Saturday, April 21, 2018

Today in History for April 21, 2018

Alabama Governor John Patterson

April 21, 1777 - British troops under the command of General William Tryon attacked the town of Danbury, Conn. They went on a rampage, setting fire to homes, farmhouses, storehouses and more than 1,500 tents.


April 21, 1789 - John Adams was sworn in as the first U.S. Vice President.

April 21, 1809 – Dr. William H. Cunningham Sr. was born in Mecklenburg County, Va. He would go on to work as a physician and serve as a state representative in Monroe County, Ala. He also served as a private in Dailey’s Co., Home Guard, Confederate States Army. He passed away at the age of 58 on Aug. 26, 1867 in Conecuh County and is buried in the Cunningham Cemetery at Tunnel Springs.

April 21, 1816 – Novelist Charlotte Bronte was born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England. Her books include 1847’s “Jane Eyre.”

April 21, 1838 – Naturalist and conservationist John Muir, a dedicated advocate for the protection of American wild lands, was born in Dunbar, Scotland.

April 21, 1861 - Upon the outbreak of the Civil War threats were made against the safety of the USS Constitution. On April 26, the ship began a three-day trip to New York, towed by the steam gunboat R.R. Cuyler.

April 21, 1861 - Rioting continued in Baltimore, Md., and state troops seized the U.S. Arsenal at Fayetteville, N.C.

April 21, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Pocahontas, Ark. and at Monterey, Va.

April 21, 1863 - Union Colonel Abel Streight began a raid into northern Alabama and Georgia with the goal of cutting off railroad traffic between Chattanooga and Atlanta. Streight surrendered near Rome, Ga. on May 3 to a force half the size of his own led by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

April 21, 1863 – During the Civil War, a Federal operation was conducted between Opelousas and Barre’s Landing in Louisiana. A skirmish was also fought at Palo Alto, Miss., in the vicinity of present-day West Point, Miss. A comprehensive "tax-in-kind" plan was also passed by the Confederate Senate. It required that 10 percent of everything produced or grown be given to the Confederate government.

April 21, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Harrison Gap, Ala.

April 21 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought along the Cache River, near Cotton Plant, Ark.; at Tunica Bend, La.; at Red Bone, Miss., between Vicksburg and the Big Black River; and at Masonborough, N.C.

April 21, 1865 - The steamboat Sultana left New Orleans. The craft exploded on April 27 killing about 1,700 people.

April 21, 1865 – During the Civil War, Federal troops entered Monroeville, Ala.

April 21, 1865 - A train carrying the coffin of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln left Washington, D.C. on its 1,654-mile journey back to Springfield, Illinois, where he would be buried on May 4. The train, dubbed “The Lincoln Special,” carrying Lincoln’s body traveled through 180 cities and seven states on its way to Lincoln’s home state of Illinois.

April 21, 1865 – Newspaperman Thomas Easton died and was buried in Monroeville, Ala. He was a former publisher of The Halcyon newspaper at St. Stephens and later established The Alabama Whig at Claiborne and continued to publish the Alabama Intelligencer.

April 21, 1865 - A two-day Federal operation between Donalsonville and Bayou Goula in Louisiana began, and a seven-day Federal operation began between Rolla and Thomasville in Missouri.

April 21, 1887 – National Baseball Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy was born in Philadelphia, Pa. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957.

April 21, 1898 - The Spanish-American War began.

April 21, 1904 – Italian-Austrian SS officer Odilo Globocnik was born in Trieste, Austria-Hungary (now Italy).

April 21, 1905 – H.P. Lovecraft finished writing “The Beast in the Cave,” which was originally published “The Vagrant” No. 7 in June 1918.

April 21, 1906 - The members of George W. Foster Camp, United Confederate Veterans, were scheduled to meet in the Monroe County Courthouse in Monroeville, Ala., at 3 p.m. on this Saturday. Business was to include the election of delegates to the annual Reunion at New Orleans, April 25-27. T.J. Emmons was the camp’s commander, and Thos. S. Wiggins was adjutant.

April 21, 1910 – Mark Twain died at the age of 74 in Redding, Connecticut.

April 21, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. James Atkins, 19, of Flat Rock, Ala. “died from disease.” He was a private in the Machine Gun Corps. He is buried at Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1, Doullens, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France, Plot VI. C. 66.

April 21, 1918 – During World War I, 25-year-old German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as "The Red Baron", was shot down and killed by Allied fire over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.

April 21, 1920 - Alabama author Andrew Glaze was born in Nashville, Tenn.

April 21, 1932 – Screenwriter, director, comedian and actor Elaine May was born Elaine Berlin in Philadelphia.

April 21, 1934 – The "Surgeon's Photograph," the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, was published in the Daily Mail. In 1999, it was revealed to be a hoax.

