Notable Birthdays for February 16
Phineas Quimby (1802-1866) - Mystic folk healer, mentalist and philosopher.
Lysander Cutler (1807-1866) - Brevet Major General for the Union Army.
Henry Wilson (1812-1875) - The 18th VP of the U.S.
James Patton Anderson (1822-1872) - Major General for the Confederate Army.
Henry M. Leland (1843-1932) - Founder of Cadillac and Lincoln.
George Kennan (1845-1924) - Journalist and explorer.
Billy Hamilton (1866-1940) - MLB player nicknamed "Sliding Billy".
Wayne King (1901-1985) - Singer and music composer referred to as the "Waltz King."
Edgar Bergen (1903-1978) - Ventriloquist and pioneer of modern-day ventriloquism.
James Baskett (1904-1948) - The first black male actor to receive an Oscar (Song of the South).
Hugh Beaumont (1909-1982) - Actor best known for his character as Ward Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver.
Richard McDonald (1909-1998) - Co-founder of McDonald's.
Otis Blackwell (1931-2002) - Songwriter who wrote Great Balls of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis), Don't Be Cruel and All Shook Up (Elvis Presley).
Sonny Bono (1935-1998) - Musician who was married to Cher.
Bradford Parkinson (1935-Still Living) - Inventor of the GPS (Global Positioning System).
Stephen Gaskin (1935-2014) - Co-founder of The Farm commune.
Kenneth Price (1935-2012) - Painter and ceramic sculptor.
Roberta Williams (1953-Still Living) - Video game designer and co-founder of Sierra Entertainment.
Ice-T (1958-Still Living) - Former Rapper and actor known for his role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Memorable Events for February 16
1741 - Ben Franklin publishes The General Magazine and Historical Chronicle for all the British Plantations in America.
1857 - National Deaf Mute college (Gallaudet College) forms in Washington, D.C.
1883 - The Ladies Home Journal is published for the first time.
1932 - James Markham is given the first patent for a peach tree.
1937 - Wallace Carothers receives a patent for nylon.
1945 - The first anti-discrimination law (The Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945) is signed into law.
1968 - The first 911 emergency system goes into service in AL.
1978 - The first computer bulletin board system is created (Chicago).