William Semple Green was born in Kentucky back in 1832.  He moved to California during the California Gold Rush arriving in San Francisco in 1849, he was 17.  For several years he operated piloted a steamboat up the Sacramento River for his uncle, founding the town of Colusa.  He also held different jobs as a hotel keeper, writing magazine articles and founded a bakery.  During the 1850’s California experienced a series of droughts, he was a promoter of irrigating the Sacramento Valley.In 1863, he purchased the Colusa Sun newspaper.  He held many titles, including the U.S. Surveyor General for California, California State Treasurer, and Director of the State Board of Trade.  In 1900, he helped to found the Sacramento Valley Development Association.  Elected its first President, where he... 04/24/2020

John Franklin Gray was born in Sherburne, New York back in 1804 to John and Diantha. He graduated from Columbia University of Physician and Surgeons in 1826. Immediately after graduation and completing his residency he opened up his practice in New York City. He studied French and German being fluent enough to speak and read the languages.He supported the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage. He was also well-known as a prominent Spiritualist, being a frequent lecturer on the subject.  In 1871, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Hamilton College.  He died in New York City in 1882, he was 77.What you may not know about John is that he was the first physician to practice homoeopathy in the United States.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the f... 04/15/2020

Elna Jane Hilliard was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin back in 1913 to Charles and Anna. She attended three different schools, the final one in Winona, Minnesota. In 1931, she entered the College of Saint Teresa, transferring to the University of Wisconsin where she graduated with a B.S. in math in 1935.In 1941, she received her M.S. in math and education from the University of Wisconsin. After graduation, she was a math instructor at a junior college in Emmetsburg, Iowa. He career was interrupted during WWII when she served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.  She headed up a secret Army experiment to determine the way that women might be used in an anti-aircraft battery.After being discharged she held several positions the last one was Professor Emerita at the University of Idaho where sh... 04/11/2020

Calvin Leon Graham was born in Canton, Texas back in 1930. He was attending elementary school in the Houston, Texas area when his father died and his mother remarried. He enlisted in the Navy, where he was sent to boot camp in San Diego, California for six weeks.After finishing basic training, he was sent to Pearl harbor assigned to the USS South Dakota. He saw action at the Battle of the Santa Cruz and the Battle of Guadalcanal serving as a loader for a 4omm anti-aircraft gun when he was delivering a message to an officer when he was hit by shrapnel. Refusing aid, he turned to rescue duty by pulling wounded shipmates to safety. After being discharged, he worked in a defense plant as a welder.He died in Fort Worth, Texas in 1992, he was 62.  What you may not know about Calvin is that he... 04/10/2020

Karl Ferdinand von Gräfe was born in Germany back in 1787. He studied medicine at Halle and Leipzig, in 1897 he was appointed private physician to Duke Alexius of Anhalt-Bernburg.  In 1811, he was the professor of surgery at the University of Berlin.In 1815, he was appointed physician to the general staff of the Prussian Army and director of the Friedrich Wilhelm Institute of the Medico-Chirurgical Academy.  On his way to perform surgery on the crown prince he died suddenly in 1849, he was 53.What you may not know about Karl is that he was a pioneer of plastic and reconstructive surgery, the founder of German rhinoplastic surgery, a pioneer of eyelid surgery and cleft palate repair.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today  04/08/2020

Christian Gobrecht was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania back in 1785 to John and Elizabeth.  He could his ancestry back in 164 in the Plymouth Colony.  He worked as an engraver in Manheim, Pennsylvania engraving ornamental clocks.  He moved to Philadelphia in 1811, working for Murray, Draper, Fairman and Company. He invented a medal ruling machine in 1810, which he improved on in 1817.  He also invented the camera lucida, which is an optical superimposition of the subject being viewed.  It allowed the artist to see both the scene and drawing surface simultaneously.  It allowed the artist of duplicate key points of the scene on the drawing obtaining accurate rendering of the scene.He became the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint in 1840.  He died in 1844, he was 58.What you may not kn... 03/29/2020