April 21, 1940 – After getting back to Brewton at 4 a.m. on this Sunday morning, at a 14-7 loss in Tallassee, the Brewton Millers baseball team lost to Andalusia, 14-3. Gore, pitching for the Rams, struck out 11 Brewton batters. The Millers were charged with seven errors. After this game, Manager Yaryan and team officials announced that they would present a changing array of new faces, or put a hustling, scraping ball club on the field, even if they had to get optioned players.

April 21, 1947 – Hank Williams’s first recording was made when eight songs were cut under the Sterling label.

April 21, 1947 – In their season opener, Evergreen High School’s baseball team lost, 10-2, to Bay Minette.

April 21, 1949 - The Medical Association of the State of Alabama presented Dr. P.L. Hollingsworth of Belleville, Ala. a Certificate of Distinction for 50 years in the practice of medicine.

April 21, 1949 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Ottis Johnson, former Evergreen Greenie star, was currently leading the Troy State Teacher’s College baseball team in batting with a .320 average. Ottis starred with the Greenies for three seasons, always batting near the .400 mark, and was one of the Tri-County Baseball League’s top outfielders. This was his first season with the college squad. The TROY MESSENGER, daily paper in Troy, Ala., had this to say about Ottis: “At present, right fielder Ottis Johnson is leading the pack at the plate with a .320 average. The big fly-chaser has added plenty of power to the Wave attack since breaking into the lineup. This is his first season of baseball with the Wavemen.”

April 21, 1949 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mrs. Charlie McKinley of Atmore was the guest that week of her sister, Mrs. A.C. Lee and Mr. Lee.

April 21, 1949 – The Monroe Journal reported that the family of Pfc. Aubrey L. Norris had received word from the War Department that the body of the former Monroeville soldier was being shipped to the United States for re-burial. He was wounded on New Guinea on July 16, 1943, while serving in the infantry, and died four days later on Guadalcanal Island. A native of Frisco City, Norris was the first Monroe County serviceman to be killed in action in World War II. Entering service on May 16, 1942, he was 21 years old when killed. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. Prior to being brought to the states, Norris’ body had been buried in the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine cemetery on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Upon arrival in Monroe County, the body was to lie in state at the home of W.M. Norris of Goodway, an older brother. He was a member of the 169th Infantry, 43rd Infantry Division. Born on Aug. 1, 1920, he is buried in the Union Cemetery in Frisco City.

April 21, 1949 – The Monroe Journal reported that Miss Jennie Faulk was the recent guest of Misses Maud and Margaret Howard of Mobile.

April 21, 1950 - Evergreen High School’s baseball team won their first victory of the 1950 season on this Friday, defeating Castleberry in Castleberry, 9-0, behind the near-perfect, one-hit pitching of Bertie Hassel. Hassel had the Blue Devil batters under control all the way as the Aggies evened up their series with Castleberry.

April 21, 1955 - The Tenth Annual 4-H Club and F.F.A. Fat Calf Show was held in Evergreen on this Thursday, and Marilyn Dees and her brother, Alvin, walked away with top honors. Seventy-two calves were shown, entered by some 67 F.F.A. and 4-H Club members. Thirteen-year-old Marilyn, a member of the Evergreen 4-H Club, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Dees, showed the Grand Champion for the second time, having won this coveted award in 1953, and the Reserve Champion in 1954. Her winner was a 1,015-pound Hereford. The T.R. Miller Mill Co. paid a record price of 68 cents per pound for the Grand Champion.

April 21, 1955 - Jack B. Kinzer, chairman of the Boys and Girls State Committee of the Alma Martin Post No. 50, announced on this day the names of the representatives from the four Conecuh high schools that would represent their schools at these statewide events. Representing Conecuh County High School was to be Louise Bradley and Comer Beasley. Repton High School was to be represented by Jean Armstrong and Comer Bonds, and Lyeffion planned to send Sarah Hardee and Clarence Riley. Evergreen High was to be represented by Patty McGehee, Clinton Claybrook and Buck Lewis. Boys State was to be held at the University of Alabama on May 28 through June 3. Girls State was to convene on June 12 and close on June 18.

April 21, 1955 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Monroe County Commission had purchased five lots fronting on North Mount Pleasant Street, which were to be used as a site for the erection of a new county jail, provided the approval of all interested governmental agencies was obtained. The lots, measuring 88 feet fronting on Mt. Pleasant Street, and 162 feet deep, were purchased from W.B. Owens of Monroeville, who owned four, and Max Bradley of Monroeville, who owned one of the lots.

April 21, 1958 - The 12th Annual Evergreen Junior Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Conecuh County Fat Calf Show was scheduled to be held in Evergreen on this Monday, according to John Horne, chairman of the Jaycee committee in charge.

