Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a captivating journey through time, exploring the rich tapestry of history and genealogy.
In this edition, we'll delve into the treasure trove of historical news articles dated December 20, unearthing stories that resonate with genealogists and history enthusiasts alike.
From local happenings to global events, we'll uncover the stories that shaped the lives of our ancestors, providing valuable insights for those on a quest to discover their roots.
So, grab your magnifying glass and step into the past as we unravel the December 20 historical headlines that may hold the missing pieces of your family's history puzzle.
Worcester, Vermont, USA
ARREST OF THE SUPPOSED GUILTY PARTY— THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT POINT TO HIS GUILT.
The vicinity of Worcester, a place some ten miles from Montpelier, in a fever of excitement over the murder of a half-breed Canadian Indian named Will Muccurmuck. The circumstances of the case are as follows: Muccurmuck was Jast seen Wednesday last, in company with Royal Carr, a hard character of Calais, who once served o sentence of ten years in State Prison for murder, On Friday, Carr told his cousin, Chester... Read MORE...
St Albans Daily Messenger - St Albans, Vermont - December 20, 1878
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1878 - The Murder Case in Worcester, Vt.
ARREST OF THE SUPPOSED GUILTY PARTY— THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT POINT TO HIS GUILT.
The vicinity of Worcester, a place some ten miles from Montpelier, in a fever of excitement over the murder of a half-breed Canadian Indian named Will Muccurmuck. The circumstances of the case are as follows: Muccurmuck was Jast seen Wednesday last, in company with Royal Carr, a hard character of Calais, who once served o sentence of ten years in State Prison for murder, On Friday, Carr told his cousin, Chester... Read MORE...
St Albans Daily Messenger - St Albans, Vermont - December 20, 1878
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Challenge Wind Mill and Feed Mill Co.
Manufacturers of Geared & Pumping Mills, Feed Mills, Horse Powers, ETC.
Batavia, Illinois
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Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA
The first American cotton mill began operation on December 20, 1790. The mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, had water-powered machinery for carding and spinning cotton. A machine cards cotton by combing and untangling fibers while removing short undesirable fibers. In the spinning process, the fibers are drawn out, twisted and wound to create thread or yarn. That thread can then be dyed and woven into fabrics in the next phase of the process.
Samuel Slater built that first American mill in... Read MORE...
www.americaslibrary.gov
December 20, 1790
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1790 - December 20 - 1st successful US cotton mill to spin yarn (Pawtucket, RI)
The first American cotton mill began operation on December 20, 1790. The mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, had water-powered machinery for carding and spinning cotton. A machine cards cotton by combing and untangling fibers while removing short undesirable fibers. In the spinning process, the fibers are drawn out, twisted and wound to create thread or yarn. That thread can then be dyed and woven into fabrics in the next phase of the process.
Samuel Slater built that first American mill in... Read MORE...
www.americaslibrary.gov
December 20, 1790
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1800s Cooking Tips and Recipes
Snow Custard
Use half a package of gelatine, three eggs, one pint of sweet milk, two cups of sugar and the juice of two good-sized lemons. Soak the gelatine in a teacup of cold water; it will need to soak for an hour at least, when it is entirely ...Read MORE...
The Willimantic Chronicle, Willimantic, Connecticut, December 28, 1881
St Louis, Missouri, USA
St. Louis, Dec. 19. - Fire started in the basement of the building occupied by the Mermod & Jaccard Jewelry Company, at the corner of Locust street and Broadway, early this morning. The five story building is a total loss, $335,000, fully insured. It is thought the fire started in the boiler room.
W. A. Rutledge, the engineer, and his family lived on the fourth floor. The fireman dragged them unconscious from their beds and carried them down the fire escapes. Five minutes later the floors... Read MORE...
The Morning Herald - Lexington, Kentucky - December 20, 1897
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1897 - VAULTS SAVE. St. Louis' Largest Jewelry Firm From Being Wiped Out by Fire. BUILDING AND ALL GO. But Half of the Stock Was Saved by Being in Fire Proof Vaults. FAMILY'S NARROW ESCAPE.
St. Louis, Dec. 19. - Fire started in the basement of the building occupied by the Mermod & Jaccard Jewelry Company, at the corner of Locust street and Broadway, early this morning. The five story building is a total loss, $335,000, fully insured. It is thought the fire started in the boiler room.
W. A. Rutledge, the engineer, and his family lived on the fourth floor. The fireman dragged them unconscious from their beds and carried them down the fire escapes. Five minutes later the floors... Read MORE...
