Elizabeth Duncan Koontz was born in Salisbury, North Carolina back in 1919 to Samuel and Lena.  At seven, she was able to read and write.  At nine years old her father died.  She graduated as salutatorian from Price High School in 1935.  She continued her education with a BA in English for Livingstone College in 1941.She graduated with a master’s degree from Atlanta University.  After graduation, she taught school at Harnett County Training School in Dunn, North Carolina.  She was the assistant state school superintendent in North Caroling from 1975 until her retirement in 1982.  She died from a heart attack in her home in 1989, she was 79.What you may not know about Elizabeth is that she was the first African-American to be president of the National Education Association and the first ... 03/09/2021

Margaret E. Knight was born in York, Maine back in 1838 to James and Hannah.  After her father’s passing she moved to Manchester, New Hampshire to live with her mother. As a child she wasn’t interested in dolls but all she wanted was a jack knife and pieces of wood. Her formal education was limited to secondary school.She worked at the cotton mills throughout her 20’s and 30’s.  in 1867, she started working for the Columbia Paper Bag Company in Springfield, Massachusetts. She died in 1914 in Framingham, Massachusetts, she was 76.What you may not know about Margaret is that she was also an inventor. Throughout her lifetime she was awarded 87 patents, 27 of them are well known, while I won’t list them all, here are a few examples.  She invented the first flat-bottom paper bag, lid removin... 02/26/2021

Melanija Knavs was born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia back in 1970 to Viktor and Amalija.  While a teenager the family moved to Sevnica.  He attended the Secondary School of Design and Photography, later she studied architecture and design at the University of Ljubinana for just one year before dropping out. She began modeling at the age of five, by the time she was sixteen she posed for the Slovenian fashion photographer Stand Jerko.  At eighteen she signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy.  In 2010, she launched her own line of jewelry.  In 1996, she moved to the United States.  She continued her modeling career.  She is alive and doing well.What you may not know about Melanija is that she married an American citizen, Donald Trump.  If you haven’t figured it out my now I’m writing abo... 02/23/2021

Nicolaas Bom was born in Velsen, North Holland back in 1937.  I don’t have any information about his parents or early childhood.  He attended Delft University of Technology where he studied electrical engineering.  After graduation he joined the Royal Netherlands Navy where he did sonar research in Italy for six years.  After being discharged, in 1968, he started working at the cardiology department of the Erasmus MC engaging in diagnostic echo research. He continued his education and in 1972 received his PhD.  He served for ten years as (co)-director of the Dutch Heart Institute, he retired in 2003, to my knowledge he is alive and doing well.What you may not know about Nicolaas is that he created a machine that was able to produce a full-view cross-section of a working heart.   He is a... 02/20/2021

David Ward King was born in Springfield, Ohio back in 1857 to Robert and Harriet.  He attended the public school and continued his education at Wittenberg College.  in 1880, he married Mary Willie.  The family moved to Maitland, Missouri where he began working as a farmer.  By 1877, he father obtained 1,597 acres near Maitland in Holt County, Missouri.He was an implacable warrior against alcoholic beverages and saloons.  He organized the Prohibition Party in Missouri.  He attended the Maitland First Presbyterian Church.  He was by all accounts a progressive farmer, actively seeking improved methods of farming.  He established some of the first bluegrass pastures in his township.  He died in 1920, he was 62.What you may not know about David is that he was also an inventor.  In 1896, he i... 02/08/2021

Sarah A. Clark was born in Ohio back in 1839, I can’t find any information about her childhood or schooling.  However, for this post I believe you’ll see she was an intelligent woman.  She married John in 1874, he was a civil engineer.  They moved to Grass Valley, California the following year.Sarah hosted social gatherings and worked as a volunteer for an orphan society.  The couple adopted a daughter Beatrice.  Her husband was a stockholder in the Northern California’s Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad. John died in 1901.  After her husband’s death she became the majority owner and president of the Northern California’s Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad.  Under her management she retired the company’s debt and returned dividends to the shareholder.  She sold her stock in 1913 and ... 02/02/2021

William Francis Kemmler was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania back in 1860.  He dropped out of school when he was 10, having learned neither to read or write.  He started working in his father’s butcher shop. His father and mother were alcoholics, his father died after a drunken brawl with his mother.  Sadly, he was also an alcoholic and was well known around the saloons in his Buffalo neighborhood. To make a living he peddled vegetables in the slums of Buffalo, New York.  On march 29, 1888 as he was recovering from a drinking binge he accused his common-law wife Tillie Ziegler of stealing from him.  He calmly went to the barn, grabbed a hatchet returned to the house and struck her repeatedly, killing her. He went to a neighbor’s house announcing he had just murdered his girlfriend.He ... 01/22/2021