April 21, 1963 – Dock Eli Higdon passed away at the age of 76 after a long illness. Higdon, a Mason, was a widely known and highly respected Conecuh County farmer and businessman, serving as director of the Conecuh County Exchange for many years. During World War I, he served with distinction in the U.S. Army in France as a scout for the famed Wildcat Division. Born on Feb. 2, 1887, he is buried in the Arkadelphia Cemetery at Loree.

April 21, 1965 - The Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency reported a “most ominous” development: a regiment of the People’s Army of Vietnam – the regular army of North Vietnam – division was now operating with the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

April 21, 1966 – During his campaign for a second term, former Alabama Gov. John Patterson visited Evergreen, Ala. at 4 p.m. and delivered a “major address” from a bandstand in “No Man’s Land” in downtown Evergreen, Ala. He was preceded by Rebe Gosdin and the Sunny Valley Gang. The Gosdin group appeared with Patterson during his successful first campaign for governor in 1958.

April 21, 1971 – William Baker “Bill” Grant, the 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Grant of Frisco City and star athlete at Monroe Academy, died on this Wednesday afternoon while participating in at track meet at Selma. Attendants at Vaughn Memorial Hospital said he was dead on arrival at the hospital and that death was apparently due to a heart attack. Born on Nov. 15, 1952, he is buried in the Union Cemetery in Frisco City.

April 21, 1972 – A number of awards were presented at the Evergreen High School athletic banquet, including Whalon Oliver, Evergreen Civil Air Patrol Best Lineman Award; Wavie Ausby, WBLO Best Back Trophy and Basketball MVP Trophy; Marshall Davis, Best Sportsmanship Trophy; Frank Murphy, and Evergreen Jaycees Best All Around Player Award. Coach Wendell Hart was also presented with a special award in honor of his retirement after 26 years as a coach.

April 21, 1975 - Xuan Loc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, fell to the communists.

April 21, 1975 – Writer Nell Freudenberger was born in New York City.

April 21, 1975 - A Charolais steer fed by the Evergreen FFA Chapter and shown by Jimmy McNeil won the grand championship of the annual Conecuh County 4-H and FFA Fat Calf Show held in Evergreen on this Monday at the Conecuh Stockyard Show Arena. The steer weighed 1,190 pounds and graded choice. Conecuh-Monroe Counties Gas District paid a premium 91 cents per pound for the champ.


April 21, 1981 - Cedarcrest in Oak Hill in Wilcox County, Ala. was placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

April 21, 1982 – NFL running back Cadillac Williams was born in Gadsden, Ala. He went on to play at Auburn, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the St. Louis Rams.

April 21, 1982 – Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers became the first pitcher to record 300 saves.

April 21, 1983 – NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was born in Montgomery, Ala. He went on to play for Sidney Lanier, Alabama State, the Minnesota Vikings, the Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills.

April 21, 1984 - David Palmer of the Montreal Expos pitched the fourth shortened, perfect game in major league baseball history. The game was called due to rain after five innings. Palmer had made 57 pitches.

April 21, 1986 - Geraldo Rivera opened a vault that belonged to Al Capone at the Lexington Hotel in Chicago. Nothing of interest was found inside.

April 21, 1991 - A television version of Alabama author Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews' book “The Perfect Tribute” was broadcast.

April 21, 1994 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Clayton Cobb had announced his candidacy for the office of coroner of Conecuh County in the upcoming Democratic primary. Cobb was a lifelong resident of the Brooklyn-Paul community. He was self-employed and operates Brooklyn Machine, Inc. He was a Blue Lodger and Scottish Rite Mason.

April 21, 1994 – The Evergreen Courant reported that when Conecuh County voters went to the polls that June they would be electing a new sheriff for the first time in 20 years. Conecuh County Sheriff Edwin L. Booker announced that week that he would not seek an unprecedented fifth term of office. He planned to retire when the new sheriff took office in January 1995.

April 21, 1994 – The Monroe Journal reported that J.F. Shields High School coach Herbert Blackmon and Monroe County High School senior forward Kewanna Booker had been named coach and player of the year, respectively, for the all-Monroe County girls basketball team. Other players on the all-county first team were Christy Agnew, Monroe Academy; Diane Bullard, MCHS; Renea Fountain, Shields; Tracy Griffin, MA; Aquinda Jackson, MCHS; Kim Parker, J.U. Blacksher; Bridget Riley, Shields; Tammie Stallworth, Shields; and Melissa White, Blacksher. Honorable mentions included MCHS coach Valerie Stephens and players Terrica Shomoe, Blacksher; Tara Acton, MA; Cleo Sanders, Shields; Demetrius Richardson, MCHS; Romona Watson, Shields; Tanjai English, Blacksher; Teresa Jackson, MCHS; and Staci Stephens, MA.

April 21, 2004 – Five suicide car bombers targeted police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160.

April 21, 2006 - A movie version of Alabama author James Redfield's book “The Celestine Prophecy” was released.

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