On This Day: January 19

Updated January 18, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Jan. 19, 1937, millionaire Howard Hughes set a transcontinental air record by flying his monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

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On Jan. 19, 1807, Robert E. Lee, Confederate general during the American Civil War , was born. Following his death on Oct. 12, 1870, his obituary appeared in The Times.

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On This Date

By The Associated Press

1736	James Watt, inventor of the steam engine, was born in Scotland.
1807	Robert E. Lee, the commander-in-chief of the Confederate armies, was born in Stratford, Va.
1809	Author Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston.
1861	Georgia seceded from the Union.
1943	Rock singer Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas.
1944	The federal government relinquished control of the nation’s railroads after settling a wage dispute.
1955	A presidential news conference was filmed for TV for the first time, with the permission of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
1979	Former Attorney General John Mitchell was released on parole after serving 19 months in federal prison for Watergate-related crimes.
1981	The United States and Iran signed an agreement paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.
2001	In a deal sparing himself possible indictment, President Bill Clinton acknowledged for the first time making false statements under oath about Monica Lewinsky; he also surrendered his law license for five years.
2006	An unmanned NASA spacecraft blasted off on a 3 billion-mile journey to Pluto.
2010	In a major upset, Republican Scott Brown captured the U.S. Senate seat held by liberal champion Edward Kennedy for nearly half a century as he defeated Democrat Martha Coakley in a special election.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Country singer-actress Dolly Parton turns 66 years old today.

AP Photo/Charles Sykes

Actress Katey Sagal turns 58 years old today.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

1923	Jean Stapleton, Actress (“All in the Family”), turns 89
1926	Fritz Weaver, Actor, turns 86
1930	Tippi Hedren, Actress (“The Birds”), turns 82
1931	Robert MacNeil, Journalist, turns 81
1939	Phil Everly, Singer (The Everly Brothers), turns 73
1942	Michael Crawford, Actor, singer, turns 70
1944	Dan Reeves, Football coach, turns 68
1947	Ann Compton, Broadcast journalist, turns 65
1947	Paula Deen, TV chef, turns 65
1953	Desi Arnaz Jr., Actor, turns 59
1955	Paul Rodriguez, Comedian, turns 57
1966	Stefan Edberg, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 46
1969	Trey Lorenz, R&B singer, turns 43
1972	Drea de Matteo, Actress (“The Sopranos”), turns 40
1974	Frank Caliendo, Comedian, impressionist, turns 38
1982	Jodie Sweetin, Actress (“Full House”), turns 30
1992	Shawn Johnson, Gymnast, turns 20

 

Historic Birthdays

Robert E. Lee 1/19/1807 – 10/12/1870 American Civil War general.Go to obituary »

53	Tai Chen 1/19/1724 – 7/1/1777 Chinese philosopher
83	James Watt 1/19/1736 – 8/25/1819 Scottish steam engine inventor
82	Isaiah Thomas 1/19/1749 – 4/4/1831 American anti-British journalist
67	Auguste Comte 1/19/1790 – 9/5/1857 French philosopher
40	Edgar Allan Poe 1/19/1809 – 10/7/1849 American writer/poet
95	William Keen 1/19/1837 – 6/7/1932 American-1st Am. Brain surgeon
67	Paul Cezanne 1/19/1839 – 10/22/1906 French Post-Impressionist painter
79	George Trumbull Ladd 1/19/1842 – 8/8/1921 American philosopher/psychologist
56	Alexander Woollcott 1/19/1887 – 1/23/1943 American author/critic
72	Olafur Thors 1/19/1892 – 12/31/1964 Icelandic Prime Minister
90	Oveta Culp Hobby 1/19/1905 – 8/16/1995 American publisher and first secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (1953-55)