Died On This Date

May 9
Hawken, Samuel
b. October 26, 1792 d. May 9, 1884
Gunsmith. Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, he moved west to establish a gunsmithy in Xenia, Ohio. Sometime after 1821, Hawken's wife died and he relocated to St. Louis where his elder brother, Jacob, and his partner also worked as gunsmiths. Hawken set up his own independent shop and would not form a partnership with his brother until 1825 when Jacob's business partner died. The brothers were considered the best gunsmiths in St. Louis and the product they turned out were high quality arms.

Jones, James
b. November 6, 1921 d. May 9, 1977
American Novelist. Born and raised in Robinson, Illinois, Jones joined the U.S. Army soon after graduating from High School in 1939. He was stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oahu, where he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He is best remembered for his trilogy of war novels, From Here to Eternity (1951), The Thin Red Line (1962) and Whistle (1978), which have been called “our most significant fictional treatment of U.S. involvement in World War II.”

Faye, Alice
b. May 5, 1915 d. May 9, 1998
Actress. Born Alice Jeane Leppert and raised in New York City’s “Hells Kitchen,” Alice Faye quit school at 14 to become a chorus girl, lying about her age in order to get the audition. She danced in the famous “George White’s Scandals” revues. Not long after that she was discovered by Rudy Vallee, who hired her to sing with his band. Vallee went to Hollywood to star in Fox’s 1934 film version of George White’s Scandals and Faye, who was slated to sing one song in the film. Cause of death: Stomach cancer.

Hopkinson, Francis
b. September 21, 1737 d. May 9, 1791
Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of 14, he was the first student to enroll in the Philadelphia Academy, and the first to be given a diploma by the College of Philadelphia. He studied to become a lawyer, but for many years, did little legal work. More interested in the arts, he preferred to draw pictures, wrote poems, and composed songs.

Penry, Richard Allen
b. November 18, 1948 d. May 9, 1994
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Penry served as a Sergeant, United States Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade. He was awarded his medal for service at Binh Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, on January 31, 1970. His citation reads-For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Penry, Company C, distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman during a night ambush mission.

Whitley, Keith
b. July 1, 1955 d. May 9, 1989
Country Singer. Husband of country singer Lorrie Morgan. Born Jessie Keith Whitley in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Keith learned to play guitar at age 6 and first appeared on the Buddy Starcher's regional TV show at age 8. He formed a bluegrass band with his friend Ricky Skaggs a few years later. When both teenagers were 15 years old they were asked to play a local show when Ralph Stanley's entourage was running late. Stanley hired them for his band and they stayed for two years until Keith went to. Cause of death: Alcohol poisoning.

King, Alan
b. December 26, 1927 d. May 9, 2004
Entertainer, Actor. Born Irwin Alan Kniberg, King starred in over thirty different films and produced several films and television shows. At the time of his death, King was serving as the Abbot of the New York Friar's Club, a guild of actors who are known for their famous roasts. King was also known for holding the record for number of appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show," appearing on that stage a staggering 93 times.

Devaney, Bob
b. April 13, 1915 d. May 9, 1997
Legendary footbal coach who won two National Championships at Nebraska including the 1971 "Game of the Century" versus Oklahoma.

Post, Charles William 'C.W.'
b. October 26, 1854 d. May 9, 1914
Cereal Magnate and Inventor of Grape-Nuts. Cause of death: Suicide by gunshot.

Lorne, Marion
b. August 12, 1885 d. May 9, 1968
Actress. Fondly remembered as the dithery, bumbling Aunt Clara on the "Bewitched" (1964) television series, endearing character actress Marion Lorne had a five decade career on the stage before she became a household name. Born Marion Lorne MacDougall, she grew up in her native Pennsylvania, the daughter of Scottish and English immigrants. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, she appeared in stock shows, and was on the Broadway boards by 1905.

Conroy, Donald 'The Great Santini'
b. April 4, 1921 d. May 9, 1998
Conroy was the father of author Pat Conroy, whose book, "The Great Santini," was based on the life of his father, Donald Conroy. In the movie version of "The Great Santini" Robert Duvall played the character based on Donald Conroy. He was part of the Black Sheep Squadron during the Korean War and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Cause of death: Colon cancer.

Pinza, Ezio Fortunato
b. May 18, 1892 d. May 9, 1957
Opera Singer. It is said that his father insisted that he give up civil engineering to become an opera singer. He switched careers, studying at the Conservatory of Bologna, with a three-year stint at La Scala in Milan. His New York debut at the Met was in 1926 where he sang bass until 1949. He then launched a third career, starring on Broadway in "South Pacific", leading to roles in records, radio, movies, and television.

O'Brien, Edmond
b. September 10, 1915 d. May 9, 1985
Actor. Born in New York City, he was a major Hollywood screen star for nearly four decades. A graduate of Columbia University, he began his early career honing his skills to become a magician, before deciding to pursue a career in motion pictures. He made his screen debut as an extra in the 1938 film "The Prisoner." The following year he received his first major on-screen acting credit as Gringoire in the "Hunchback of Notre Dame." Cause of death: Alzheimers disease complicated by heart problems.

Sedgwick, John
b. September 13, 1813 d. May 9, 1864
Civil War Union Major General. One of the best known Corps commanders of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. General Sedgwick, a 1837 West Point graduate, served in the Mexican War and on the US Frontier, often with many army officers who would become generals for both the South and the North in the war. He commanded a division in the Second Corps during General George B. McClellan's Pennisular compaign, the Second Bull Run campaign, and the Battle of Antietam.

Summers, James Calvin
b. February 14, 1838 d. May 9, 1927
Civil Warm Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Private in the Union Army in Company H, 4th West Virginia Infantry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action at Vicksburg, Mississippi on May 22, 1863. His citation reads "Gallantry in charge of the "volunteer storming party".

Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
b. December 22, 1828 d. May 9, 1911
Civil War Union Army Officer. A major abolitionist figure in the pre-Civil War days, he served as Colonel and commander of the 1st South Carolina (USA) Volunteer Infantry, which was the very first African-American Union infantry regiment of the Civil War. He recruited escaped slaved from South Carolina to fight the Confederacy, and pre-dated the more famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry by nearly a year. He served first as Captain and commander of Company C, 51st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

Corliss, Stephen Potter
b. July 25, 1842 d. May 9, 1904
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served during the Civil War as a First Lieutenant in Company F, 4th New York Heavy Artillery, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery at Battle of South Side Railroad, Virginia, on April 2, 1865. The Confederates had a battery posted on an elevation near the South Side Railroad where it intersected with the White Oak Road leading into Petersburg when the order came to capture the battery.

Howell, Hoke
b. August 27, 1929 d. May 9, 1997
Actor. Born in Georgia and raised in South Carolina he used his smooth southern accent and unique acting style to get his start on Broadway in 1958. In the early 1960’s he went to California where he became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors. One of his earliest and most memorable roles was that of Dud Wash, the boyfriend of Charlene Darling on the Andy Griffith Show. Cause of death: Heart failure.

Harney, William Selby
b. August 27, 1800 d. May 9, 1889
Civil War Union Brigadier General. Born in Haysboro, Tennessee, the son of Thomas and Margaret Harney. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the First United States Infantry in February of 1818. He fought in the First Seminole War and was promoted to First Lieutenant in January 1819. Harney was promoted to Major in the Paymaster Corps in May 1833 and then to Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Dragoons in August 1836.