Today in History for Jan. 6, 2019

Jan. 6, 1702 - French colonists from Biloxi unloaded goods at Massacre Island to be used for the establishment of Fort Louis de la Louisiane on a bluff 27 miles from the mouth of the Mobile River.

Jan. 6, 1814 – The Town of Blakeley was incorporated by authorization of the House of Representatives of the Mississippi Territory on the northern end of Mobile Bay in present-day Baldwin County, Ala. Established by Joseph Blakeley, the town was the scene of the last major defense of Mobile, Ala. by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Blakely was also the southern end of the extension of the Federal road.

Jan. 6, 1821 – General Andrew Jackson was appointed military governor of Florida. He arrived in Tallahassee with a camp chest containing a treasured memento, a black candle that was found in the tent of British General Cornwallis after his surrender of British forces at Yorktown, Virginia, to General George Washington. Jackson was asked to light the black candle every year on Jan. 6, which was the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans. Jackson was unhappy in his role as governor and resigned seven months later. Rachel, his wife, who enjoys the pleasure of her pipe in public as well as in private, was not very popular with the ladies of Tallahassee.

Jan. 6, 1873 – The construction of the Escambia County Courthouse at Pollard, Ala. was completed. The courthouse burned in 1879, and arson was suspected as the cause of the fire.

Jan. 6, 1896 - Fanny Brown, a woman who lived near Monroeville, Ala., was burned to death on this Monday morning. “She was standing near the fire when her clothing caught fire and were literally burned off before assistance rescued her,” The Monroe Journal reported. “The poor woman found relief from her sufferings only in death which ensued after a few hours.”

Jan. 6, 1909 – The Evergreen Courant reported that D.H. Howell of Shreve said that a belled buzzard had been in his neighborhood for several days. He was curious to know where the belled bird came from.

Jan. 6, 1909 – The Evergreen Courant reported, in news from the Hadley community, that the church building and Masonic lodge had just had put on a new coat of paint.

Jan. 6, 1909 – The Evergreen Courant reported, in news from the Owassa community, that Owassa had “been growing rapidly. Mr. Will Brooks’ new dwelling will soon be ready for occupancy. G.A. Yates has moved into his new store. They Myers’ Bros. new store is nearing completion. The Methodist Episcopal parsonage is also nearing completion and material has been placed on the ground for the M.E. church.”

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that M.A. Travis had been appointed as chairman of the Conecuh County (Ala.) Tax Equalization Board.

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that W.J. Travis, who was charged with the killing of Dr. Marvin B. Nall, age 31, in McKenzie, Ala., had his bail set at $1,500. Nall died on Dec. 25, 1915 and was buried in White’s Cemetery at Searight in Crenshaw County, Ala.

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that a “new and valuable acquisition” had been added to the library at Conecuh County High School in Castleberry, Ala. – a 24-volume set of the International Encyclopedia.

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that the “colored population observed emancipation day with music and marching and speechmaking.”

Jan. 6, 1916 - The Conecuh Record reported that Record editor J.C. Whitcomb had “been confined to his bed for the past two or three weeks with typhoid fever.”

Jan. 6, 1916 – In this day’s edition of The Monroe Journal, publisher Q. Salter remarked that this edition of the newspaper marked its 49^th year of publication. During those years, The Journal had only five publishers: Z.D. Cottrell, 1866; S.M. Davidson, 1867-69; James McLaughlin, 1870-74; H.R. Hood, 1875-1886; and Salter, 1887 to date.

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee and “little daughter” had spent Christmas with relatives at Finchburg, Ala. Elsewhere in that week’s edition, it was reported that A.C. Lee had visited his old home at Bonifay, Fla. during the previous week.

Jan. 6, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that Dr. F.S. Dailey of Tunnel Springs had been appointed County Health Officer for Monroe County for 1916.

Jan. 6, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. William H. Harris of Flat Rock, Ala. “died from disease.”

Jan. 6, 1918 - At the home of Rev. A.P. Majors in Stewartville on this Sunday last, Miss Essie Waren and Mr. Charles Helton were married.

Jan. 6, 1919 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Wade Shavers, 24, of Garland, Ala. “died from disease.” Born on Nov. 16, 1894, he was buried in the Maye Cemetery in Butler County, Ala.

Jan. 6, 1919 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Warb Moton of Camden, Ala. “died from disease.”

