1884 — Maurice Clifford Townsend was born in Blackford County. Starting as a teacher, he entered politics and was elected Indiana Governor in 1936. During his term, driver examinations were instituted and school buses were painted yellow as a safety measure.
1900 — James H. Pierce was born in Freedom. Nicknamed “Babe,” he was an outstanding football player at Indiana University. He moved to California and began a long movie career. His most famous film was the silent screen version of Tarzan in which he played the title role.
1926 — Charles Wiggins won the Gold and Glory Sweepstates auto race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The 100-lap, 100-mile event was held for African-American drivers. Wiggins went on to win the Gold and Glory three more times. He was a highly-skilled and respected mechanic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for many years.
1929 — Ball Memorial Hospital opened in Muncie. The building accommodated 142 patients and featured modern innovations such as a surgical amphitheater, laboratory, x-ray facility, emergency room and the option of private patient rooms.
1951 — Samuel Woodfill died on his farm in Vevay. A major in the U. S. Army, he was a veteran of World War I and World War II. Recipient of the Medal of Honor, the Legion of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre, he was one of the most decorated soldiers of the 20th century.
2014 — Loretta Rush was appointed Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. Only the second woman in state history to serve on the high court, she is the first to be Chief Justice. A member of the Supreme Court since 2012, she had earlier served 14 years as a judge in Tippecanoe County.