JULY 4 | Birthdays and Events

Notable Birthdays for July 4

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) - Writer who wrote several novels and short stories, including The Scarlet Letter.

Hiram Walker (1816-1899) - Founder of the Canadian Club (whisky).

James Anthony Bailey (1847-1906) - Circus ringmaster and co-founder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Stephen Mather (1867-1930) - Conservationist who organized U.S. National Park Service.

Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) - The 30th President of the U.S.

Gertrude Weaver (1898-2015) - Supercentenarian who was 116 years and 276 days in 2015, making her the oldest person during that year.

Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) - Considered the founder of Modern Sociology and a major contributor to the study of criminology.

Gloria Stuart (1910-2010) - Actress who played Rose in Titanic (1997).

Pauline Phillips (1918-2013) - Created the newspaper column Dear Abby.

Ann Landers (1918-2002) - Twin sister to Pauline Phillips and columnist who created Ask Ann Landers.

Steven Sasson (1950-Still Living) - Inventor of the digital camera.

Memorable Birthdays for July 4

1776 - Congress officially proclaims the Declaration of Independence.

1796 - The first Independence Day is celebrated.

1802 - West Point (U.S. Military Academy) opens in NY.

1803 - The U.S. government informs citizens about the Louisiana Purchase.

1818 - The U.S. Flag Act of 1818, creating a 13 stripe flag with a star for each state, goes into effect (stars added as states were added).

1826 - Former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both die on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

1827 - New York abolishes slavery.

1862 - Lewis Carroll tells Alice Liddell a story (later published as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland).

1865 - Lewis Carroll published the first edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

1888 - The first organized organized rodeo competition is held in AZ.

1942 - Americans bomb locations in Nazi Germany for the first time.

1966 - President Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act.

1970 - Casey Kasem's American Top 40 debuts.

1997 - The Pathfinder Space Probe (NASA) lands on Mars.