on five three-pointers to lead the crew. Other players on Hillcrest’s team that year included Chris Hines, Nick Lovelace, Justin Holder, P.K. Riley, Nick Ackron, Richard Johnson, Derrell Simpson, Blake Bryant and Robert Thomas.

Jan. 26, 2006 – The Evergreen Courant reported that, with a perfect 4-0 standing in the area race, all the Sparta Academy Warriors needed was one more victory to clinch the regular season championship. That victory came in the form of a 68-46 blowout of the visiting Jackson Academy Eagles that was keyed by Eric Talbot’s 21-point performance. Other players on Sparta’s team that season included Tony Raines, Michael Campbell, Will Ivey, Chris Cinereski, J.R. Williams, Jacob Patillo, D.J. Buckhault and Chase Brown. Russ Brown was head coach.

Jan. 26, 2006 – The Evergreen Courant reported Ashton Garner led Sparta Academy’s girls in a 57-43 win over Clarke Prep in Evergreen. Other players on Sparta’s girls team that season included Erin Brock, Erica Palmer, Mallory Kendrick, Susan Ann Cook, Morgan Harden, Kara Layton, Deanna Covin and Camarena Godwin. Russ Brown was head coach.

Jan. 26, 2010 - The AISA District Spelling Bee was held on this Tuesday at Reid State Technical College in Evergreen. Winners were, eighth grade, Rachel Riley, Sparta Academy; fifth grade, Grace Terry, Escambia Academy; seventh grade, Taylor Chavers, Sparta Academy; fourth grade, Austin Phillips, Fort Dale Academy; and sixth grade, Rachel Jackson Fort Dale Academy. District organizer was Heather West. Spelling Bee pronouncer was Zebbie Nix, and judges were Ann Sage and Susan Cook.

Jan. 26, 2010 - Monroe County High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Clarke County, 63-62 on this Tuesday night on a last-second lay-up. Jonathan Johnson hit the lay-up as time expired after hauling in a court-length pass from JoDarius Boykin with 1.3 seconds left. Johnson finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals to lead the Tigers. Other top MCHS players in that game included Aaron Chaney, Anthony Hinton, Jaterius McMillian, Travis Patrick, Sherrod Smith and Grant White. Jerome Antone was MCHS’s head coach.