Nicholas Goodhart was born in Inkpen, Berkshire back in 1919. He was educated at Miss White’s Kintbury. He continued his education at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth and the Royal Naval Engineering College at Keyham. After graduation, he served as an engineering lieutenant. He saw action in the evacuation of Crete when the ship he was on was hit by two 1,000 pound bombs. For the next two years he was assigned to escorting convoys to Malta. In 1944, after pilot training he joined the Fleet Air Arm where he flew Grumman Hellcat’s. By 1953, he was promoted to commander. He died in 2011 at 91.What you may not know about Rear Admiral Hilary Charles Nicholas Goodhart is that he invented the mirror-sight deck landing system for aircraft carriers. That same basic function of the lighting i... 04/20/2018

Marcus Gheeraerts was born circa 1520 in Bruges, Flanders. He fled to England in 1568 with his son due to religious persecutions. While in England he married his second wife Sussanah. It is not certain however, he was reported to have returned to Flanders around 1577 to continue his career in Antwerp. He was a innovator experimenting with etching at a time when most print material was done using woodcut techniques. He was a noted draughtsman of birds and animals. He never signed his works but an expert can easily recognize them. He was also noted as a good landscape painter. What you may not know about Marcus Gheeraerts is that he is most remembered as the illustrator of the 1567 edition of Aesop’s Fables. BTW if you find one of his original works you can retire, retire like I would. I ... 04/06/2018

Robert Edison was born in Manhattan, New York back in 1909. His maternal grandfather Ezra ran a stagecoach across the old west after the Civil War. He later converted those stagecoach lines to a bus route. In 1931, he graduated from Harvard with a degree in architecture. He was also an accomplished photographer.At 23 he traveled 25,000 miles from London to Tokyo taking some 40,00 feet of film along the way. He died at this home in Newton, Connecticut in 2004 at 95.What you may not know about Robert Edison Fulton, Jr. is that he was also an inventor. During WW!! He invented the first aerial flight trainer. After the war, he designed and built the first automobile that could be converted to an airplane. Charles Lindberg actually flew it in 1950. It is now at the Smithsonian. One more thin... 03/27/2018

Mark Gregor Strang was born in Waratah, New South Wales back in 1979, to Greg and Bernadette. His father died in 1995. In 1998, while attending college in Sydney his mother disappeared, the authorities suspect she was murdered however, the investigation is continuing. Mark left school taking on a variety of jobs demanding physical endurance.In 2002, he enlisted in the Australian Army where he won prizes for shooting and physical training.In 2004, he completed training with the Special Air Service Regiment where is still serving his country to this day. What you may not know about Mark is that he is the first Australian to receive a medal for his valor in face of enemy fire. The medal he received was first introduced in 1856. Up until he won it no Australian had ever won it, he was the f... 03/17/2018

Marie-Louise Lachapelle was born in Paris to Louis and Marie back in 1769. Don’t have anything on her schooling but apparently, she was well educated. Her mother taught her midwifery. When she was 12 she was performing complicated deliveries, at the tender age of 15 she delivered her first baby single-handedly. She married in 1792 giving birth to a daughter. Her husband died three years later, so to support herself she went back to the one thing she knew best midwifery.She was placed in charge of the Hotel-Dieu which was one of the largest obstetric hospitals of the time. What you may not know about Marie-Louise is that she delivered approximately 40,000 babies, she is contributed for bringing about birthing techniques and hygiene. She also developed a well-organized course of study for... 03/01/2018

Agnes Theresa Turk was born in Los Angeles, California back in 1930. From 18 to 36 she was a nun at the Roman Catholic convent of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. While there she attended the Immaculate Heart College receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Afterwards, she taught English, French and drama in the local parochial schools before becoming superintendent of Our Lady Queen of Angels High School in Los Angeles where she stayed for 7 years.In 1966, she left her religious order after suffering from temporary blindness twice. In 1971, she published her memoir, The Buried Life. She married Ham Richardson from 1974 until his death in 2006. Sadly, she died in 2012. What you may not know about Agnes Theresa Turk “Midge” Richardson is from 1975 until her retirement in 1... 02/05/2018