Ferdinand Adolf Kehrer was born in Guntersblum, Germany back in 1837. He studied medicine at the University of Giessen under the direction of Ferdinand von Ritgen.  From 1872 to 1881 he was a professor of obstetrics at the University of Giessen.  In 1881, he relocated to the University of Heidelberg as chair of gynecology. He died in Heidelberg in 1914, he was 77.  What you may not know about Dr. Kehrer is that on September 25th, 1881, in the town of Meckesheim he performed the first modern C setion on a 26-year-old woman.  His procedure is still performed to this day. That procedure has surely saved many women, as it cut down on the mortality rate of women giving birth.  As for me, I had no idea that the first C section was done so long ago, I thought it was later than that, what about... 01/17/2021

Kaspar Faber was born in the Langenzeen, Holy Roman Empire back in 1730.  After graduating from school, he trained as a carpenter.  In 1758, he moved from the town of Langenzeen to the municipality of Stein.  In 1760, he settled there working as a carpenter.  In 1761, he opened a small workshop where he produced pencils, which was a typical activity of the time for carpenters to do.In 1771, he made the first attempts to improve pencils by using ground graphite, mixed with sulfur, antimony and binding resins.  During his lifetime his pencil production remained on a small scale, but he laid the foundation to which his great-grandson Johann Lothar Freiherr von Faber expanded.  While you may not know Kaspar surely, you’ve heard and used some of his groundwork instruments.  His foundation la... 01/13/2021

Marguerite P. Lecesne was born in New Orleans, Louisiana back in 1921 to Albert and Louise.  She moved to Los Angeles, California in 1945 finding work as a seamstress.  In the early 50’s she became the private secretary to Linda Darnell.  She married William in 1954.  She became a well-known community activist in Los Angeles.  She formed the Southwest Sweethearts, supporting the Southwest Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. During the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics the Sweethearts set up a hospitality house for the police officers that ran around the clock, providing meals and showers for the officers. For her efforts she was given the Police Historical Society’s Jack Webb Award.  She died in2009, she was 88.What you may not know about Marguerite P. Justice is that she was the sec... 01/03/2021

Rebecca Nicole Johnson was born in Minlaton, South Australia.  The family moved to Sydney where she received her primary education at Barrenjoey High School.  After high school she received her Bachelor of Science degree with honor from the University of Sydney in 1996.  She was awarded her PhD in molecular evolutionary genetics through La Trobe University in 2000.In 2003, she joined the Australian Museum as laboratory manager.  What you may not know about Rebecca is that she is not Director and Chief Scientist of the Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney.  She is the first female to be appointed to the role since the establishment of the Australian Museum.  She is also head of the Australian Museums Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics.  She is a member of the Australian Acad... 12/24/2020

Eva Josephine Jellett was born in Dublin, Ireland back in 1868 to John and Dora.  Her father was a clergyman, mathematician and provost of Trinity College, Dublin.  She was first educated by a governess from Germany.  She started studying at Alexandra College.  She attended the Catholic University School of Medicine, St. Cecilia Street, Dublin.After graduation she began as a clinical clerk in the Coombe Hospital in Dublin.  In 1906, she moved to India to take a position in the Dublin University Mission in Hazaribagh.  Upon her arrival she ran the newly founded women’s hospital St. Columba’s.  In 1919, he was promoted to head associate giving her control over all the female staff in India.  She retired in 1923 and moved to Switzerland.  She died in 1958, she was 90.What you may not know ... 12/10/2020

Arthur S. Jefferson was born in Ulverston, Lancashire, England back in 1890 to Arthur and Margaret.  In his early years he spent much of his time living with his maternal grandmother Sarah Metcalfe.  He attended King James I Grammar School in Durham.  The family moved to Glasgow, Scotland where he completed his education at Rutherglen Academy.His parents were managers of the Metropole Theatre where he began working after graduation.  He gave his first performance at the age of sixteen.  By 1910, he was performing on the stage with a young Charlie Chaplin.  He moved to the United States shortly before WWI.  He registered for military service in 1917, but was not called up due to his deafness.  Around 1921, he was offered $75.00 a week to preform in two-reel comedies.  After those perform... 12/05/2020