Nathaniel Glover Jr., was born in Jacksonville, Florida back in 1943.  He attended the Jacksonville Public Schools.  He continued his education at Edward Waters College graduating in 1966.  After graduation, he was hired by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office where he rose through the ranks becoming an Investigator in 1969. He graduated from the FBI National Academy’s 130the Session.  After he retired from the Sheriff’s Office he joined the Edward Waters College Board of Trustees as interim president. In 2011, it was made permanent.  He retired from that position in 2018.What you may not know about Nathaniel “Nat” Glover is that he was the first African-American elected sheriff in Florida since the end of Reconstruction.  He won election in 1995 and again in 1999. Your day is worthwhile w... 03/27/2020

Francis Harrington was born in New Castle, Maine.  He attended the Lincoln Academy.  He married Winifred in 1854, when he started a career as a seaman and dry-goods merchant.  In 1866, he started working for William Tiden and Nehphena in New York City as a varnish salesman. In 1868, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he continued to work as a varnish salesman, staying with the company until 1875. In the same year with his knowledge he started his own varnish manufacturing company.  In 1890, he incorporated the company serving as President and Director until he retired in 1917 at 85.  He also served as director of the Central National Bank of Cleveland.  He died in 192, he was 90.  The company was bought by PPG Industries, Inc., in 2012.While you may not recognize Francis, surely you know... 03/25/2020

Julie Ann Gibson was born in the United Kingdom back in 1956.  Her father was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy.  I don’t have any information about her early childhood, but she graduated from City, University of London in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering.After graduation, she joined the Royal Air Force in 1984.  After officer training, she was posted to the RAF Honington in Suffolk.  She was placed in charge, of 75 engineers, then she commanded 160 men in the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom.  She made her first solo flight in 1990.What you may not know about Flight Lieutenant Julie is that she was the first full-time female pilot for the Royal Air Force. Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today 03/19/2020

Lisa Gheradini was born in Via Maggio, Republic of France back in 1479 to Antonmaria and Lucrezia.  In 1495, at 15 she married Francesco who was a merchant of silk and cloth.  The union produced 5 children: Piero, Camilla, Andrea, Giocondo and Marietta.  Camilla and Marietta became Catholic nuns. Francesco became an official in Florence, elected to the Dodici Buonomini in 1499 and to the Signoria in 1512, where he was confirmed as a Priori in 1524.  Francesco died in 1538 from the plague.  Lisa fell ill and was taken by her daughter to the convent of Sant’Orsola where she died in 1542, she was 63.While you may not know Lisa Gheradini, you surely have seen her portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa.  Now you know the rest of the story.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone sm... 03/16/2020

Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi was born in Florence, Republic of France back in 1448.  He worked for his father as a goldsmith.  In his spare time, he made portraits of the passers-by and visitors to the shop.  His father recognized his talent and sent him to apprentice under Alesso Baldovinetti to study painting.He excelled in painting murals.  One of his first commissions came in 1470 where he was sent to decorate the Chapel of Santa Fina which he finished in 1478.  In 1481, he was summoned to Rome by Pope Sixtus IV as one of a team of Florentine and Umbrian painters commissioned to create a series of murals for the Sistine Chapel.  He died in 1494 at 45.What you may not know about Domenico is that one of his apprentices that passed through his workshop was Michelangelo.... 03/15/2020

Slamak Ghaffari was born in Tehran, Iran back in 1961.  The family moved to the United States where he attended Paramus High School in Paramus, New Jersey.  This one is going to be short, so hang on with me. He represented the United States in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games and again in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games.  He is now a professional wrestler and has fought as a MMA Fighter.  He is the most accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler in the history of the U.S.A. with three American Records.  He currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.  By looking at his photo, I can tell you I wouldn’t want to cross him.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today 03/14/2020

Samuel Gettys was born in Randalstown, County Antrim, Northern Ireland back in 1725.  He moved to the United States settling in south-central Pennsylvania during the late 1780’s.  He owned a tavern.  During the American Revolution, he gave funds to the Continental Army.  However, after the war he found himself rich in land but poor in cash.He sold his land in plots to become financial stable.  He died in 1790, and buried at Black’s Graveyard.What you may not know about Samuel is that for his contributions to the American Revolution the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was named after him.  Yep, we’re talking about the historic Battle of Gettysburg. Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today   03/12/2020

