Memorable Birthdays for January 9
John Porter Hatch (1822-1901) - Union General during the Civil War.
John Knowles Paine (1839-1906) - The first American-born composer to achieve fame worldwide.
Jennie Jerome (1854-1921) - American-born mother of Winston Churchill.
Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947) - Founder of the League of Women Voters and International Alliance of Women.
Joseph Strauss (1870-1938) - Chief engineer and co-designer of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875-1972) - Founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Lloyd Loar (1886-1943) - Instrument designer known for his design work with the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Richard Nixon (1913-1994) - The 37th President of the U.S.
Bob Denver (1935-2005) - Actor fondly remembered as Gilligan on Gilligan's Island.
Jimmy Boyd (1940-2009) - American singer of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
Joan Baez (1941-Still Living) - Singer, songwriter, guitarist and activist.
Ian Hornak (1944-2002) - Artist who is credited as the first Photorealist artist to incorporate multiple exposure photography into his works.
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (1965-Still Living) - The shortest player (5 feet 3 inches) ever to play in the NBA.
Memorable Events for January 9
1493 - Christopher Columbus mistakes manatees for mermaids.
1788 - Connecticut becomes the 5th state to join the Union.
1793 - Jean-Pierre Blanchard becomes the first person in the U.S. to fly in a hot air balloon.
1894 - The New England Telephone and Telegraph installs the first battery-operated telephone switchboard.
1903 - Wind Cave National Park is established in SD.
1942 - The Joint Chiefs of Staff is created.
1952 - The Marines recall MLB player Ted Williams to active duty.
1962 - NASA announces plans to build a rocket launch vehicle to carry human beings to the Moon.
2007 - Apple introduces the iPhone.
