ime Machine 1606 - The "Susan Constant," "Godspeed" and "Discovery" set sail from London. Their landing at Jamestown, Virginia, was the start of the first permanent English settlement in America 1620 - The Pilgrim Fathers landed at New Plymouth, Ma., to found Plymouth Colony, with John Carver as Governor 1622 - The Papal Chancery adopted January 1st as the beginning of the New Year (instead of March 25th) 1675 - The first corporation was chartered in the United States. The company was the New York Fishing Company 1690 the first American newspaper was published 1690 - The first paper money in America was issued by the Massachusetts colony. The currency was used to pay soldiers who were fighting in the war against Quebec. 1695 - The window tax was imposed in Britain, which resulted in many windows being bricked up 1696 - Born: James Oglethorpe, colonist: founded city of Savannah, Georgia; colonized Georgia; died June 30, 1785 1726 - The slang word "yahoo" first appeared in Swift's book Gulliver's Travels as the name of a race of sub-human brutes 1735 - Born: Paul Revere, silversmith, American revolutionary hero: "The British are coming!", member of Sons of Liberty and participant in Boston Tea Party; died May 10, 1818 1751---Born: James Madison, fourth president of the United States; died June 28, 1836. 1752 - The Pennsylvania Hospital opened as the very first hospital in America. 1752 - Flag seamstress Betsy Ross in January 1757 - Born: Alexander Hamilton, (statesman) First U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; died in duel with rival Aaron Burr July 11, 1804 1764 - The city of St. Louis was established. 1767 - Born Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. President in 1829-1837; died June 8, 1845. 1770 - The first shipment of rhubarb was sent to the United States from London 1770 - Born Ludwig van Beethoven, composer: although totally deaf, led orchestra in premiere performance of his Ninth Symphony; died Mar. 26, 1827 1772 - The first traveler�s checks were issued by Thomas Cooks of London 1773 - Nearly 350 chests of tea were dumped into Boston Harbour off of British merchant ships by Colonial rebels. The revolutionaries who disguised themselves as native Americans, launched their protest in response to trading privileges granted to the British East India Company 1773 - Born Sir George Cayley, pilot: first manned glider flight; scientist: 'father of aerodynamics': designed gliders, helicopters, airplanes; died Dec. 15, 1857 1773 - William Henry Harrison, 9th U.S. President in 1841; caught a cold on inauguration day and died 30 days later on April 4; served shortest term of any U.S. president. 1775 - Born Jane Austen, author: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility; died July 18, 1817 1777 - France recognized American independence 1778 - The United States gained official recognition from France as the two nations signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance in Paris. 1783 - Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America. 1783 - George Washington returned home to Mount Vernon, after the disbanding of his army following the Revolutionary War 1785 - Born: Jakob Grimm, librarian; fairy tale author [with brother, Wilhelm]: Hansel and Grethel, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White; died Sept. 20, 1863 1787 - New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution 1788 - Georgia became the 4th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1788 - Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1788 - The state of Maryland voted to cede a 100-square-mile area for the seat of the national government. About two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia 1789 - Electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States. 1790---The shoestring was invented in England. Prior to this time, all shoes were fastened with buckles. 1790 - The first successful cotton mill in the United States began operating at Pawtucket, RI. 1790 - In the United States, George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address 1791 - Vermont became the 14th state of the union. 1791 - A traffic regulation in New York City established the first street to go "One Way" 1791 - In the U.S., the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect 1793 - Born: Sam Houston, fought for Texas' independence from Mexico; President of Republic of Texas; U.S. Senator; died July 26, 1863. 1799 - Jedediah Smith, explorer: helped to create Oregon Trail; 1st American to reach California by land, 1st to travel Pacific Coast from San Diego to Canada by land; killed by Comanche warriors in the spring of 1831 while looking for water on the Santa Fe Trail 1799---The Congress of the United States standardized weights and measures. Which meant that henceforth a foot would mean twelve inches, a yardstick would be three feet or 36" long, and that two pints would be a quart. 1800 - U.S. Congress met for the first time in the new capital, Washington, D.C., and President John Adams became the first occupant of the Executive Mansion (later called the White House). 