  

Jan. 6, 1920 – National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn was born in Hartford, Ala. Nicknamed “Gus,” he went on to play for the Washington Senators, the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

  

Jan. 6, 1921 - The historic Downing House in Castleberry, Ala. was completely destroyed by fire on this Thursday about noon. “This was probably the most historic home in Conecuh County,” according to The Evergreen Courant. “According to old residents who have personal knowledge of it, the house was constructed about the year 1858 by Judge Henderson, who was judge of probate while the courthouse was at Sparta and before the railroad was completed. It was in course of construction but the track had not been laid. The site for the depot had been selected and Judge Henderson determined to build his home opposite the station. The structure was in fine state of preservation and would have lasted many more years.”

Jan. 6, 1926 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Captain John Quill, 87, of Mobile, had died recently in Boston. Quill for many years owned a number of river boats running out of Mobile. The two best known were the John Quill and the Nettie Quill.

Jan. 6, 1926 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Daniel Cook Sr. of Camden had announced his candidacy for the state senate from the 22^nd district.

Jan. 6, 1930 - The Hat Shop, a well-known store dealing in ladies’ hats, located over Binion Grocery and Feed Co. in Evergreen, Ala., was scheduled to move on this Monday to the store formerly occupied by jeweler J.H. Dey, who had moved his business to the new store next door to Evergreen Motor Car Co.

  

Jan. 6, 1933 - Royal Skinner was painfully injured near the Skinner Veneer Mill on this Friday, according to The Monroe Journal. Skinner was attempting to load a truck from a log ramp when his head was caught between two logs, breaking both his jaw bones. He was given medical attention immediately and the wounds were “rapidly healing” as of Jan. 12.

Jan. 6, 1946 – A tornado struck the Peterman, Ala. community early on this Sunday morning, causing one death and wrecking several homes. The home of D.L. Downs was torn to pieces by the tornado, and Downs was so badly injured that he died early on the following Monday morning. Striking near the Downs home, the wind tore out a path in a northerly direction, crossing the highway north of Peterman. A house on the east side of the highway, in which 10 people were living, was reduced to splinters, and one of the occupants was injured. The wind made a clean sweep of all timber in its path.

Jan. 6, 1958 - A Memphis businessman and two companions, en route to Florida in a private plane, made an emergency landing on Highway 84 in front of Claude Murphy’s Store on this Monday, according to The Evergreen Courant. The plane ran out of gas, so the man brought it down in the highway. He made the landing okay, the plane suffering slight damage to the wings. The man and his companions caught a bus back to Memphis and left the plane moored at the station to be picked up in a few days.

Jan. 6, 1958 – As of this date, Monroe County, Ala. had three widows of men who served with the Confederate forces during the Civil War. According to a report of Confederate pensioners by the Monroe County Dept. of Pensions and Security released on this day, the widows were as follows: Mrs. Susan C. Easley of Beatrice, Mrs. B.A. Porter of Frisco City and Miss Sallie Reed of Uriah Route.

Jan. 6, 1959 - Alabama author Octavus Roy Cohen died in Los Angeles, Calif.

   

Jan. 6, 1961 – Three young Monroeville residents – Alton Sturdivant, David Brown and Kenneth Johnson – killed a 35-pound bobcat while coon hunting on this Friday night in the Limestone Creek swamp north of Monroeville, Ala.

    

Jan. 6, 1974 – Major League Baseball second baseman Marlon Anderson was born in Montgomery, Ala. He would go on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tampa Bay Devils Rays and the Washington Nationals.

Jan. 6, 1976 - Ted Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves for $12 million dollars.

  

Jan. 6, 1976 – Monroeville, Ala. firefighters extinguished an electrical fire at the WMFC radio station in Monroeville, and while at that scene, the fire alarm went off at Monroe County Hospital. Firefighters determined that an apparent malfunction in the hospital’s fire alarm system caused it to go off, Assistant Fire Chief Eddie Everett said. The day before, a home on Michael Street was heavily damaged by fire while firemen and city water company employees attempted to get enough water from two low pressure fire hydrants to extinguish the blaze.

Jan. 6, 1992 – Hansford Cooper, 54, of Evergreen, Ala. escaped serious injury when the 1989 Ford Bronco he was driving was struck by a train in downtown Evergreen. This was the second vehicle-train collision in downtown Evergreen in as many weeks.

Jan. 6, 1994 – Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was born in Hueytown, Ala. He went on to play for Hueytown High School, Florida State and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.