TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to John Rowan, born in 1773.  Rowan was known throughout his life as an avid gamester which led to his famous duel with Dr. Chambers.  Rowan escaped prosecution upon Chambers death.  In 1795, Rowan began construction of Federal Hill, his family estate, on land that his father-in-law gave him as a wedding present, also known as “My Old Kentucky Home.”

July 12, 1784, Native Americans shot and scalped Walker Daniel, a founder of Danville.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Fleming County Alvin Saunders, born in 1817.  Alvin was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska, as well as the final and longest-serving governor of the Nebraska Territory, a tenure he served during and after the Civil War.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Louisville native Tod Browning, born in 1880.  His parents named him Charles Albert Browning Jr.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Hunt Stromberg, born in 1894.  The Louisville native produced, wrote, and directed some of Hollywood’s most profitable and enduring films, including The Thin Man series, the Nelson Eddy/Jeanette MacDonald operettas, The Women, and The Great Ziegfeld, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1936.

July 12, 1899, Deputy Jailer Jackson “Jack” Roberts, Breathitt County Jail, died from gunshots while attempting to arrest several men.  A total of five men were arrested and held in connection with his murder.

July 12, 1914, Newport native Horace Harmon Lurton died while serving on the U.S. Supreme Court.

July 12, 1921, Louisville police courts began fining speeders $100.  The 1st judge to do so wanted to put them in jail, but it was against the law, so he made outrageous fines.

July 12, 1950, Army PFC William F. Cody from Perry County, Army PVT George B. Trammell from Harlan County, Army PVT Earl T. Wilson from Ohio County, Army PVT Ottie K. Ferguson from Jefferson County, and Army 1LT Douglas H. Haag from Jefferson County, died in the Korean War.

July 12, 1951, Army CPL James A. Caudill from Johnson County, Air Force SSGT Fred E. Mack Jr. from Louisville, and Army PFC Orvil C. Richardson from Bourbon County, died in the Korean War.

July 12, 1967, Army PFC Milford G. McKee from Sloans Valley in Pulaski County, Army PFC Joseph L. Miller from Hopkinsville, and Army SGT Owen R. Montgomery from Lost Creek in Breathitt County, died in the Vietnam War.

July 12, 1968, Marine Corps LCPL Cecil S. Murray from Louisville and Marine Corps LCPL Charles R. Clark from Louisville, died in the Vietnam War. 

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Jackson native, Jeffrey Reddick, born in 1969 in Breathitt County.

July 12, 1970, Deputy Jailer Glenn Moore, Pike County Detention Center, died by a gunshot during an escape attempt by three inmates in the Pike County jail during the early morning hours.

July 12, 1971, Army SGT Curtis G. Vanwinkle from Stanford in Lincoln County died in the Vietnam War.

July 12, 1971, Bold Ruler, sire of 82 stakes winners, including Secretariat, died at Claiborne Farm.

July 12, 1975, just before the All-Star break, Glasgow native Denny Doyle hit safely against the Texas Rangers in a 10-4 Red Sox win.  That began a hitting streak that saw him hit safely in 22 games.  During his streak, the Red Sox won 17 times and lost only five.  Doyle downplayed this personal streak:  “It was nice, and I’m proud of it.  But it doesn’t really mean anything because we didn’t reach our goal that season.  If we had won the World Series then it would really be something to talk about.”

July 12, 1984, President Regan made remarks to the National Campers and Hikers Association in Bowling Green.

July 12, 1987, Starlike Sultan placed first in the 51st Lexington Junior League Horse Show.

July 12, 1990, Cher played to 5,500 fans at Rupp Arena.  She sang 12 songs and changed clothes seven times.

July 12, 1994, the United Mine Workers strike came to Eastern Kentucky when 360 miners in Harlan and Whitely Counties began picketing.  Over 2,050 miners in five states joined forces.

July 12, 1996, the Madden family filed papers to develop their farm with Target and a 20-screen movie theater as the development’s anchors.  They declined to pursue their upscale mall strategy.

July 12, 2000, three Floyd County men including a coal president received an indictment for the death of a miner, killed on his first day of work, when the roof collapsed.

July 11, 2001, William Farish became the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom and served until he resigned in early summer 2004.  The United Kingdom newspaper The Guardian commented on his low profile during the period leading up to the Iraq War.  Christopher Meyer, who was British Ambassador to Washington during Farish’s service, said that “the ambassador proved as agreeable as he was invisible.”

Effective July 12, 2006, the Clarkson Honeyfest is named and designated the official state honey festival.

Kentucky Trivia:  In the Commonwealth, there are approximately 12,669 colonies of bees, kept by about 2,500 beekeepers statewide.  For the beekeepers, Kentucky has 50 different local beekeeper associations.  In 2018, the cash receipts for honey sales totaled $889,000, making it one of the top agricultural products in the state.

Effective, July 12, 2006, clogging became the official dance of Kentucky.

July 12, 2010, Army SPC Nathaniel D. Garvin, 20, of Radcliff, died in Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a noncombat incident while fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom.

July 12, 2012, three new Kentucky laws went into effect:  expanded tax breaks to large corporations, Kentuckians only able to buy two packages of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine a month, and citizens can carry concealed deadly weapons.

July 12, 2020, Kentucky reported 277 new coronavirus cases for a total of 19,389, a 48% increase in positive cases from the prior week.  Governor A. Beshear also announced three new deaths for a total of 625.  Florida hit a new one day high for positive cases.