Elisha Otis (a descendant of Revolutionary hero James Otis) was a master mechanic. He invented a safety lift for a warehouse, but the company went out of business. He was headed for California in 1852 to seek gold when a furniture maker commissioned two of his elevators. He used Read more
On March 22, 1941, James Stewart became the first Hollywood star to join the Armed Forces when he was inducted as a private in the Army Air Force. Stewart’s grandfathers had fought in the Civil War and his father had served in the Spanish-American War and WWI. He was Read more
Today in 1925, Tennessee became the first state to outlaw the teaching of evolution. This led to the famous Scopes Trial in July. The Butler Act had been passed earlier in 1925. It forbade the teaching of evolution in Tennessee schools. The American Civil Liberties Union immediately put out a Read more
After the St. Mihiel Offensive on the Western Front in World War 1, Corporal Lee Duncan was sent to the village of Flirey to see if it had space for an airfield. On Sept. 15, 1918, he found a bombed-out kennel with a mother German Shepherd and her five Read more
William Marshal should not have lived to be a knight. When he was a teenager, his father gave him as a hostage to King Stephen with the promise that he would give up his castle or his son’s life would be forfeited. When John Marshal refused to carry out Read more
On March 18, 1881 the Barnum and Bailey Circus debuted in New York City. Over the years, Barnum had many interesting people who worked for him. P.T. Barnum is most famous for his circus known as the Greatest Show on Earth. But he also made a lot of money off Read more
March 17, 1804 is the birthday of the most famous mountain man. Jim Bridger was one of the most famous mountainmen. He was born in Richmond on March 17, 1804. When he was eight, his family moved to the gateway to the West – St. Louis. At age 13 he Read more
NAME – James Madison NICKNAME(S) – Short Stack / Dolley’s Husband / Little Jemmy / Father of the Constitution BIRTH / DEATH – March 16, 1751 Port Conway, Va. / 1836 – Montpelier, Va. FATHER – tobacco plantation owner MOTHER – housewife COLLEGE – Princeton WIFE – Dolley KIDS – Read more
On March 15, 1767, Andrew Jackson was born somewhere in the Carolinas. He would go on to become the most badass American President. Here is the ultimate story to prove that. Because of the unfortunate fact that technically Rachel was married to two men at the same time, enemies Read more
On March 14, 1794 Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin. Eli Whitney was born on Dec. 8, 1765 in Massachusetts. As a youth he showed talent in the mechanical arts by building his own violin. He graduated from Yale in 1789 and hoped to become a teacher. Things did Read more