1800's---No one was really in the habit of exchanging elaborate gifts until late in the 1800s. The tradition of a Christmas tree was widespread in Germany, then moved to England and then to America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants. 1800 - Napoleon Bonaparte established himself as first consul in France. 1801 - Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated as the third president of the United States; he was the first to be inaugurated in the new capital of Washington. 1801- France and Austria signed the Peace of Luneville, effectively ending the Holy Roman Empire. 1802 - the United States Congress passed an act establishing a military academy at West Point, New York. 1803 - Ohio was admitted as the 17th American state. 1803 - The United States Senate ratified a treaty that included the Louisiana Territories from France for $15 million. The transfer was completed with formal ceremonies in New Orleans 1804 - The formal ceremonies transferring the Louisiana Purchase from France to the U.S. took place in St. Louis. 1805 - The Michigan Territory was created 1807 - Born; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet of The Song of Hiawatha, Paul Revere's Ride, The Wreck of the Hesperus; died Mar 24, 1882 1807 -Born: Robert E. Lee, Civil War: Confederate General; died Oct. 12, 1870 1807 - The U.S. Congress passed the Embargo Act, designed to force peace between Britain and France by cutting off all trade with Europe 1808 - The U.S. prohibited import of slaves from Africa 1809 - Born: Louis Braille, developed system of writing that could be felt and interpreted by the blind; not widely recognized until after his death; died Jan 6, 1852 1809 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the power of the federal government was greater than that of any individual state. 1809 - Born: Charles Darwin, naturalist: theory of evolution: On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection; died Apr 19, 1882 1809 - Born: Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President [1861-1865]; married to Mary Todd [four sons]; assassinated Apr 15, 1865 1810 - The Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria. 1812 - Charles Lewis Tiffany, jeweller who's name is synonymous with highest quality jewelry; died Feb 18,1902 1812 - Born: Samuel Smiles, writer: Thrift: "A place for everything and everything in its place."; died Apr. 16, 1904 1812 - Charles Dickens, novelist: David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist; died June 9, 1870 1813 - The British burned Buffalo, NY, during the War of 1812 1815 - The Battle of New Orleans began. The War of 1812 had officially ended on December 24, 1814, with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. The news of the signing had not reached British troops in time to prevent their attack on New Orleans 1815 - Ada Lovelace, born December 10, wrote a scientific paper that anticipated the development of computer software, artificial intelligence and computer music. 1815 - The world's first commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland. 1817--- The first commercial steamboat route was opened. It ran from Louisville to New Orleans. 1818 - "Silent Night" was performed for the first time, at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorff, Austria 1819 - United States acquired Florida from Spain 1820 - Maine was admitted as the 23rd state of the Union. 1821 - Mexico declared independence from Spain 1821 - Born: Clara Barton, nurse; founder of American Red Cross; died Apr. 12, 1912 1822 - Born: Louis Pasteur, chemist, scientist: developed pasteurization process, rabies vaccination; died Sept. 28, 1895 1822---Clement C. Moore composed his famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nick," which was later published as "The Night Before Christmas." 1823 - Stephen F. Austin received a grant from the Mexican government and began colonization in the region of the Brazos River in Texas 1823 - The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" 'Twas the night before Christmas...") was published 1824 - The U.S. War Department created the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Seneca Indian Ely Parker became the first Indian to lead the Bureau. 1824 - J.W. Goodrich introduced rubber galoshes to the public. 1824 - Born: Stonewall (Thomas) Jackson, Confederate General: one of the Civil War's most famous military officers; died May 10, 1863 1825 - The U.S. House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president. 1827, composer and pianist Ludwig Van Beethoven, who had a lasting influence on the development of music, died at the age of 56. 1825 - Ezra Daggett and Thomas Kensett of New York City patented a canning process to preserve salmon, oysters and lobsters From: The Adams Centinel (Gettysburg, Pa.) JOHN ADAMS AND THOMAS JEFFERSON ARE NO MORE 1828 - First edition of Noah Webster's dictionary is published. 