Cluny Macpherson was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland back in 1879 to Campbell and Emma.  He attended the Methodist College and the McGill University Faculty of Medicine from 1879 to 1901, earning his Medical Degree.  He volunteered with the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fisherman. In1902, he returned to Newfoundland where he ran the hospital Battle Harbor until 1904.  When World War I broke out he enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment organizing volunteers into an Ambulance Unit, which continued throughout the war.  He was commissioned as a captain serving as the principal medical officer for the St. John Ambulance Brigade. He saw action in Belgium and France at Salonika and Gallipoli.  After suffering a war injury in Egypt, he returned to Newfoundland in 1916.  He served as the D... 09/08/2021

Eleanor Josephine Macdonald was born in Somerville, Massachusetts back in 1906 to Angus and Catherine.  He attended Radcliffe College graduating in 1928 with a A.B in music, history of literature and English.  After graduation she performed as a professional cellist for four years.  later she studied at the Harvard University School of Public Health.   She worked for the Connecticut State Department of Health as a statistician, moving to Memorial Hospital in New York.  In 1948 her work in Connecticut led to publishing the seminal work “The Incidence and Survival in Cancer”.  She continued her education at the M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas.  Dr. R. Lee Clark recruited her to head the newly created Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas. Later in 1948, he became ... 08/28/2021

Mary Mason Lyon was born in Buckland, Massachusetts back in 1797.  Her father died when she was five and her mother remarried when she was thirteen moving away, leaving Mary in Buckland with her brother.  She attended various schools and in 1814, began teaching in them as well.She was able to attend two secondary schools, the Sanderson Academy in Ashfield and Byfield Seminar in eastern Massachusetts.  after graduation, she taught at several academies including Sanderson.  She was an early believer in the importance of daily exercise for women, requiring them to “walk one mile after breakfast”.  During the winter months she required the students to do calisthenics for 45 minutes. She died in 1849 from erysipelas (a disease caused by a bacterial infection), she was 52.What you may not kno... 08/21/2021

Ruth Watson was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania to John and Lillian back in 1927.  In 1952, she began her education and training in the nursing program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.  It was there she met William who she married in 1955. That same year she graduated with her RN diploma and was recognized as the recipient of the Letitia White Award for the Highest Academic Average and the Florence Nightingale Medal for Excellence in Nursing Practice.In 1959, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in nursing, she received her master’s degree in medical/surgical nursing from Teachers College, Columbia University.  She was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1971.  In 1973, she was invited to join the United States medical delegati... 07/28/2021

Gerald Asher Levitan was born in Canada back in 1954.  He graduated with a B.A. from York University in Toronto and a LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 1979.  His specialty has been involved with high-profile legal cases.  He is also an author, he wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Winning Everyday Legal Hassles in Canada.He is also an actor with several roles in Canada. He was a guest in The West Wing, has produced four CD’s, “Bees, Butterflies & Bugs, Sir Jerry’s World, Time Machine and Sir Jerry Scared Silly.  He in working on developing a television series.What you may not know about Gerald is in 1969, at the age of 14 he beat the world media and conducted an exclusive 30-minute meeting with John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  NW Arkansas, ... 05/28/2021

Thomas A. King was born in 1921, I have searched many places and could not find out anything about his family, education or much less anything about his early years.  He joined the United States Merchant Marine Academy.As a young officer he served on supply ships in the Pacific Theater of World War II.  He saw service in New Guinea, the Solomon Island, Guadalcanal, Luzon, Manila and Corregidor.  He also saw action during the Korean War.  In 1951, he joined the United States Maritime Administration.  He rose through the ranks where he was commissioned a United States Maritime Service Rear Admiral.  He was named the Superintendent of the Academy in 1980, where he retired in 1987.  He died in 2012, he was 91.What you may not know about Real Admiral King is that he was the first graduate of... 02/12/2021

John Laverty was born in County Tyrone, Ireland back in 1842.  I don’t have any information until he wound up in the United States.  He enlisted in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.  He served as Fireman First Class aboard the USS Wyalusing and the USS Alaska.Somewhere along the line he was mustered out and re-enlisted in 1881.  When he served in the USS Alaska.  When he re-enlisted he used the name John Lafferty.  He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1903, he was either 60 or 61.What you may not know about John regardless of his last name is that he was one of only 19 people in the history of the United States Armed Forces to receive the Medal of Honor twice.  I’m going to see about the other 18, so get ready.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, s... 11/28/2020