Charles Geschke was born in Cleveland, Ohio back in 1939.  He attended Saint Ignatius High School before continuing his education earning a BA and MS in Mathematics from Xavier University, as well as a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University.  After graduation, he taught mathematics at John Carroll University from 1963-68.In 1972, he worked for Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center, his first project was to build a mainframe, programming languages and development of the tools that were used to build the Star Workstation.  In 1978, he directed research activities in the fields of computer science, graphics, image processing and optics.  In 1992, he was kidnapped from a parking lot in Mountain View, California by Mouhannad Albukhari and Jack Sayeh.  The FBI found the kidnapper... 03/09/2020

Eldridge Thomas Gerry was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts back in 1744 to Thomas and Elizabeth.  Educated by private tutors before heading to Harvard College just prior to his 14th birthday.  He was active in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War.  He was elected to the Second Continental Congress. He was elected to the inaugural United States Congress, where he was actively involved in the drafting and passage of the Bill of Rights.  He also was an advocate of the individual and states liberties.  He was chosen by Madison as his vice-presidential candidate in 1812, but died a year and a half into his term. What you may not know about Eldridge is that he signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. The phenomenon of gerrymandering was nam... 03/07/2020

Emily Geiger was born in Lexington District, South Carolina back in 1765 to John and Emily.  She married John Threwits and had one daughter named Elizabeth.  She died in 1825, she was 59.  Her grave can be found at the Geiger Cemetery.  Three South Carolina chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution have been named for her, however only one is currently in existence. There are monuments to her at the Cayce, South Carolina history museum and the South Carolina statehouse. In honor of Emily the woman holding the laurel branch on the South Carolina State Seal is designated to Emily.Now I bet you’re wondering why South Carolina loves Emily Geiger.  Well here is the rest of the story.  Shortly after the siege of Ninety-Six, South Carolina General Nathanael Greene wanted to send an ... 03/03/2020

Virginie Amélie Avegno was born in New Orleans, Louisiana back in 1859 to Anatole and Marie. Her father served as a major in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War where he died in 1862, during the Battle of Shiloh. In 1867, her mother moved the family to France where she was educated in Paris. She married Pierre a French banker and shipping magnate. It is recorded that her beauty was something she used to her advantage having numerous affairs, even while married. She died in 1915, she was 56.What you may not know about Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, is that while you may not know her name surely, you’ll recognize her portrait by John Singer Sargent Portrait of Madame X (1884). Now you know the rest of the story.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so... 02/28/2020

Reynaldo Guerra Garza was born in Brownsville, Texas back in 1915. He received his Associate of Arts degree from Brownsville Junior College in 1935 and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas, Austin in 1937. He continued his education earning a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1939.After graduation, he was in private practice from 1939-42. He served in the United States Army Air Force from 1942-45. After being discharged he returned to his private practice until 1961. He died at his hometown of Brownsville in 2004, he was 89.What you may not know about Reynaldo is that he was a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for t... 02/25/2020

José Antonio de la Garza was born near San Antonio, Texas back in 1776 to Leonardo and Magdalena. In 1813, he was elected mayor of San Antonio. In 1818, he was granted permission to create the first coin that existed in Texas. In 1824, he was able to purchase a large extension of land between San Antonio and the Medina River becoming one of the largest land owners in Texas. In the 1840’s he moved his family to a home site near Calaveras Lake. It is believed he died around 1851, however I could not find any documentation to support that finding. So, his true date of death is unknown.What you may not know about José is that the coin he first minted on one side was his initials “JAG”, on the other side was a lone star. That one star symbol is said to have inspired Texas to be the “Lone Sta... 02/24/2020

John Edmund was born in Seaton Delaval, Northcumberland, England back in 1926 to Cyril and Lena. In 1933, the family moved to Berkshire, England where he was educated at King Alfred’s School.   At the outbreak of WWII, while only 13 he joined the Home Guard, later serving in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He later transferred to the Marines 42 Commando serving in the Middle and Far East.After the war, he attended St. John’s College in Cambridge to study theology. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1953. In 1958, he was released from the church. He started working for the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald as a drama critic. At 33, he realized he was an alcoholic drinking two bottles of gin a day. In 1964, he began writing and as they say the rest is history.In 1979, Glidrose Publications a... 02/20/2020