1828 - Born: Jules Verne, 'the father of science fiction': writer: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days; died Mar 24, 1905 1829 - Born Feb. 28, Levi Strauss, creator of blue jeans or Levi's; died Sept. 26, 1902 1828---Poinsettias were attached to Christmas. 1831 - Charles Darwin set out on a voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin's discoveries during the voyage helped him form the basis of his theories on evolution 1831 - Born: George Pullman, inventor of the railroad sleeping car; and founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company; died Oct 19, 1897 1832 -raincoats were invented, in Scotland 1832 - Abraham Lincoln, of New Salem, Illinois, announced he was running for political office for the first time. He campaigned for a seat in the Illinois state legislature; He didn't win. 1832 - Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson), mathematician, writer: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass; died Jan 14, 1898 1835 - In New York, 530 buildings were destroyed by fire 1836 - Mexico's independence was recognized by Spain 1836---Samuel Colt patented his revolver in the U.S. 1836 - Texas adopted Declaration of Independence from Mexico. 1836 - Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, leading several thousand Mexican troops, began besieging the Alamo mission settlement 1836 - Samuel Colt made the first pistol, a .34-caliber 'Texas' model. 1836 - The siege of the Alamo ended when Mexican troops under Santa Anna captured the mission fort garrisoned by Davey Crockett and 154 Texans. 1837 - Michigan became the 26th state. 1838 - Born: General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), entertainer: world's most famous midget; died July 15, 1883 1838 - Alfred Vail demonstrated a telegraph code he had devised using dots and dashes as letters. The code was the predecessor to Samuel Morse's code 1839 - Mr. William S. Otis, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, patented the steam shovel. 1840's---The first commercial American valentines. 1840---The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain 1841---President William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia after serving one month. He was the first to die in office. 1841 - The word dinosaur was just invented 1842 - Hawaii's independence was recognised by the U.S 1843 - Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was first published in England 1843 - "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens was published 1843 - Francis Scott Key, the poet who penned the national anthem of the United States of America, died at the age of 63 1845---The last descendant of the musical Bach family died. 1845 - Dr. Crawford Williamson Long used anaesthesia for childbirth for the first time. The event was the delivery of his own child in Jefferson, Georgia 1845 - U.S. President James Polk and signed legislation making Texas the 28th state of the United States 1845 - Florida was admitted as the 27th state of the union. 1845 - The U.S. Congress decided all national elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. 1846 - Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began their exodus to the west from Illinois. 1846 - Born: William Cody (Buffalo Bill); died Jan 10, 1917 1846 - Iowa became the 29th state to be admitted to the Union 1846---Christmas cards started in America. 1847 - Born: Alexander Graham Bell, teacher of the deaf; inventor of telephone; founder of Bell Telephone Company; died Aug 2, 1922 1847 - Born: Thomas Alva Edison, inventor; died Oct 18, 1931 1848 - The Communist Manifesto was published. 1848 - The first shipload of Chinese emigrants arrived in San Francisco, CA. 1848 - James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter's Mill in northern California. The discovery led to the gold rush of '49 1848---JOHN B CURTIS of Bangor, Maine, first manufactured chewing gum 1848---The "Communist Manifesto" was published by authors, Frederich Engels and Karl Marx. 1849---James Polk's incumbency ended on a Sunday. His successor, Zachary Taylor, refused to be sworn in on the Sabbath. 1849 - For the first time, regular steamboat service to California by Cape Horn arrived in San Francisco. On October 6, 1848, the "SS California" left New York Harbour, making the trip in four months, 21 days. 1849 - The first photograph of a U.S. President, while in office, was taken by Matthew Brady in New York City. President James Polk was the subject of the picture. 1850 - Henry Clay introduced in the Senate a compromise bill on slavery that included the admission of California into the Union as a free state. 1850--The American Navy abolished flogging as a punishment 1850---The type of sweet corn Americans enjoy today was first cultivated. 1851 the first edition of the NEW YORK TIMES was published. 1853 - The United States bought about 45,000 square miles of land from Mexico in a deal known as the Gadsden Purchase 1854 - In Philadelphia, the first street cleaning machine was put into use 1854 - Charles Miller received a patent for the sewing machine that stitched buttonholes. 