William A. Jayne was born in Springfield, Illinois back in1826.  I don’t have any information about his early childhood, but I can tell you he attended the Illinois College in 1844, he was a founding member serving as first president of the Phi Alpha Literary Society.  He graduated from the University of Missouri with a medical degree in 1849.  He was elected mayor of Springfield in 1859 and then as a member of the State Senate in 1860.  He resigned in 1861 to become the first Governor of the Dakota Territory, appointed by President Lincoln.  In 1863 he served as a Delegate to the House of Representatives.  He was appointed the U.S. Pension Agent in 1869.  He was again elected as the mayor of Springfield serving three consecutive terms before retiring.  He died in 1916, he was 89.What y... 12/03/2020

Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu was born in Morelia, Mexico back in 1783 to Joaquin.  In his teens, he joined the royalist army, commissioned as a second lieutenant, by 1896 he was promoted to full lieutenant.  During the early 19th century political unrest in New Spain, he became a feared foe, his nickname was “The Iron Dragon”.He was successful in many engagements during the war, however after the war he was accused of cruelty and corruption.  In 1820, he switched sides and fought for the Spanish monarchy.  For him switching sides eventually he was caught and executed in 1824, he was 40.What you may not know about Agustín is that he is known as Augustine of Mexico, taking control in Mexico City in 1821.  He was the first Constitutional Emperor of Mexico, he also designed t... 11/08/2020

Frederick Ingersoll was born in New Jersey back in 1876.  The family moved to Glenfield, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh in 1900.  The census from that time described his occupation as a “Coin machine proprietor.  He founded the Ingersoll Construction Company, with one producing one thing.  More on that in a moment.By 1905, his business was booming.  From the East to the West coast his company was in the building stage, some of his structures are still standing and in operation.  His oldest structure is in Melbourne, Australia.  Sadly, he took his own life in 1927, he was 52.What you may not know about Frederick is that he created the world’s first chain of amusement parks, commonly known as “Luan Parks”.  His specialty was building roller coasters.  It’s like Wayne Martin's trivia questio... 10/29/2020

John Adams Hyman was born near Warrenton, North Carolina back in 1840.  He received no formal education.  In 1861, he was working as a janitor for a jeweler.  The jeweler taught him how to read and write.  After the American Civil War, he returned to North Carolina where he worked as a farmer pursuing elementary studies.He was recognized for his leadership being elected as a Republican for the North Carolina Senate serving from 1868 to 1874.  In 1874, he was elected to the 44th United States Congress from North Carolina 2nd congressional district.  He lost his reelection when he returned to his agricultural pursuits.  In 1877, he was appointed as a special deputy collector of internal revenue for the 4th district of North Carolina.  Later he moved to Washington D.C. where he worked for ... 10/17/2020

William Ambrose Hulbert was born in Burlington Flats, New York. At the age of two the family moved to Chicago, Illinois.  He married into a family of a successful grocer and helped expand the business into the coal trade.  He died in 1882, he was 49.What you may not know about William is that he was one of the founders of the National Baseball League, recognized as baseball’s first major league.  He was also the president of the Chicago White Stockings franchise.  During his term, he took steps to insure league integrity and compliance with league rules.  He was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.  Now. Brian England, did you know that trivia?Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today 10/14/2020

Joseph Hudson was born in Birmingham, England back in 1848.  Finding out any information about his is downright hard to do.  What I can tell you is in 1870 he founded the J Hudson & Co.  He entered into a competition held by the Metropolitan police force in London.  Needless to say, he won the competition.  His company is still in operation to this day.What was the competition you may be asking yourself, well I’m so glad you did?  He invented the first whistle used by police, he later invented the first referee whistle for football matches.  Prior to that referee’s used handkerchiefs.  He invented the “Acme Thunderer”, the first pea whistle which remains the most used whistle in the world.  He died in 1930.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a sm... 10/05/2020

James Howell Howard was born in Canton, China back in 1913.  In 1927, the family moved back to the United States settling in St. Louis, Missouri.  He graduated from John Burroughs School, before entering Pomona College in Claremont, California.  After graduating with a Bachelor of arts degree in 1937, he enlisted in the United States Navy as a naval aviation cadet.In 1941, he joined the Flying Tigers in Burma, flying 56 missions he is credited with shooting down 6 Japanese airplanes.  In 1942, when the Flying Tigers was disbanded he was commissioned as a captain in the Army Air Force.  The next year he was given command of the 356th Fighter Squadron as a major.  In 1944, he flew his P-51 Mustang escorting B-17’s over Oschersleben, Germany.  After the war, he was transferred to the U.S. ... 09/29/2020