Today in History for December 1899

Months in 1899: January February March April May June July August September October November

Historical Events

Events 1 - 18 of 18

2nd - US & Germany agree to divide Samoa between them
2nd - Philippine-American War: The Battle of Tirad Pass, termed "The Filipino Thermopylae", is fought.
4th - 56th Congress (1899-1901) convenes
4th - Webb Hayes son of pres Rutherford Hayes receives medal of honor
8th - Natal: British fall/burst out belegerd Ladysmith
10th - -15] British "Black Week" due to nederlagen in South Africa
10th - Battle at Storm Berge South Africa - Boers vs British army
10th - Frank Wedekind's "Der Kammersang," premieres in Berlin
10th - The Delta Sigma Phi fraternity is founded at the City College of New York.
12th - 1st case of plague on Oahu, Hawaii
12th - George F Bryant of Boston patents the wooden golf tee
15th - Battle at Colenso, South Africa (Boers-British army)
18th - Fieldmarshal Lord Roberts appointed Brit supreme commander in South Africa
23rd - British Fieldmarshall Lord Roberts departs Southampton to South Africa for the 2nd Boer War
23rd - Tentative Turkish & German treaty on construction of Baghdad railway
25th - Farmers send/guide belegerd Ladysmith Kerstpudding/desire in grenade
26th - Mafeking: Bathe-Powells failed assault up fort Game Tree: 24 killed
29th - English fleet brings German postschip Bundesrath up

Famous Birthdays

Birthdays 1 - 37 of 37

1st - Robert Welch, found John Birch Society
2nd - John Barbirolli, English conductor (NY Philharmonic Orchestra)
2nd - John Cobb, British racing driver (d. 1952)
2nd - Ray Morehart, American baseball player (d. 1989)
3rd - Ikeda Hayato, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1965)
4th - Douwe Hermans Kiestra, [Harm Harmstra], Frisian farmer/writer
4th - Charles William (Charlie) Spencer Newcastle and England football player (d. 1953)
5th - Sonny Boy Williamson, [Aleck Miller], blues player
6th - Harry Buller Siege Willis, son of South Africa boer in Ladysmith
6th - Nikolai Batalov, Moscow Russia, actor (Mother)
8th - James "Pigmeat" Jarrett, pianist
8th - John Qualen, Vancouver BC, actor (Grapes of Wrath, Searchers)
8th - Sarah Williamson, US missionary in Liberia
9th - Frans van Amelsvoort, Dutch choir conductor
9th - Howard Freeman, Helena MT, actor (Double Dynamite)
9th - Jean de Brunhoff, France, children's book author (Babar the Elephant)
9th - Leonie Fuller Adams, US poetess (Those not elected)
11th - Vera von der Heydt, psychoanalyst
13th - Harold Guinzburg, publisher (founder of Literary Guild)
13th - Yusef Greiss, composer
15th - Frank Vosper, London England, actor (Man Who Knew Too Much)
15th - Harold Abrahams, English sprinter (d. 1978)
16th - Harold Walter Bailey, philologist
16th - Noel Coward, England, playwright (In Which We Serve-1942 Acad Award)
21st - Guy Wilkerson, TX, actor (Dead or Alive, West of Texas, Shootin' Iron)
22nd - Gustaf Gruendgens, Duesseldorf Germany, actor/director (M)
22nd - Wiley Post, Texas, aviation pioneer
22nd - Gustav Gründgens, German actor (d. 1963)
25th - Frank Fergusson, actor (My Friend Flicka, Peyton Place)
25th - Humphrey Bogart, NYC, actor, Here's looking at you, kid (Casablanca)
25th - Raphael Soyer, artist (Depression Scenes in NYC)
27th - Paul Costello, US, double sculls (Olympic-gold-1920, 24, 28)
28th - Eugeniusz Bodo, Polish actor (d. 1943)
29th - Nie Rongzhen, People's Liberation Army Chief of General Staff (d. 1992)
30th - Helge Ingstad, Norwegian explorer (d. 2001)
31st - Gaston Glass, Paris France, film executive
31st - Silvestre Revueltas, Santiago Papasquiaro Mexico, composer (Sensemaya)

Famous Deaths

Deaths 1 - 7 of 7

2nd - Gregorio del Pilar, Filipino general (killed at Battle of Tirad Pass) (b. 1875)
7th - Antoni Katski, composer, dies at 82
11th - Andrew Wauchope, British Major-General, dies in Battle of Magersfontein in the Boer war, South Africa. Another British Major, The Marquess of Winchester also killed.
17th - Frederick "Freddy" Roberts, son of Brit field marshal, dies in battle
18th - John William Glover, composer, dies at 84
22nd - Dwight L Moody, US evangelist (Student Volunteer Movement), dies
30th - James Paget, English surgeon (disease of Paget), dies at 85