1856 - Borax (hydrated sodium borate) was discovered by Dr. John Veatch 1857---A group called the Mystik Krewe of Comus staged the first modern-style Mardi Gras parade. 1858 - Born: Giacomo Puccini, musician, Italian opera composer: La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly; died Nov. 29, 1924 1859 - Born: George Ferris, inventor: Ferris wheel; died Nov 22, 1896 1860---In 1860, the illustrator and caricaturist Thomas Nast, who was working for the New York newspaper Harper's Illustrated Weekly, dressed Santa Claus in a red costume trimmed with white fur and held up with a wide leather belt. 1860 - The Pony Express only lasted 18 months, from April to October 1860 - South Carolina became the first state to secede from the American Union 1860 - First Pony Express rider arrives in SF from St. Joseph, Missouri. 1861 - Samuel Goodale patented the moving picture peep show machine. 1861 - In America, Kansas became the 34th state of the Union. 1862 - The first paper money of the United States government was issued. 1862 - U.S. President Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia to the Union 1863 - Born: George Santayana, philosopher/writer: The Last Puritan; "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."; died Sept. 26, 1952 1863---American president ABRAHAM LINCOLN officially designated the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day 1863 - Samuel Langhorne Clemens used a pseudonym for the first time. He is better remembered by the pseudonym which is Mark Twain. 1863 - The fire extinguisher was patented by Alanson Crane. 1864---The first book was published: How To Do It; or,Directions for Knowing or Doing Everything Needful 1864---Born: Songwriter Stephen Foster ("Oh Susanna," "Camptown Races") died at age 37 1865 - The coffee percolator was patented by James H. Mason 1865 - Abraham Lincoln assassinated in Ford's Theater. 1867 - The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson. 1867 - Nebraska became the 37th state of the Union. 1867 - Laura Ingalls Wilder, writer: Little House series including Little House on the Prairie and Little House in the Big Woods; died Feb 10, 1957 1867---The first year that Macy's department store in New York City remained open until midnight on Christmas Eve. 1868 - Born: Harvey Firestone, industrialist: founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company; died Feb. 7, 1938 1869 - The Suez Canal , Egypt, was opened, linking the Mediterranean and Red seas. 1870's---The first Easter Egg rolls were held during the administration of President Andrew Johnson. 1870---Rome was declared the capital of Italy 1870 - John D. Rockerfeller incorporated Standard Oil 1870 - The United States Weather Bureau was authorized by Congress. The bureau is officially known as the National Weather Service. 1870 - The state of Virginia rejoined the Union. 1871 - Andrew S. Hallidie received a patent for a cable car system 1871 - Corrugated paper was patented by Albert L. Jones 1871 - Henry W. Bradley patented oleomargarine 1871---The Great Fire of Chicago, Illinois, America, started. It lasted three days, killing more than 250 people and making 95,000 homeless 1872 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in New York City. 1872 - Yellowstone, the World's first National Park, was set up 1872 - George Westinghouse patented the air brake. 1874---1874 was the year of the first window displays with a Christmas theme at Macy's. 1875 - Born: FBI czar J. Edgar Hoover in January 1876---On June 25, 1876 George Armstrong Custer went to his last stand on the Little Big Horn river. 1876--- Sardines were first commercially canned. 1876---MELVILLE BISSELL, American inventor, patented the carpet sweeper. 1876 - All Native American Indians were ordered to move into reservations. 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell filed an application for a patent for the telephone. 1877---Guernsey Cattle Club, the very first of such organizations, was started. 1877 - The "American Bicycling Journal" went on sale for the first time 1877 - John Stevens applied for a patent for his flour-rolling mill, which boosted production by 70% 1877 - Thomas Edison patented the phonograph 1877---The first human cannonball was shot out of a cannon at a London circus 1878---the first Chinese Embassy was opened in Washington 1878---Thomas Edison patented the first phonograph. 1878---The world's first telephone book was issued (in Connecticut.) 1879 - Thomas Edison gave his first public demonstration of incandescent lighting to an audience in Menlo Park, NJ. 1879 - Thomas Edison began construction on his first generator 1879 - The discovery of saccharin. 1879 - The first artificial ice rink opened in North America. It was at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY. 1879 - Frank W. Woolworth opened his first 5 and dime store. 1880 - New York's Broadway became known as the "Great White Way" when it was illuminated by electricity 1880---ALONZO T CROSS patented the first ball point pen. 1880---In 1880, Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments. 