1876 – The Oliver Company in South Bend opened a new factory which employed 400 workers. The company became famous for its “chilled” plow, which retained its sharp edge and required less cleaning in the field.
1897 – A bill was introduced in the Indiana House which would allow the state to use a new formula for squaring a circle. It also set a new value for pi. The bill passed the House but failed in the Senate when a Purdue professor explained the mathematical errors in the proposal.
1920 – Governor James P. Goodrich called a special session of the Indiana Legislature to ratify the Women’s Suffrage Amendment of the United States Constitution. Indiana was the 26th state to approve the amendment, which went into effect nationwide on Aug. 18, 1920. In signing the legislation, Governor Goodrich called it “an act of tardy justice.”
1921 – Listed in newspapers were titles of top-selling records from Richmond’s Gennett Studios. Included were “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia,” “The William Tell Overture,” “Margie,” “Broadway Rose Medley,” “Feather Your Nest,” and “The Bullfighter’s March.”
1937 – Dick Durock was born in South Bend. At over 6 1/2 feet tall, he became a popular stuntman and actor in many movies and TV shows, including Swamp Thing, Incredible Hulk, Magnum PI, Dynasty, and The Rockford Files.
1989 – Dan Quayle took the oath of office to become the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving under President George H. W. Bush. He was the fifth Hoosier to serve as Vice President. He had spent eight years in the United States Senate and four years in the U.S. House of Representatives.