The Morning Herald - Lexington, Kentucky - December 20, 1897
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Warren, Michigan, USA
Warren, Mich. - Six of the nine children of ELBERT TURNER COX, 40, a steel-worker and part-time cab driver of Warren, Mich., a Detroit suburb, perished in a fire that destroyed their two-story frame home.
"Six of my babies are gone ... "
"I've lost six of my babies," COX cried on learning of the tragedy as he returned from work. His wife, MARIE, 35, was reported in critical condition.
The oldest of the COX children, ELBERT, JR., 13, had left his bedroom window open after watching the... Read MORE...
Waterloo Daily Courier - Iowa - December 20, 1964
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1964 - SIX PERISH IN HOUSE FIRE.
Warren, Mich. - Six of the nine children of ELBERT TURNER COX, 40, a steel-worker and part-time cab driver of Warren, Mich., a Detroit suburb, perished in a fire that destroyed their two-story frame home.
"Six of my babies are gone ... "
"I've lost six of my babies," COX cried on learning of the tragedy as he returned from work. His wife, MARIE, 35, was reported in critical condition.
The oldest of the COX children, ELBERT, JR., 13, had left his bedroom window open after watching the... Read MORE...
Waterloo Daily Courier - Iowa - December 20, 1964
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Caraquet, Gloucester, New Brunswick, Canada
Moncton, N.B., Dec. 19. - A fearful disaster occurred last night near Caraquette Station, on the northern division of the Intercolonial Railroad. It is reported that a train went through a bridge and that ten men were killed. No particulars have yet been received.
Later - The disaster occurred at a point about forty miles from Bathurst, the capital of Gloucester County, one of the northern counties of the province. For several days the locality has been visited by tremendous snowstorms and... Read MORE...
Logansport Journal - Logansport, Indiana - December 20, 1887
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1887 - PLUNGED OFF A BRIDGE. EIGHT MEN PERISH UNDER AN ENGINE.
Moncton, N.B., Dec. 19. - A fearful disaster occurred last night near Caraquette Station, on the northern division of the Intercolonial Railroad. It is reported that a train went through a bridge and that ten men were killed. No particulars have yet been received.
Later - The disaster occurred at a point about forty miles from Bathurst, the capital of Gloucester County, one of the northern counties of the province. For several days the locality has been visited by tremendous snowstorms and... Read MORE...
Logansport Journal - Logansport, Indiana - December 20, 1887
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1800s Advice and Etiquette for Ladies
A lady will always dress plainly when traveling. A gay dress, or finery of any sort, when in a boat, stage, or car, lays a woman open to the most severe...Read MORE...
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness: A Complete Handbook for the Use of the Lady in Polite Society... by Florence Hartley, January 1, 1872
Huntington, West Virginia, USA
High Wind Was Blowing and the Fire Destroyed Three Buildings
A fire alarm from box twenty-eight called the department to the corner of Eighteenth street and Sixth avenue, where just back of the C & O hospital, fire was discovered in the barn belonging to Mrs. L. Buffington.
The department was soon on the scene, but the blaze had gained such headway that it was thought best to sound the second and third alarms, which called out the entire fire fighting force.
A high wind was blowing and... Read MORE...
The Huntington Advertiser - Huntington, West Virginia - December 20, 1904
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1904 - ALL FIREMEN CALLED OUT To Fight a Bad Blaze Back of the C & O Hospital
High Wind Was Blowing and the Fire Destroyed Three Buildings
A fire alarm from box twenty-eight called the department to the corner of Eighteenth street and Sixth avenue, where just back of the C & O hospital, fire was discovered in the barn belonging to Mrs. L. Buffington.
The department was soon on the scene, but the blaze had gained such headway that it was thought best to sound the second and third alarms, which called out the entire fire fighting force.
A high wind was blowing and... Read MORE...
The Huntington Advertiser - Huntington, West Virginia - December 20, 1904
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Lavaltrie, Québec, Canada (Saint-Antoine)
Six Men are Captured
Complete Plant: Press. Plates and Paper: Building Resembles Arsenal.
MAKE NIGHT ATTACK
Officers Smash Door, Rush in Upon Occupants While They Sleep.
MONTREAL - By a raid on a shack in the woods five miles from the village of Lavaltrie, Friday, the police unearthed what is believe to be the source of one of the most important counterfeiting schemes discovered in this section in years. Five men were caught in the house where the plant was found, and a sixth man was... Read MORE...
