George William Manby was born in Denver, Norfolk, England back in 1765 to Matthew and Mary.  He was educated at the Free Grammar School in King’s Lynn.  He volunteered to fight in the American War of Independence at 17.  He was rejected due to his youth, instead he was sent to the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich.  In 1788, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Cambridgeshire Militia reaching the rank of captain before resigning in 1793.  He married the daughter of Reverend Preston but left her in 1801 after being shot by her lover moving to Clifton, Bristol.  In 1807, he witnessed a Royal Navy ship carrying French prisoners run aground killing 214 people including women and children.  With that embedded in his mind he invented a mortar call the Manby Mortar.  It fired a thin rop... 09/22/2021

Hannah Lincoln Harkness was born in Houghton, Michigan back in 1914.  She attended the Milton Academy in Massachusetts and Vassar in New York.  At 16 she obtained her pilot’s license.  At Vassar she earned extra money taking students for rides in an aircraft she rented from a nearby airport.In 1932, at the end of her freshman year she earned her commercial license receiving national attention.  In 1936, she married Robert an Air Corps Reserve Major.  In 1937-38 she worked as a test pilot for the Gwinn Air Car Company.  During her time at Gwinn she tested the new tricycle landing gear, which subsequently became standard on most aircraft.  She died in1976, she was 62.What you may not know about “Nancy” Harkness Love is that during WWII she convinced William H. Turner to set up a group of ... 07/23/2021

Norma Deloris Egstrom was born in Jamestown, North Dakota back in 1920 to Marvin and Selma.  Her mother died when she was four and her father remarried.  She graduated from Wimbledon High School in 1937.  While in high school she was the female singer for a six-piece college dance band.She sang professionally over the KOVC radio in Valley City, North Dakota in 1936.  At the age of 17 she left ho and traveled to Hollywood, California.  She found work on Balboa Island, Newport Beach as a short order cook and waitress at Harry’s Cafe.  In 1938, he fainted onstage due to overwork and an inadequate diet. She was taken to the hospital where she was told she needed a tonsillectomy.  She returned to North Dakota for the operation.After she recovered she returned to California in 1940.  In 1942,... 04/28/2021

Isaac Ladipo Oluwole was born in Lagos, Nigeria to Isaac and Abigal.  His father was the principal of the CMS Grammar School.  He attended the school briefly before moving to King’s College.  he was just one of the first two black students to attend King’s College.  Turns out, he was the first Senior Prefect of the School.In 1913, he went to the University of Glasgow to study Medicine.  He graduated in 1918, with a medical degree, returning to Nigeria he went into general practice for a few years.  He founded the first School of Hygiene in Nigeria, he also provided training to Sanitary Inspectors from all parts of Nigeria.  He re-organized sanitary inspection procedures in the port of Lagos to control the spread of bubonic plague.  He set up the West African board of the Royal Society o... 03/31/2021

Joseph William Kennedy was born in Nacogdoches, Texas back in 1916 to Joseph and Mattie.  He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State Teacher College receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued his education at the University of Kansas where he was awarded a Master of Arts degree.  He entered the University of California, Berkley earing his Doctor of Philosophy.After graduation he was an early recruit for the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico.  He was acting head of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Division, there was some concern as he was only 26 years old at the time.  After the war he was recruited as a professor at Washington University in St Louis, being installed as Chairman of the Department of Chemistry in 1946.  He continued in that capacity until his de... 01/29/2021

Johannes Max Janzen was born in Fronza, West Prussia back in 1886.  At the start of World War I, he enlisted with the 1st Leib-Husaren-Regiment being promoted to Lieutenant in 1916.  He transferred to the air force receiving his pilot’s badge later that year.  He was assigned to the Royal Bavarian Fighter Squadron in November of 1916.He was transferred again to the Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel6.  In 1918, he was appointed to command the Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel4.  He again signed up for service with the onset of World War II. He was captured and died in a Russian prison camp in October of 1945What you may not know about Johannes is that he is confirmed as the First Ace in any war, he had thirteen aerial victories.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift ... 11/29/2020

Douglas Thomas Jacobson was born in Rochester, New York back in 1925.  After graduating from high school in Port Washington, New York he worded with his father as a draftsman, lifeguard and swimming instructor before enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve when he was 17.  He was sent overseas in 1943, where is saw action in Tinian, Marianas Island, Marshall Islands and Iwo Jima.He rose through the ranks finally reaching the rank of Major, in 1964, he retired in 1967.  His total amount of time serving this Republic was 24 years.  After retirement, he was a real estate agent in New Jersey.  He retired in 1987, moving to Florida where he died in 2000.What you may not know about Major Jacobson is that he was awarded the Medal of Honor when he was a private first class during action against t... 11/13/2020