Iwasaki Yatarō was born in Aki, Tosa Province, Japan back in 1835.  He was imprisoned for seven months due to a dispute with the local ruling clan.  After his release, he worked as a clerk for the Yamauchi government. He was responsible for trading camphor oil and paper to buy ships, weapons and ammunition.In 1868, he travelled to Osaka where in 1870 he became president of the Tsukumo Trading Company.  From 1874-75 he was contracted by the Japanese government to transport Japanese soldiers and war materials.  With his new-found wealth he invested in mining, ship repair and finance industries.  He died in 1885 from stomach cancer is was 50.What you may not know about Iwasaki is that in 1873, he changed the name of Tsukumo Trading Company to something I know all of you are familiar with, ... 11/11/2020

Henry Hitchcock was born in Burlington, Vermont in 1792.  He was the grandson of General Ethan Allen. He attended Middlebury College, then transferred to the University of Vermont in 1811.  While in college he worked a small farm to provide for his family.  After graduation, he became a member of the bar in 1815.Travelling by a flat boat he made his way down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers arriving in Mobile, Alabama when it was still a territory.  He was instrumental in writing of the Alabama’s first constitution, representing Washington County and the constitutional convention in Huntsville in 1819.  He died in 1839, he was 56.What you may not know about Henry is that he was the first Attorney General of Alabama.  In 1835, he was elected to fill a vacancy on the Alabama Supreme Court,... 08/11/2020

Nolan Kay was born in Clearfield, Utah back in 1943.  He enrolled at the Utah State University in 1961, transferring to the University of Utah College of Engineering graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.  During his college years, he worked at Lagoon Amusement Park and for Litton Guidance and Control Systems.While working at the amusement park, he saw customers mainly at the midway arcade games.  This of course got him to thinking and as they say the rest is history.  In 1972, he and Ted Dabney started their own business.  Maybe you’ve heard of it Atari? In any respect, what you may not know is that he sold it to Warner Brothers for 28 million.  Nolan Kay Bushnell also opened another business you may have heard of Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre. Your day i... 05/20/2020

Susan Darcy was born in 1956. She joined the Boeing company in 1974 as an assistant engineer. She attended the University of Washington studying aeronautics and astronautics graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981. In 1982, she was promoted as an instructor in the training department.In 1986, she was one of the speakers at the first World Aviation Education and Safety Congress in New Delhi. I do not know if she is still with Boeing or retired, what I can tell you of course is the rest of the story so, let’s get to it.Susan Darcy was the first female test pilot for the Boeing company. In 1995, she was part of a team who flew a plane from Bangkok Thailand to Seattle in a world record time. She also has accrued accreditation on the Boeing 737, 757 and 767.Your day is worthwhil... 09/02/2019

Howard William Cohen was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina back in 1918 to Isidore and Nellie. Raised in Brooklyn, New York he attended Alexander Hamilton High School before going to New York University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English. He continued his education at the New York University School of Law earning his law degree.He was admitted to the bar in 1941, however his practice was interrupted when he enlisted in the United States Army. At the conclusion of WWII, he was discharged with the rank of Major. He practiced law until 1953, when he was asked to host a show on New York flagship WABC featuring Little League participants, and as they say the rest is history. I could go on about all the accomplishments and controversies he endured, but that would take 3,00 plu... 07/08/2019

Alfred Beck was born in Greensboro, Alabama back in 1829. He attended the Unite States Military Academy at West Point graduating in 1854, 29th in his class. He served in Florida during the early part of the Third Seminole War, 1854,55 promoted to Second Lieutenant. In 1855, he was sent to the frontier town of Albuquerque, New Mexico Territory. In 1858, he was sent to Fort Tejon, California where he was involved in the Mohave War, he resigned his position on May 14, 1861 moving to Southern California where he started practicing law in 1862. In 1863, he became city attorney for the city of Los Angeles. In 1868, he was elected the district attorney of Los Angeles County. He died in 1915, he was 88.What you may not know about Alfred Beck Chapman he and his boyhood friend, Andrew Glassell ar... 06/09/2019

