1867 – Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton was elected by the state legislature to serve in the United States Senate. The remainder of Morton’s gubernatorial term was completed by Lieutenant Governor Conrad Baker.
1900 – Miriam Mason Swain was born in Goshen. She was a teacher and magazine editor before moving to Batesville, where she settled into a career as a popular author of children’s books. Among her more than 50 titles are Smiling Hill Farm, The Gray-Nosed Kitten and A Pony Called Lightning.
1918 – The silent movie Tarzan of the Apes was released to theaters across the nation. The leading role was played by Elmo Lincoln from Rochester. Lincoln appeared in over 80 movies during his Hollywood career, including two Tarzan sequels.
1930 – Members of the Indiana Bankers’ Association met at the Claypool Hotel in Indianapolis to address the surge in bank robberies across the state. Over 40 banks had been hit in the past 16 months. The members recommended the establishment of a state police radio system and the organization of “well-armed guards and volunteer vigilantes.”
1967 – A flash fire aboard the Apollo I test capsule took the life of astronaut Gus Grissom from Mitchell. An Air Force veteran of the Korean War, Grissom was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts. Also killed in the fire were fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee.
2009 – Katie Stam of Seymour was crowned “Miss America.” She was the first person from Indiana to win the honor. In high school she was a 4-H member and showed dairy cattle at the Jackson County Fair. She graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a degree in communications.