Ignatius Alphonso Few was born in Columbia County Georgia back in 1789 to Captain Few and Mary.  I don’t have any information about his childhood, but I can tell you he studied at Princeton University and New York City before returning to Georgia to study law.  In 1811, he married Salina and tried his hand at farming, which didn’t work well with him. In 1823, he became seriously ill with a form of “lung fever” which was most likely tuberculosis.  That same year he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church.  In 1828, he was admitted to the MEC as a minister being a charter member of the Georgia Conference in 1831.  He left because of his health.  In 1838, he received is Doctor of Law degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. The Georgia Conference founded a school for manual labor four... 10/21/2020

William Hoskins was born in Chicago, Illinois back to 1862 to John and Mary.  He attended the Chicago High School but dropped out after two years.  He received private instruction in the field of chemistry.  When he was thirteen he joined the Illinois State Microscopic Society. At seventeen he was the society’s secretary.At seventeen he was hired by Guy Mariner at his laboratory.  In 1897, he was elected chairman of the American Chemical Society. By the early 1900’s he opened Hoskins Manufacturing Co. based in Detroit, Michigan.  He was granted 37 patents. He died in 1934, he was 72.What you may not know about William is that he was also an inventor.  While his patents alone would place him in the history books what he is most noted for is the invention of the electric heating coil and ... 09/14/2020

Aline Rhonie Hofheimer was born in York, Pennsylvania back in 1909.  The family moved to New Jersey when she was three.  She attended Dalton School in New York, marring Richard when she was seventeen.  At the age of nineteen she moved with her husband to Reno, Nevada where in 1930 she divorced him.During WWII, she was one of the first nine women to volunteer for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron.  After the war, she learned to paint murals.  She died in 1963 in Palm Beach, Florida she was 54.What you may not know about Aline Rhonie is that she painted a mural about aviation history, it is now located at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York.  She was the first woman to fly solo from New York to Mexico City.  For her efforts in WWII she received the Croix de Guer... 08/17/2020

Harold Gonsalves was born in Alameda, California back in 1926.  He attended school at Alameda, quitting after just 2.5 years to take a job as a stock clerk with Montgomery Ward in Oakland. When he was old enough he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943.  He was sent to the Marine Raiders at Camp Pendleton, California.After a brief three weeks, he was transferred to the artillery division, classified as a cannoneer on 75 and 105 millimeter guns.  He was transferred to Hawaii in 1943, promoted to private first class in 1944. He saw action in the Marshall Island.  He landed on Okinawa in 1945, directing artillery fire in support of the Japanese position on Motobu Penninsula.He was assigned to a scouting team when the team came under heavy enemy fire. When the team reached their goal, a Japa... 04/01/2020

Baptiste Jules Henri Jacques Giffard was born in Paris, France back in 1825.  Sadly, I do not have any information as to his parents, upbringing or education.  This one is going to be short so hand on and let’s get with it.In response to his declining eyesight, he committed suicide in 1882, leaving his inventions to humanitarian and scientific purposes.What you may not know about Baptiste is that he was an inventor.  He invented the steam injector, a device used to deliver cold water to a boiler replacing the mechanical pump.  He also invented the Giffard dirigible it was the first airship powered by a steam engine.  It was also the world’s first passenger-carrying airship.  He made a trip from Paris to Elancort, making turns and circles.  Proving an airship could be steered and control... 03/21/2020

Dixie Cornell was born in Knoxville, Iowa back in 1866 to Riley and Mary.  Except for a year spent in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1883, she spent her entire life in Knoxville, graduating from the Knoxville Public Schools in 1885. In 1900, she married George.  Originally, she was a member of the Abigail Adams Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, later she joined the Mary Marion Chapter in 1917.She worked as the DAR Recording Secretary from 1913-1916, State Regent from 1916-1918, and later as a DAR Genealogist the Continental Hall in Washington, D.C.  Dixie died in Knoxville in 1955, she was 88.  In 1956, the Iowa chapters of the DAR presented a portrait of Dixie to be hung in the Governor’s mansion.What you may not know about Dixie Cornwell Gebhardt is that she designed the Iowa Sta... 03/01/2020