Laszlo Jozsef was born in Budapest, Hungary back in 1899 to Matyas and Janka. After leaving school he worked as a journalist in Hungary. It was while working as a journalist he noticed something which he quickly began to work upon fixing. He presented his invention at the Budapest International Fair in 1931.He patented his invention in Paris in 1938. With the outbreak of WWII, he moved to Argentina in 1943, in June of that year he was granted a US Patent number 2,390,636. In 1945, Marcel Bich bought the patent from Laszlo. Laszlo died in Buenos Aires in 1985.What you may not know about Laszlo Jozsef Biro is that what he invented was the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen.   Until tomorrow give someone the free gift of a smile. 03/10/2019

Eugenio Barsanti was born in Pietrasanta, Tuscany back in 1821. He studied at a Catholic scientific-oriented institute near Lucca. He was a member of the Plarist Fathers or Scolopi, where he studied the current scientific issues of the day.In 1841, he began teaching at the Collegio San Michele in Volterra. It was while giving a lecture on the explosion of mixed hydrogen and air, he realized the potential of the expansion of gases within a motor.In 1854, he patented his invention in London thus insuring the guarantee to have international protection on the patent. What you may not know about Eugenio is that together with Felice Matteucci of Florence they invented the first version of the internal combustion engine. In 1856, they developed the first two-cylinder 5 HP motor and two years l... 02/05/2019

Maria Ann Sherwood was born in Peasmarsh, England back in 1799 to John and Hannah. She married Thomas in 1819, the union bore eight children of which five lived to adulthood. Both Maria and Thomas were illiterate as both of them worked as a farm laborer. They lived at Beckley, Sussex for the next nineteen years. They moved to New South Wales as free settlers in 1838. In 1856, Thomas bought two tracks of land for an orchard. BTW those two tracks of land were approximately 24 acres. With the purchase of that land they were able to provide fresh produce for the Sydney market. Maria sold her homemade fruit pies. She was given a box of French crab apples from a local wholesaler to use in her pies. After harvesting the fruit, she discarded the peelings and seeds along with the other peelings ... 09/03/2018

Clarence Winfred was born in Edelstein, Illinois back in 1875 to John and Cornelia. He was sent to the Seventh-day Adventist Alfred Academy in Alfred, New York in 1891. He returned in 1894 due an injury to his father so that he may assist in the family business. In 1899, he enrolled in mechanical and electrical engineering courses at Cornell University.It was in 1903 that he applied for and received a patent for an invention which is still in use to this day. He began to manufacture his invention when he started a company and shortened the name to the Spicer Manufacturing Company in 1909.Now you may be asking yourself what did Clarence Winfred Spicer invent that we still use today. Well I’m so glad you did for he invented the universal joint currently used in automobile applications. He... 08/08/2018

Edward Shames was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia back in 1922 to David and Sadie. Sadly, I do not have any information about his upbringing, schooling etc., what I do have for you of course is the rest of the story. He joined the United States Army in 1942 where he was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He did his basic training at Toccoa, Georgia before being shipped to England. He made his first combat jump into Normandy on D-Day, in June of 1944, he received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. He was the first NCO in the Third Battalion to receive such a commission in Normandy. He was transferred to Easy Company taking charge of the third platoon. He fought in numerous battles including some which you may have heard of, Battle of the Bulge, Operation Mark... 07/12/2018

Walter Reginald was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia back in 1873. As a young man, he followed his father who gave lectures on the structure and size of the human skull. His father died when he was 12 which forced him to leave school and find work. He and his older brother Ernest found work in construction, repair and farming. It was until the 1890’s that he and his brother came into their own, getting a patent for hoop iron that was used in repairing fences. They moved to South Australia in 1910, they established the Humes’ Patent Cement Iron Syndicate. He died in Melbourne in 1943, at 69.What you may not know about Walter Reginald Humes is that he and Earnest developed a means of commercializing the centrifugal process for the manufacture of concrete pipes. A process which is stil... 04/25/2018

George Washington Gibbs was born in Jacksonville, Florida back in 1916. He did not finish school however, he did complete his GED when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy from Macon, Georgia in 1935. He was encouraged to apply for an assignment with the United States Antarctic Service. He was among forty U.S. Navy men chosen to go with Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s third polar expedition. He served as a Mess Attendant 1st Class aboard the U.S.S. Bear. he made two round trips between the United States and Antarctica. During the expedition, he helped catch Adelie penguins for the Smithsonian. During WWII, he saw action in the Pacific as a gunner on the U.S.S. Atlanta. He remained in the Nay retiring as a chief petty officer in 1959. After his retirement, he worked in the personnel department of IBM ... 04/11/2018