Smith Leads Jamestown – Today In Southern History

10 September 1608 

Pocahontas Saves John Smith 


On this date in 1608…

In 1608, explorer, adventurer, writer, and map-maker John Smith assumed the presidency of the Jamestown, Virginia settlement.


Other Years:

  • 1794 – America’s first non-denominational college was charted as Blount College which later became the University of Tennessee. 
  • 1836 – Confederate and later U.S. General Joseph “fighting Joe” Wheeler was born in Augusta, Georgia.
  • 1861 – Battle of  Cheat Mountain began near Elkwater in what is now West Virginia.
  • 1919 – The sixth strongest hurricane to strike North America made landfall at Key West and killed 772 victims as it raked Florida and later hit the Texas coast.  
  • 1935 – “The Kingfish,” Huey P. Long died of wounds caused by an assassin.  Long is buried on the Louisiana capitol grounds.
  • 1961 – Oklahoma-native Mickey Mantle tied a major league baseball record for home runs when he hit the 400th of his career. 
  • 1963 –  Twenty black students entered Alabama public schools.
  • 1974 – Arkansas Native, Lou Brock of the St. Louis Cardinals set a new major league baseball record when he stole his 105th base of the season. 
  • 1998 – Texan Mac Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.




Read: Why Know Southern History?

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