Garrett Augustus Morgan, Sr. was born in Claysville, Kentucky back in 1877 to Sydney and Elizabeth. He attended the Branch Elementary School but left at the age of 14 and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He worked as a handyman, until 1895 when he moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He started out repairing sewing machines for a clothing manufacturer.He was so good at repairing the machines he started his own business in 1907. By 1910, he had 32 employees making coast, suits, dresses and other clothing. In 1916, he used a hood designed by him to rescue some workers trapped in a water intake tunnel 50 ft. below Lake Erie. That invention is the precursor to the modern hoods that firemen wear today when entering a burning building, helping them to breath while fighting fires. He also invented the three po... 02/23/2020

George Warren Fuller was born in Franklin, Massachusetts back in 1868. After graduating from high school, he continued his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the tender age of 16 receiving his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1890. He was sent to Berlin, Germany to continue his education where he studied bacteriology and the Hygiene Institute of the University of Berlin.Upon his return to the United States he worked at the Lawrence Experiment Station in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He worked for the City of Louisville, Kentucky to study water filtration from 1895-97. He opened up a consulting practice in New York City in 1899, where he worked on several water projects. It is estimated that he consulted on over 150 municipalities and agencies during his career.What yo... 02/06/2020

Nicolas Florine was born in Batumi, Georgia, Russia back in 1891 to Anatole and Aimee. He studied mathematics at the university. He served in the military but I can’t find out when and where however he was discharged in 1914. He fled to Helsinki before settling in Belgium 1920 due to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. He worked for the Aeronautical Administration at the Hotel des Monnaies in Saint-Gilles. In 1926, he was placed in charge of the Aerodynamics Center where he was involved in Belgium’s first wind tunnel. From the work, he performed on the wind tunnel, he applied for and received several patents (more on that in a moment).He continued working for the Aeronautical Administration until his retirement in 1956. He died in Brussels in 1972, he was 81.What you may not know about Ni... 01/09/2020

David Andrew Farrow was born in Kitchener, Ontario back in 1975 to Wayne and Virginia. During his infancy, he suffered from numerous health problems. The prognoses was not good and the doctors suggested that he would not survive the first year. His health issues also affected his studies, severely impacting is learning.He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. Against the doctors wishes his mother would not let him take Ritalin to control his issues. So, what’s a young man to do, well David took it upon himself exploring behavior modification approaches to manage his disability. By the time he was 14 he taught himself speed reading and memorizing the things he had read. As they say the rest is history. David is a two-time Canadian Guinness World... 12/05/2019

Helene Esnault was born in Paris, France back in 1953. She obtained her PhD from the University of Paris VII in 1976. She studied mathematics at the University of Essen and did her habilitation at the University of Bonn in 1985. She now is a professor at Freie Universitat Berlin.What you may not know about Helene is that she is the first female Einstein Professor at the Freie Universitat Berlin. He and her husbandProfessor Dr. Eckart Viehweg were the first married couple to receive a Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize for joint scientific work. Don’t know about you but anything past 2+2=4 is way beyond me.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today  11/18/2019

John Adams was born in Grafton, Massachusetts back in 1822 to Jonathan and Melinda. From all accounts, he was an ardent student of chemistry. The chemicals he mixed together caused him to have health issues so he had to stop and turn his attention to something else, which of course is the rest of the story.I don’t have much on his education but what I can tell you is that he was a prolific inventor. His main interest was that of photography. If you can find one of his daguerreotype you are a millionaire. He invented crayon daguerreotypes, he developed the process for making paper prints from glass albumen negatives. He died in 1891.What you may not know about John Adams Whipple is that he was the first person in the United States to manufacture the chemicals used for daguerreotypes. He ... 11/03/2018

Charles Thomson was born in Gorteade, Ireland back in 1729 to John, sorry I do not have the name of his mother. After the death of his mother John moved the family to the American Colonies. During the trip John died at sea. He was cared for by a blacksmith in New Castle, Delaware.Educated in New London, Pennsylvania by 1750 he was a tutor in Latin at the Philadelphia Academy. He served as secretary at the Treaty of Eason (1758). Allied with Benjamin Franklin, he became a leader of the Sons of Liberty, marrying the sister of Benjamin Harrison V. He died in 1824 in Pennsylvania at a young 94.What you may not know about Charles is from 1774-1789 he was the secretary of the Continental Congress throughout its existence. You can thank him for recording the debates and decisions during those ... 09/12/2018