Today in History for Aug. 8, 2014

William Lowndes Yancey

Aug. 10, 1814 - Confederate and ardent secessionist William Lowndes Yancey was born in Warren County, Ga. The main author of Alabama's ordinance of secession, which removed Alabama from the Union, Yancey was one of the leading "fire-eaters" who influenced southern states to secede. Yancey was also said to have been among the early businessmen of Greenville.

Aug. 10, 1861 – J.N. Coker was commissioned as Monroe County’s Sheriff.

Aug. 10, 1861 – According to the Aug. 16, 1861 edition of The Claiborne Southerner, the Monroeville Infantry Co., nicknamed the “Monroe Rebels,” was organized. Elected officers included Capt. G.G. Mathews, 1st Lt. H.M. Graham, 2nd Lt. W.A. Duke, Brevet 2nd Lt. F.M. Jones and Orderly Sgt. John M. Parker. (Other sources say this unit was organized on Aug. 8, 1861.)

Aug. 10, 1861 – Rebels defeated a Union force at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Missouri.

Aug. 10, 1914 – The Conecuh County Commission donated $200 to furnish the Domestic Science and Manual Training Departments at the new Conecuh County High School in Castleberry, which opened for the first time on Sept. 21, 1914. The donation was made upon the request of the school principal, Miss Sarah E. Luther, and building committee members Elisha Downing and Dr. R.T. Holland.

Aug. 10, 1946 – Hank Williams, then just 22 years old, performed at The Spotlight, which was about halfway between Monroeville and Peterman.

Aug. 10, 1952 – The Centerville Rookies baseball team beat Castleberry, 10-9, at Brooks Stadium in Evergreen. Also that day, the Shreve Eagles baseball team beat Skinnerton, 7-4.

Aug. 10, 1967 – The Evergreen Courant reported that U.S. Air Force Major Samuel W. Hanks, a former Conecuh County resident and graduate of Evergreen High School, received the Bronze Star Medal at Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam for “meritorious service while engaged in military operations against Viet Cong.” Hanks, a member of the Pacific Air Forces, was cited for his performance as an air operations officer at Bien Hoa.

Aug. 10, 1981 - Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies got the 3,631st hit of his baseball career, breaking Stan Musial's record for most hits by a National Leaguer.

Aug. 10, 1982 - Annie Roan Price, 87, of Evergreen passed away in a local hospital. Price was the widow of the late L.W. Price Sr., former Judge of Probate of Conecuh County. She was born in 1894 in Thomasville, and she and Judge Price moved to Conecuh County in 1920, living in Sparta for a few years and the rest of the time in Evergreen.