1881 - Kansas became the first state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages. 1882 - 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the best loved of all American poets, passed away. 1882---The first electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared 1882---Outlaw Jesse James was shot to death by Robert Ford, a former gang member. 1883 - Samuel Morse demonstrated the telegraph for the first time 1883 - Thomas Edison's first village electric lighting system using overhead wires began operation in Roselle, NJ. 1883 - Oscar Hammerstein patented the first, practical, cigar-rolling machine. 1884 - Percy Everitt received a patent for the first coin-operated weighing machine 1885 - Dr. William Grant performed the first successful appendectomy. The patient was Mary Gartside 1885 - The roller coaster was patented by L.A. Thompson 1885 - Born: Alice Paul, US women's rights activist; founder of National Women's Party in 1913; died July 9, 1977 1885---Established Santa's official residence at the North Pole. 1885 - Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the U.S. for the first time. 1886 - Charles M. Hall finished his invention of aluminum 1886 - The first successful petrol-driven motorcar, built by Karl Benz, was patented. 1886 - At a convention of union leaders in Columbus, Oh., the American Federation of Labor was founded 1887 - The beginning of groundhog day in Punxsutawney, PA. 1887 - Everett Horton patented the telescopic fishing rod, made of one steel tube inside another. 1888 - The "Blizzard of '88" began along the U.S. Atlantic Seaboard shutting down communication and transportation lines. More than 400 people died. between March 11-14. 1888 - The typewriter ribbon was patented by Jacob L. Wortman. 1888 - The drinking straw was patented by Marvin C. Stone 1888---JACK THE RIPPER killed two women in London 1889 - The tabulating machine was patented by Dr. Herman Hollerith. His firm, Tabulating Machine Company, later became International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) 1889 - North and South Dakota were admitted to the Union. 1890 - The U.S. Seventh Cavalry massacred over 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee Creek, SD. This was the last major conflict between Indians and U.S. troops 1890 - American Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members were killed in Grand River, SD, during an incident with Indian police working for the U.S. government 1891 - New York's new Immigration Depot was opened at Ellis Island, to provide improved facilities for the massive numbers of arrivals 1892 - Alexander T. Brown and George Stillman patented the pneumatic tire 1892 -Born J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien, writer: Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit; died Sept. 2, 1973 1892 - William Painter patented the crown bottle cap. 1893 - Thomas A. Edison completed work on the world's first motion picture studio in West Orange, NJ. 1894 - C.B. King received a patent for the pneumatic hammer. 1895 - German physicist Wilhelm R�ntgen made the first X-ray, of his wife's hand 1896 - Utah became the 45th U.S. state 1896---The first college basketball game took place on January 18, 1896 between the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa 1896 - U.S. physician Emile Grubbe became the first to use radiation treatment for breast cancer on his patient, Rose Lee of Chicago. 1897---Vegetarian/ nutritionist/ physician John Kellogg first served corn flakes to his patients at a Battle Creek, Michigan sanitarium. 1897---Book published, "The Bright Side of Prison Life" 1898 - Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island were consolidated into New York City 1898 - The Spanish-American War began after the battleship USS Maine blew up in Havana harbor. The cause of the explosion still remains a mystery. 1899 - Humphrey O'Sullivan patented the rubber heel. 1899---Book published, "How to Cook Husbands" 1899---Aspirin was patented. 1900---Candy canes around 1900 were first decorated with red stripes and bent into the shape of a cane. 1900 - U.S. President McKinley placed Alaska under military rule 1900 - Eastman Kodak Co. introduced the $1 Brownie box camera. 1901---William McKinley, 25th U.S. President [1897-1901]; assassinated six months after the start of his second term: Sept. 14 1901 - "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," by Beatrix Potter, was printed for the first time 1902 - New York State introduced a bill to outlaw flirting in public 1903 - The first successful gasoline-powered airplane flight took place near Kitty Hawk, NC. Orville and Wilbur Wright made the flight 1903 - The Panama Canal Zone was acquired 'in perpetuity' by the U.S. for an annual rent 1903 - The Williamsburg Bridge opened in New York City. It was the first major suspension bridge in America 1903 - Morris and Rose Michtom, Russian immigrants, introduced the first teddy bear in America. 