Idaho Statesman - Idaho - December 20, 1913
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1913 - Counterfeit Money Source - Canadian Authorities Raid Shack in Little Village of Lavaltrie
Six Men are Captured
Complete Plant: Press. Plates and Paper: Building Resembles Arsenal.
MAKE NIGHT ATTACK
Officers Smash Door, Rush in Upon Occupants While They Sleep.
MONTREAL - By a raid on a shack in the woods five miles from the village of Lavaltrie, Friday, the police unearthed what is believe to be the source of one of the most important counterfeiting schemes discovered in this section in years. Five men were caught in the house where the plant was found, and a sixth man was... Read MORE...
Idaho Statesman - Idaho - December 20, 1913
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1860 Civil War - On December 20, 1860, a little over a month after Abraham Lincoln had been elected President, South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six more states followed by the spring of 1861.
civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/triggerevents.html
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1946 December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, featuring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, and Thomas Mitchell, is released in New York.
wikipedia.org
Visit Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights)!
1958 Santa Answers Appeal of Girl
TAMPA, Fla., Dec 20. (AP) - Note to Viola S. McGraw of Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada: A Christmas package containing a doll, pajamas, socks, pencils, crayons and coloring books is on its way from Tampa. Mrs Ida Hernandez fixed up the package after finding a note tied to the Christmas tree she purchased. Viola wrote: "I am a very poor little girl 6 years old. Will you pleas send me some pencils for Christmas."
Spokane Daily Chronicle
Spokane, Washington
Visit Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada (Tracadie-Sheila)!
civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/triggerevents.html
Visit , United States (USA) (American Colonies)!
1946 December 20 - Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, featuring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, and Thomas Mitchell, is released in New York.
wikipedia.org
Visit Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights)!
1958 Santa Answers Appeal of Girl
TAMPA, Fla., Dec 20. (AP) - Note to Viola S. McGraw of Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada: A Christmas package containing a doll, pajamas, socks, pencils, crayons and coloring books is on its way from Tampa. Mrs Ida Hernandez fixed up the package after finding a note tied to the Christmas tree she purchased. Viola wrote: "I am a very poor little girl 6 years old. Will you pleas send me some pencils for Christmas."
Spokane Daily Chronicle
Spokane, Washington
Visit Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada (Tracadie-Sheila)!
1867 Destructive Fire in Augusta, Me.
AUGUSTA, Me., Thursday, Dec. 19. A large building, the property of the A & W Sprague Manufacturing Company, of Providence, R. I., and occupied by several firms for the manufacture of sash, blinds and doors, furniture and other wood works, a grist-mill, salt manufactory, machinist, &c., was totally destroyed by fire this afternoon. The total loss is about $80,000, with no insurance.
The New York Times
New York, New York
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1884 Photographic film is invented (George Eastman, United States)
Photographic. A certificate was filed yesterday in the county clerk's office showing that the capital stock of the Eastman Dry Plate and Film company $200,000, has been fully paid up. The trustees are Henry A. Strong, Edwin O. Sage, J. H. Kent, George Eastman and William H. Walker. The company is preparing to introduce its new discovery, paper dry plates.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York
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AUGUSTA, Me., Thursday, Dec. 19. A large building, the property of the A & W Sprague Manufacturing Company, of Providence, R. I., and occupied by several firms for the manufacture of sash, blinds and doors, furniture and other wood works, a grist-mill, salt manufactory, machinist, &c., was totally destroyed by fire this afternoon. The total loss is about $80,000, with no insurance.
The New York Times
New York, New York
Visit Augusta, Maine, USA!
1884 Photographic film is invented (George Eastman, United States)
Photographic. A certificate was filed yesterday in the county clerk's office showing that the capital stock of the Eastman Dry Plate and Film company $200,000, has been fully paid up. The trustees are Henry A. Strong, Edwin O. Sage, J. H. Kent, George Eastman and William H. Walker. The company is preparing to introduce its new discovery, paper dry plates.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York
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America - Did you know?
March 3, 1931 - The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the national anthem.
Quebec - Did you know?
Tourtière is a traditional Quebecois meat pie. The filling varies from region to region, but it often involves minced pork, beef, or wild game.
Picture of the Day
Visit Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA!
Discover the people who lived there, the places they visited and the stories they shared.
Grand River and Falls from Bridge St. Bridge and Grand Trunk R.R. Station
