This Day…

1893-The Outlaw Bitter Creek George Newcomb, and two others were jumped by a posse near Bartlesville, OK. one of the outlaws was wounded and captured but Bitter Creek and Henry Starr both got away.

1847 – Confusion over orders leads to a conflict about setting up the civil government of California: both Stockton and Kearny think they should be responsible.  Fremont is appointed governor by Stockton, who relieves Kearny of all command except for his own dragoons.  Kearny warns Fremont that he is guilty of disobedience to a superior officer.

1844 – Babbitt’s Best Soap, the first soap powder, becomes nationally known.  It’s inventor, appropriately, is Benjamin T. Babbitt.

1856 – The Western Union Telegraph Company is formed to take advantage of the increasing system of telegraph wires across the country.

1898 – An act of Congress, requiring approval by the president of all acts passed by the Indian reservation councils, goes into effect.

1825 – Peter S. Ogden leads a party for the Hudson’s Bay Company into the northwest area of present-day Nevada, exploring the Humboldt River Valley, and traveling to what is now Winnemucca, Nevada.

1801-There is now a postal office in Natchez, Mississippi, the farthest one west to date.  There had been a post office in Memphis since 1800, but the route will not reach Detroit until 1806.

Catarino Garza, a Mexican outlaw and revolutionary, attempts to capture Fort Ringhold, in Texas; his attempt fails, but his forces continue to skirmish with US troops along the Rio Grande for several weeks, until Garza is forced by the weather to retreat south.

2013-It’s been ten years since I’ve been with my brother at Christmas.  I miss you Rick.  I’m still fighting for you.

1811-The largest earthquake in American history occurs, with its center at New Madrid, Missouri.  Tremors are felt over 300,000 square miles.  The ground sinks or rises by as much as 5-25 feet within a 30,000-square-mile area.