1904 - Born: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), Pulitzer Prize-winning author in 1984: The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Green Eggs and Ham; died Sept. 24, 1991 1904 - James Barrie's play "Peter Pan" premiered in London 1904---The average life expectancy in the US was 47 years. 1904---Only 14% of the homes in the US had a bathtub. 1904---Only 8% of the homes had a telephone. 1904---A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost $11.00 1904---There were only 8,000 cars in the US, and only 144 miles of paved roads. 1904---The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. 1904---Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union. 1904---The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. 1904---The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour. 1904---The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year. 1904---A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year. 1904---A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year. 1904---A mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year. 1904---More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home. 1904---Ninety % of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard." 1904---Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. 1904---Coffee was fifteen cents a pound. 1904---Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. 1904---Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason. 1904---The five leading causes of death in the United States were: 1904---The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet. 1904---The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30! 1904---Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented. 1904---There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day. 1904---Two of 10 US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6% of all Americans had graduated high school. 1904---Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." (Shocking!) 1904---Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic. 1904---There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US 1906---American civil rights leader Susan B. Anthony, who fought for over sixty years for the vote while also advocating the abolition of slavery and women's rights, died at the age of 86. 1908 - Mark Breith, Cincinnati, Ohio's mayor, stood before the city council and announced, "Women are not physically fit to operate automobiles." 1908 - The Sullivan Ordinance was passed in New York City making smoking by women became illegal. The measure was vetoed by Mayor George B. McClellan Jr. 1909 - The first payments of old-age pensions were made in Britain. People over 70 received five shillings a week 1909 - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded. 1911 - Willis Farnworth, from Petaluma, California, patented the coin-operated locker. 1912 - Captain Albert Berry executed the first parachute jump from a moving airplane. 1912 - The U.S. Congress prohibited the immigration of illiterate persons 1912 - New Mexico became the 47th U.S. state 1913 - The Federal Reserve System was established as the first U.S. central bank 1913 - Grand Central Station opened in New York City, NY. It was the largest train station in the world. 1913 - The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It authorized the power to impose and collect income tax. 1913 - the first crossword puzzle was printed. 1915 - The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote 1915 - George Claude, of Paris, France, patented the neon discharge tube for use in advertising signs 1916 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that income tax was unconstitutional. 1916 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sent 12,000 troops, under General Pershing, over the border of Mexico to pursue bandit Pancho Villa. The mission failed. 1917 - Germany announced its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. 1919 - By an act of US Congress, Grand Canyon National Park was established. 1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formed 1922 - At Toronto General Hospital, Leonard Thompson became the first person to be successfully treated with insulin 1923 - The first issue of "Time" magazine was published. 1924---dollars to 2000 dollars: 1928 - The first home TV set was demonstrated, the size of the screen was 3" by 4" 1929 - The United States and Canada reached an agreement on joint action to preserve Niagara Falls 1929 - Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" as a New Year's Eve song for the first time 1929 - The Seeing Eye was incorporated in Nashville, Tn. The company's purpose was to train dogs to guide the blind 1930 - Prepackaged frozen food produced by the company set up by Clarence Birdseye went on sale for the first time in 10 stores in Springfield Massachusetts. 1934 - Henry Ford restored the $5 a day wage. 1937 - Walt Disney debuted the first, full-length, animated feature in Hollywood, CA. The movie was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" 1938 - The first nylon bristle toothbrush was made, marking the first time nylon yarn was used commercially. Two years later, nylon hosiery would be introduced. Only 14 percent of the homes in the United States had a bathtub. There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads. Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the twenty-first most populous state in the Union. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The average wage in the U.S. was twenty-two cents an hour. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year. Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound. Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. Drive-by-shootings - in which teenage boys galloped down the street on horses and started randomly shooting at houses, carriages, or anything else that caught their fancy - were an ongoing problem in Denver and other cities in the West. Plutonium, insulin, and antibiotics hadn't been discovered yet. Scotch tape, crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine. There were about 230 reported murders in the U.S. annually. More than 100 years ago, the felt hat makers of England used mercury to stabilize wool. Most of them eventually became poisoned by the fumes, as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Breathing mercury's fumes over a long period of time will cause erythrism, a disorder characterized by nervousness, irritability, and strange personality changes. In your family searches, many cases of people disappearing from records can be traced to dying during bad weather, an epidemic or moving away from the affected area. This may account for your missing ancestors. These are some of the events that caused many deaths in Tennessee: February-March 1780---Smallpox epidemic in the Cherokee nation near Chattanooga 1795-1796---Severe winter in Tennessee 1800---Fever in Knoxville May 24 1807---Tornadoes hit Roane, Knox, Sevier, Jefferson and Coyoka Counties 1808---Tennessee River floods December 1812---Severe winter Summer 1816---The Year Without A Summer - unusually low temperatures state wide 1819---Drought February 1823---Severe winter statewide March 1826---Tennessee River floods May 1830---Drought 1832-1833---Cholera epidemic statewide November 13-15, 1833---Meteor shower - heavy, general panic statewide February 1835---Severe Winter East Tennessee 1838---Cholera epidemic Knoxville June - winter 1838---Malarial fever epidemic in Knoxville May 1840---Tennessee River floods 1842---Tennessee River floods November 28, 1844---Earthquake - Knoxville March 1847---Tennessee River floods December 19, 1847---Tennessee River Floods June - August 1849---Cholera epidemic Mid-April 1849---Severe cold and snow statewide June 1850---Cholera epidemic April 29, 1852---Earthquake - Virginia, N. Carolina, and Tennessee August 28-30, 1852---Tennessee River flood 1854---Cholera Epidemic July 17, 1859---Tornado in December in Tennessee 1861-1865---American Civil War February 1862---Tennessee River flood April 27, 1865---Sultana explodes on Mississippi River September 1866---Cholera Epidemic 1867---Yellow Fever epidemic March 1-7, 1867---Tennessee River floods March 6-14, 1867---Tennessee River floods Knoxville and Chattanooga 1869---Riverboat wreck on Tennessee River near Dayton "RP Converse" and "Last Chance" 1870---Tennessee River near Chattanooga Riverboat "Mary Byrd" wrecks 1871---Major fire in Chattanooga April 20, 1871---Tennessee River floods 1873---Yellow Fever Epidemic January 22, 1873---Blizzard in Middle Tennessee May-August 1873---Cholera Epidemic 1875---Tennessee River Riverboat wreck near Chattanooga "Hugh Martin" March 1875---Tennessee River floods Knoxville March 3, 1875---Tennessee River floods Harriman November 2, 1875---Earthquake N. Georgia and S. Carolina March 17, 1876---Tennessee River floods June 17, 1876---Tennessee River floods December 1876-1877---Severe Cold statewide 1877-1878---Drought August-October 1878---Yellow Fever epidemic January 1882---Tennessee River floods Winter 1882-1883---Smallpox epidemic- Chattanooga, Cleveland and Morristown 1883---Tennessee River floods February 1884---Tennessee River floods February 9, 1884---Tornadoes thru-out Tennessee March 1885---Tennessee River floods March 1886---Tennessee River floods 1887---Drought March 11-14, 1888(or 1885)?---Great Blizzard (largest before March 1993) March 1890---Tennessee River floods 1893---Financial panic statewide January 1893---Tennessee River wreck near Chattanooga "JC Warner" January 1893---Severe cold statewide February 18, 1893---Tennessee River floods 1894-1896---Drought December 20, 1895---Coal mine disaster at Dayton, Rhea Counties April 1896---Tennessee River flood 1897---Niota fire February 1897---Tennessee River flood March 1897---Tennessee River flood 1898-1899---Cerebro-Spinal meningitis epidemic Knoxville October 1900---Tennessee River flood November 26, 1900---Tennessee River flood May 18-21, 1901---Tennessee River flood August 14, 1901---Tennessee River flood December 1901---Tennessee River flood February 28, 1902---Tennessee River flood March 1902---Tennessee River flood July 5, 