Died On This Date

April 11th
Merrick, Joseph Carey
b. August 5, 1862 d. April 11, 1890
Widely known as "The Elephant Man," also known by the name John Merrick. He suffered from Proteus Syndrome, a condition that caused his body to grotesquely deform from an early age. Chronically unemployed and shunned, he joined a freak show for a few years before happening upon the help of Dr. Frederick Treves who cared for him for the remainder of his life. His body was donated to medical science. His skeletal remains are at the Royal London Hospital, not accessible to the general public.

Rohlfs, Anna Katharine
b. November 11, 1846 d. April 11, 1935
Author. Her pen name was Anna Katharine Green. Wrote such books as "The Leavenworth Case," "The Doctor, His Wife and the Clock," "The Millionaire Baby," and many others.

Vander Pyl, Jean
b. October 11, 1919 d. April 11, 1999
Actress. She played the voice of 'Wilma' on the animated series "The Flinstones." Cause of death: Lung cancer.

Younce, George Wilson
b. February 22, 1930 d. April 11, 2005
Gospel Singer. Born near Lenoir, North Carolina, as a child he was considered a "natural" on stage. He sang lead with the "Spiritualaires till 1950", then he joined the military as a paratrooper, making over 30 jumps before leaving the Army. He then sang with the "The Watchmen" ,"The Weatherford Quartet", and the "Blue Ridge Quartet." He is best known for singing with the "Cathedral Quartet" which he joined in 1964. The "Cathedral Quartet" has earned 70 Singing News Fan Awards with 18 of them..

Sprague, Clifton A. 'Ziggy'
b. January 8, 1898 d. April 11, 1955
A Vice Admiral during World War II in the U.S. Navy and a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He was commanding the ship USS Tangier on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked by the Japanese. His heroism during the Battle off Samar in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and other battles resulted in him being given the Navy Cross. His nickname was "Ziggy." A US Navy frigate was named the USS Clifton Sprague after him. It saw duty from 1980 through 1996. Cause of death: Heart disease

Miller, Edward Monroe
b. December 10, 1919 d. April 11, 1977
Composer, Musician. He wrote the classic "Release Me" recorded by numerous artists, most notably Ray Price, Kitty Wells and Englebert Humperdink.

Bailey, James A.
b. 1847 d. April 11, 1906
Showman. With Phineas T. Barnum, he helped found "The Greatest Show On Earth.". As a boy, Bailey travelled with a circus. In 1872, he was made a partner in the Cooper & Bailey's Circus. The company toured the United States, Java, New Zealand and South America. In 1873 Cooper died and James Bailey soon joined up with Barnum. They toured for several years until Barnum died in 1891. Bailey took over the circus the same year.

Browne, Roscoe Lee
b. May 2, 1925 d. April 11, 2007
Actor. Rich-voiced, prolific character actor. He won an Emmy for his role as Dr. Barnabus Foster on "The Cosby Show" in 1986. Brown worked a great deal on the stage, including several Shakespearean roles, and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1992 for the August Wilson play "Two Trains Running." He had great success in many guest roles on television on shows like, "All in the Family," "Good Times," "Soap," "Highway to Heaven," and "Will and Grace."

Vonnegut Jr., Kurt
b. November 11, 1922 d. April 11, 2007
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was an American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973). Cause of death: Brain injury from a fall.

Matthews, Milton
d. April 11, 1896
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the Civil War as a Private in Company C, 61st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in the final Union assaults Petersburg, Virginia on April 2, 1865. His citation reads simply "Capture of flag of 7th Tennessee Infantry (C.S.A.)". Hid Medal was awarded to him on May 10, 1865. He was one of eight 61st Pennsylvania Infantry soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Civil War

Church, Francis Pharcellus
b. February 22, 1839 d. April 11, 1906
Journalist. As the editor at the "New York Sun". he wrote the famous editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." The editorial appeared in print on September 21, 1897, as an answer to the question posed by eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon.

Lake, Florence
b. January 1, 1904 d. April 11, 1980
Actress. Real name Florence Silverlake. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, she is probably best remembered for her roles in a series of short films playing the wives of actor Edgar Kennedy. The short films ran until Kennedy's death in 1948. She was also the sister of actor Arthur Lake, best known for his role as Dagwood Bumstead of Blondie fame on television, radio, and in films. Lake's credit include the films, "New Year's Eve (1929), "Waltzing Around" (1929), "Romance" (1930).

Glennan, Dr. Thomas Keith
b. September 8, 1905 d. April 11, 1995
NASA's first Administator (1958 - 1961). Cause of Death: Stroke

Farwell, Leonard James
b. January 5, 1819 d. April 11, 1889
Wisconsin Governor. In 1840, he opened a wholesale hardware firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which eventually became one of the largest in the midwest. He purchased a hugh tract of land in Madison, Wisconsin in 1847 and was instrumental in laying out streets and erecting public buildings in that city. He took an active role in organizing the State Historical Society, the State Agricultural Society, the public school system, and the state university.

Robinson Jr., James William
b. August 30, 1940 d. April 11, 1966
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Robinson served as a Sergeant, United States Army, Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. He was awarded his medal for service at the Republic of Vietnam, on April 11, 1966. His citation reads-For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Company C was engaged in fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion.

Yates Jr., Richard
b. December 12, 1860 d. April 11, 1936
22nd Illinois Governor, US Congressman. He served as Governor of Illinois from 1901 to 1904, and represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives from 1919 to 1932. He was not renominated for his Congressional seat in 1928, but was appointed nominee and elected after the death of Henry R. Rathbone who had won the nomination. He was a graduate of Illinois College and the law deparment of the University of Michigan.

Pitsenbarger, William Hart
b. July 8, 1944 d. April 11, 1966
Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Originally awarded the Air Force Cross, Congress subsequently upgraded his award to the Medal of Honor after a variety of eyewitness accounts of his valor were provided. It was presented to his parents on December 8, 2000 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. "Pits" became the second Air Force enlisted member to earn the nation's highest honor.