A Bit of History and the Birth Day Thing

The missus and I have a busy spring-cleaning day ahead so without further ado, here are my excerpts of Great Historical Events and Miscellaneous Letters from Eminent Persons, from the book, Treasures of Use and Beauty.

Great Historical Events - We move into the 1600's now. Things are picking up and the Americas are a happening place to be and explore!

"1602. Bartholomew Gosnold, an Englishman, in a small vessel and but 30 men sailed directly west and reached the shores of American upon Massachusetts Bay, naming the point where they caught many codfish Cape Cod. He discovered Martha's Vineyard... (Ed. Note - I wonder if he realised how many rich Americans would thank him for this discovery in much later years.)

Expedition of Champlain.

1603. Champlain, with two small vessels, sailed from France and entered the St. Lawrence river. He passed the promontory upon which Quebec now stands to the island upon which Montreal is built.
1604. With a motley crew Champlain again visited Canada and attempted a settlement on an island in Passamaquoddy Bay. After experiencing the horrors of a Canadian winter, (39 of them dying of scurvy) they were relieved in the spring by a vessel from France and Champlain explored the coast of New England as far as Cape Cod. He returned to the settlement and passed another winger, which was much milder and in the spring of 1605 returned to France.
New Brunswick first colonized.
1606. April 30. - North America, between the 34th and 38th degrees of north latitude granted by charter of King James I. of England, to the Plymouth Company and from the 41st to the 45th to the London Company.
1607. Sir John Popham attempts to found a colony on the Kennebec River at Sagadahock, Maine.
May 13. - Colony at Jamestown, Va., planted under Christopher Newport. (Ed. Note - I have to admit that I hated history back in Grade 7 and 8 but am finding this very interesting, especially recognising the place names)
1608. Jamestown colony reinforced by 120 men and a large stock of provisions and implements of husbandry.
Champlain returns to America and founds the city of Quebec.
Sept. 10 - Capt. Smith chosen President of the council of Jamestown colony.
Pocahontas said to have saved the life of Capt. Smith
1609. Champlain discovers the lake which bears his name and defeated the Iroquois in a battle. For 26 years, Champlain presided over his colony. He died at Quebec, December, 1635."

Next entry will introduce intrepid explorer, Henry Hudson!

Miscellaneous Letters from Eminent Persons

The correspondence below is from Hannah Arnold to her son Benedict Arnold, the infamous American general who defected to the British during the American Revolutionary War. By the time of this letter, when Arnold was 14, he was either away at a private school in Canterbury or due to his father's drinking, which meant the family could no longer afford his education, he might have been apprenticing with his mother's cousins in an apothecary. (Note. The spelling is as it appears in the book)

"Norwich, April 12, 1754.

Dear Childe:

I received yours of 1 instant, and was glad to hear that you was well; pray my dear let your first concern be to make pease with god as itt is of all concerns of ye greatest importance. Keep a steady watch over your thoughts, words, and actions, be dutifull to seperiors, obliging to equals and affibel to inferiors.

from your affectionate, Hannah Arnold.

P.S. Your father and aunt joyns with me in love and servis to yourself, your sister is from home.

To Mr. Benedict Arnold at Canterbury."

The Birthday Thing

(Moving on to 1957 with today's entries)

Billboard US Number 1 song for the week of 10 November, 1957

Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock was one of 3 Number 1 hits for Elvis in 1957. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

 UK Number 1

That'll Be the Day by The Crickets - The Crickets were a band from Lubbock, Texas formed by Buddy Holly. There first hit was 1957's That'll Be the Day. Holly wrote the song with Jerry Allison. It was originally recorded by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes in 1956, but became a hit for his new band, The Crickets, in 1957.

New York Times Fiction Best Seller, week of 10 November, 1957

By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens - Cozzens lived from 1903 to 1978. This book, which I'd never heard of before, was also turned into a movie in 1961, directed by John Sturges and starring Lana Turner and Jason Robards.

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - 1957

No award was given for fiction in 1957.

Nobel Prize Laureate - 1957

Albert Camus (1913 - 1960) - Albert Camus was born in French Algeria in 1913. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature ""for his important literary production, which with clear-sighted earnestness illuminates the problems of the human conscience in our times".

Hugo Awards for Best Science Fiction Novel - This award was given starting in 1953. Unfortunately, there was no winner in 1957.

Edgar Award for Best Mystery novel by the Mystery Writers of America - 1957

A Dram of Poison by Charlotte Armstrong - Armstrong, a new author for me, wrote also under the name Jo Valentine and wrote 29 novels. I will have to add her to my list to see if I like her writing. I'm always open for a new author. :0)

So 1957 is now covered off. I probably won't have a new BLog entry for a few days, say late next week, as the missus and I will be busy for the next few days. Take care and read a good book!