1902---Tennessee River flood February 27, 1903---Tennessee River flood February 3, 1905---Severe cold statewide April 30, 1909---Tornadoes statewide May 31, 1909---Tennessee River floods Knoxville March 28, 1913---Earthquake Knoxville April 17, 1913---Earthquake Ducktown 1913-1914---Drought 1914---Tornado 1916---Polio epidemic statewide July 15-16, 1916---Tennessee River floods March 1917---Tennessee River floods 1917---America enters WWI; ends November 1918 Winter 1917-1918---Winter storm statewide January 27-28, 1918---Tennessee River floods Fall 1918---Influenza pandemic statewide/worldwide March 16-17, 1919---Tennessee River floods April 3-4, 1920---Tennessee River floods April 12, 1920---Tennessee River floods December 24, 1921---Severe storms statewide 1923---Measles statewide 1925-1926---Drought 1925---Forest fires statewide October 4, 1926---Rockwood, Roane County Coal mine disaster November 25-26, 1926---Tornado December 31, 1926---Tennessee River floods February 3, 1929---Tennessee River flood March 22, 1929---Severe Storm East Tennessee May 2, 1929---Tennessee River flood October 29, 1929---Stock Market crash-- beginning of great depression 1930-1931---Drought March 19, 1933---Flood Tennessee River 1933---Measles epidemic statewide January 21, 1935---Tennessee River floods March 25, 1935---Tennessee River floods December 1935---Forest fires statewide 1936---Meningitis statewide January 1936---Tennessee River floods Summer-Fall 1936---Polio epidemic statewide Winter 1936-1937---Influenza and pneumonia epidemic 1936-1937---Knoxville "Black death" July 21, 1938---Tennessee River floods July 8-10, 1939---Tennessee River floods 1940---Severe winter 1940-1942---Drought June 7, 1940---Tennessee River floods August 1940---Tennessee River floods 1941---Whooping cough statewide Summer -fall 1941---Polio epidemic Hamilton County August 1941---Tennessee River floods 1941-1943---Measles epidemic statewide February 5-6, 1942---Tornado Tennessee December 1942---Tennessee River floods 1943---Whooping cough statewide 1943---Meningitis statewide 1941-1945---WWII September 29, 1944---Tennessee River floods 1945---Diphtheria epidemic statewide 1945-1946---Polio epidemic statewide 1945---Tennessee River flood January 7, 1946---Tennessee River flood August 1, 1946---Battle of Athens February 13, 1948---Tennessee River floods December 31-January 1, 1948-1949---Tornado in Tennessee January 1949---Tennessee River floods 1950-1951---Infectious hepatitis outbreak Knox County January -February 1951---Severe winter September 1, 1951---Tennessee River floods February 29, 1952---Tornado in McMinn County June-July 1952---Heat wave Statewide May 2, 1953---Tornados in McMinn and Meigs Counties 1954---Drought April 28, 1954---Tennessee River floods August 9, 1954---Tennessee River floods March 1955---Tennessee River floods 1957---Influenza statewide January 23-31, 1957---Severe ice storm statewide January 28, 1957---Tennessee River floods November 18-19, 1957---Flood Spring City, Rhea County November 18, 1957---Tennessee River floods March 27, 1959---Tennessee River floods 1960-1961---Infectious hepatitis epidemic statewide March 2, 1960---Ice storm statewide December 12-18, 1961---Tennessee River floods March 19, 1963---Tornadoes Bradley and McMinn Counties April 28, 1964---Tennessee River floods October 5-6, 1964---Tennessee River floods October 16, 1964---Tennessee River floods March 16, 1965---Tennessee River floods April 15, 1965---Tornado Bradley County 1966-1967---Drought 1969-1971---Drought February 21, 1971---Tornado January 7-8, 1973---Ice storm SE Tennessee February 8-11, 1973---Winter storm April 3, 1974---Tornadoes in Knox, Polk, Bradley, McMinn Counties February 4, 1976---Earthquake in Conasauga 1977---Winter storm April 4, 1977---Tennessee River floods 1979---Tennessee River floods 1980-1981---Drought May-September 1981---Weather related deaths--lightning strikes across state of Tennessee December 6, 1981---Chattanooga coal mine disaster April 2-12, 1983---Tennessee River flood May 27, 1983---Explosion at Benton fireworks factory 1985-1986---Drought May-September 1986---Weather related deaths - lightning strikes across state of Tennessee Fall 1987---Forest fires statewide March 1993---Greatest blizzard in 108 years February 16, 2003---Knoxville and East Tennessee have several major waterway floods and mud slides Folk Finders Guestbook email Montgomery County Cemeteries Death Notices Men Folk Women Folk Folks Name Index Neighborhood Folks Local Sports Folks Families The Courthouse Square Historical Notes Keeping the Peace Public Folks Remembrances of Our Past Birth Announcements Old Time Religion Marriages Society Folks Lodge Brothers Front Porch Memories Down on the Farm Business Folks Old School Days Funeral Home Records The Village Post Office Separate Ways Folks Reunions Folks Anniversaries Immigrant Ships Index Native Folk Wills of the Past The Old Home Place Time Machine Villages in Montgomery County Old Time Medical Terms Montgomery County Death Index (1908 - 1912) Montgomery County Death Index (1914) |