April 4th

Died on This Date

King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther
b. January 15, 1929 d. April 4, 1968
Social Reformer. Courageous leader of the civil rights movement, minister, author and moral philospher. The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., permeates in ways great, small, direct and indirect- every facet of our social and political world. He had a magnificent speaking ability, which enabled him to effectively express the demands of African-Americans for social justice. His pleas won the support of millions of people, black and white and made him internationally famous.

Swanson (Svensson), Gloria
b. March 27, 1899 d. April 4, 1983
Legendary actress. She is considered to be one of the biggest stars of the silent era. She began her career with an uncredited, bit part in 1915. After a second uncredited, bit part she appeared in Sweedie Goes To College. She then married her first husband, Wallace Beery and moved to Los Angeles where she appeared in hit after hit such as Pullman Bride, Shifting Sands and Don't Change Your Husband. She adapted well when "talkies" appeared on the scene. Cause of death: Natural causes.

Thomas, Isaiah
b. January 30, 1745 d. April 4, 1831
American printer and press historian. he was instrumental in making the press an instrument of public opinion in the United States.

McKinney, John R.
b. February 26, 1921 d. April 4, 1997
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Sergeant in the United States Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Private in Company A, 123d Infantry Regiment, 33d Infantry Division for action on May 11, 1945 at Tayabas Province Luzon, Philippine Islands. His citation in part reads "Alone, Pvt. McKinney was confronted by 10 infantrymen who had captured the machine gun with the evident intent of reversing it to fire into the perimeter.

Bacon, Francis
b. January 22, 1561 d. April 4, 1626Philosopher, essayist and politician. Lord Chancellor of England. Alleged unwarrantably by some to have been the writer of Shakespeare's plays. Notable works include 'On the Advancement of Learning,' an early attempt at an encyclopedia. Died after catching bronchitis when stuffing a chicken with snow to see whether it would be preserved, thus anticipating frozen food. Cause of death: Bronchitis.

Devin, Thomas Casimer
b. December 10, 1822 d. April 4, 1878
Civil War Union Brigadier General. Raised the first company of cavalry from New York City to defend Washington at the start of the Civil War. As Colonel, Commanded General John Buford's 2nd cavalry brigade during the Gettysburg Campaign, rose to Major General, commanding the First Cavalry Division under General Philip Sheridan to the close of the war. After the Civil War, commanded cavalry posts in the West. Recognized as one of the best and most effective commanders during the American Civil.

Lyon, William Penn
b. October 28, 1822 d. April 4, 1913
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was district attorney of Racine County, Wisconsin and was involved in the state Legislature. To support volunteer troops, he enlisted and was elected Captain of a company in the Eagle Regiment in 1861. As part of the 4th Army Corps, he was promoted Major in the 8th Wisconsin Infantry on January 18, 1862. With the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, he participated in various expeditions in Kentucky and Tennessee until September.

Butts, Alfred Mosher
b. April 13, 1899 d. April 4, 1993
Architect, Inventor. Creator of the word game "Scrabble". A 1924 graduate of Pennsylvania State, he found himself unemployed during the Depression. He decided to devise a board game, and his first attempt, in 1934, was a letter game called "Lexiko". It was rejected by Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers and Simon and Schuster. Butts was once again employed as an architect in 1938, but kept refining his game, renaming it "Criss Cross Words".

Smith, Paul Ray
b. September 23, 1969 d. April 4, 2003
Iraq War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during the conflict in Iraq as a Sergeant 1st Class in the 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in Baghdad, Iraq on April 4, 2003. His citation reads "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond."

Harrison, William Henry
b. February 9, 1773 d. April 4, 1841
9th United States President. He was first to die in office, and served the shortest time: one month. He was also the Whig party's first successful candidate, elected largely due to his Indian fighting exploits at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Harrison was the first to actively campaign for the presidency and his campaign was the first to have a slogan - "Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too." He gave the longest inaugural address at 8,445 words or 90 minutes.

Winterbottom, William
b. 1847 d. April 4, 1932
Indian Campaigns Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was a Sergeant in the United State Army in Company A, 6th US Cavalry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on July 12, 1870 at Wichita River, Texas. His citation reads "Gallantry in action." (Bio by: Don Morfe)

Mays, Carl William
b. November 12, 1891 d. April 4, 1971
Major League Baseball Player. Born in Liberty, Kentucky, he was a right handed pitcher whom played for fifteen seasons with the Boston Red Sox 1915 to 1919, New York Yankees 1920 to 1923, Cincinnati Reds 1924 to 1928 and New York Giants in 1929. On August 16, 1920, in a game at New York, he threw a pitch that accidentally stuck Cleveland Indians' shortstop Ray Chapman in the head causing the only fatality in Major League Baseball history.

Sovine, Woodrow W. 'Red'
b. July 7, 1917 d. April 4, 1980
Country and Western singer famous for truck driver songs. "Phantom 309" is one of his most famous songs.