TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to George Rogers Clark, born in 1752 in Albemarle County, VA. At 20, George made his 1^st trip into Kentucky via the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. He spent the next two years surveying land and learning about the area’s natural history and Native American customs. At 22, Clark’s military career began as a captain. He rose to be the highest-ranking American Military Officer on the Northwestern Frontier during the American Revolutionary War. In 1778, Clark traveled down the Ohio River and stopped at the Falls of the Ohio. He brought with him many soldiers and families who wanted protection from the Natives. He named their starting point “Corn Island.” Clark set up camp there, marking Louisville’s 1^st settlement, earning one of his many nicknames, “Father of Louisville.”

November 19, 1804, John Caldwell, the 2^nd Lt. Gov. of Kentucky, died in office, the 1^st and only Kentucky Lt. Gov. to do so. He served under Governor C. Greenup, the 3^rd governor. John Caldwell is the namesake of Caldwell County.

November 19, 1806, Henry Clay, a Democratic-Republican, became a U.S. Senator for the 1^st time, despite being younger than the constitutional age minimum. The Kentucky legislature elected him to the Class III seat to replace John Adair’s term after the Burr Conspiracy. Clay served four Senate terms, one in Class II and three in Class III, for a total of 16.5 years. His 3^rd term lasted 11 years as a Whig, 20 years before the Civil War.

November 19, 1863, President A. Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.

Tuesday, November 19, 1889, another Battle on Broadway occurred, seven days after the inaugural event. Agricultural & Mechanical College of Kentucky/Kentucky State/(UK) defeated Kentucky University (Transy), 7-1, to tie the football series.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Winchester native John Allen Tate, born in 1899 and Poet Laureate from 1943 to 1944. During a summer visit with the poet Robert Penn Warren in Kentucky, he began a relationship with writer Caroline Gordon, whom he married years later. In 1928, along with other New York City friends, he went to Europe. In London, Tate visited with T. S. Eliot, whose poetry and criticism he greatly admired. In 1928, Tate published his 1^st book of poetry, Mr. Pope and Other Poems, which contained his most famous poem, “Ode to the Confederate Dead.” That same year, Tate also published a biography, Stonewall Jackson: The Good Soldier.

November 19, 1909, Patrolman William Murphy, of the Louisville Police Department, died while investigating the sounds of gunfire near 19^th Street and Baird Street off duty. When he arrived at the scene he located a shooting victim and was told that the shooter, the victim’s neighbor, had just entered his house. When Patrolman Murphy went to the suspect’s door and identified himself the man shot him, fatally wounding him. The suspect was apprehended but had his case dismissed on the technicality that Patrolman Murphy had no right to enter his home.

In November 1933, the Kentucky Association disbanded, sold the track’s grandstand, clubhouse, and demolished the stables. Due to financial difficulties, the 65 acre Lexington club disbanded 107 years after it began to construct a federal low-cost housing project. Keeneland’s front gatehouses with initials K.A. are among the few known markers left over from the historic track. Horse Racing in Central Kentucky and Jefferson County; Marjorie Rieser University of Louisville

November 19, 1945, Governor S. Willis appointed William A. Stanfill to fill Senator Happy Chandler’s Class II seat in Washington. William served less than a year.

November 19, 1948, mule-drawn wagons hauled 21,000 pounds of tobacco into the Geary-Wright Tobacco Warehouse at 1086 South Broadway in Lexington. R. E. Tipton of Belmont Farm grew the crop.

November 19, 1951, the UK Wildcats accepted an invitation to play in the Cotton Bowl, its 3^rd straight major post season football game.

November 19, 1952, Army CPL Lawrence A. Unsell from Campbell County died fighting in the Korean War.

November 19, 1953, the 1^st three African American attorneys became members of the Louisville Bar Association.

November 19, 1955, Blanton Collier’s Kentucky Wildcats ended their season by beating #17 Tennessee Volunteers 23-0. Earlier in the season, they tied #14 Auburn Tigers. The Wildcats finished the year with a 6-3-1 record.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Frankfort native, Miss Elizabeth, born in 1960, an UK graduate in Communications.

November 19, 1966, Army PFC Marion Watkins from War Creek in Breathitt County died fighting in the Vietnam War.

November 19, 1967, Marine Corps SSGT Arthur J. Sanders from Ashland died fighting in the Vietnam War.

November 19, 1977, UK beat Tennessee to win their 9^th game in a row to go 10-1 for Fran Curci. The Cats finished 6^th in the final AP Poll; however, they were placed on NCAA probation in December 1976, primarily recruiting violations. Since the days of Babe Parilli and Bob Gain, the best Wildcat football team was ineligible for either the league championship or a bowl trip.