This one is going to be short and to the point so hang on here we go. Ferdinand Jakob was born in Steyr, Upper Austria back in 1809 the son of an ironmonger. He attended the Polytechnikum in Vienna graduating in 1829.  After graduation, he stayed as an assistant to Johann Arzberger.  In 1835, he became a professor at the Hohere Industrieschule in Zurich where he taught mathematics and geometry.  In 1841, he was a professor in mechanics and mechanical engineering at the Polytechnikum Karlsruhe and its director from 1857 to 1862.  He died the following year in Karlsruhe.  What you may not know about Ferdinand Jakob Redtenbacher is he is regarded as the founder of science-based mechanical engineering.  That’s all short and to the point.  Until tomorrow I bid you happy sales and lots of smi... 01/19/2018

Hmm, the other day, January 1st, 2018 I wrote about Beverley Christiani Drake.  Usually I get about 100-130 looks and about 10-15% comments on my posts.  However, on this one so far, I’ve had 555 looks and only 13 comments. I wonder if it is because I wrote about someone still living (done that before), or if it is because she is so high up in the government.  In any case I sure would have enjoyed 55 comments or better.  BTW the last comment was from a family member.  Any ideas?      01/05/2018

Who is she really, no-one knows.  While she had many different names the mystery still remains.  Etta Place, one of her many aliases was born circa 1878.  Where she was born, who her parents were, where she went to school are clouded in history. She first was written about in 1900 when she received treatment at a Denver hospital and again in 1902.  Some of the names she used were Ethel Bishop, Ann Bassett, Eunice Gray and Madaline Wilson to name a few.  What I can tell you is that she was wanted by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.  In 1901, she accompanied her boyfriend to New York City before moving to Buenos Aires.  Settling in the Chubut Province of Argentina.  She was the first woman to acquire land under the new act of 1884.  Prior to that law only men were allowed to own land. To f... 12/29/2017

William Whipple Jr. was born in Kittery, Maine back in 1731 to William and Mary.  He was educated in how to be a merchant, judge and a soldier.  At the age of 21 he was a Ship’s master earning his fortune participating in the Triangle trade of the West Indies and Africa.  By 1759, he retired to open a partnership with his brother as a merchant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was elected to the Provincial Congress before being appointed to the New Hampshire tax collector in 1782 by the Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris.  Prior to that appointment he was placed in command of a brigade from New Hampshire, he fought in the Battle of Saratoga.  The news of the victory was passed on to Captain John Paul Jones, who informed Benjamin Franklin.  He died in 1785, from a heart ailment. Two ... 12/22/2017

William Longstreet was born in New Jersey back in circa 1760. As a young boy the family moved to Augusta, Georgia. In 1790 he proposed to Thomas Telfair an idea he had to revolutionize something. More on that in a moment.Anyway, his invention remained for several years just a thought until at last he secured funds from private sources. He was able to proceed with his invention in 1807.  Besides his invention which I will reveal shortly he also patented an improvement to the cotton gins. One was destroyed by a fire and the other was destroyed by the British in 1812. Now, what you may not know about William Longstreet is that he invented a steam boat a full three years before Robert Fulton did. His boat was launched in 1807, moving at an astounding 5 miles per hour. One other thing he was... 11/22/2017

Samuel Pierpont was born in Roxbury, Boston back I 1834. He was educated at Boston Latin School, then onto English High School. He was an assistant at the Harvard College Observatory and then moved to a job as a professor of mathematics at the United States Naval Academy.He was the first person to devise a precise time standard, including time zones when he worked at the Allegheny Observatory from 1868 to 1883. He invented the bolometer which was used to make the first calculation on the greenhouse effect in 1878. He also had an interest in naval aviation. He designed a plane that would launch off a catapult from a ship, land on water and a crane would pick it up to put it back aboard the ship.For his advancement in naval aviation among other things you military guys/gals should know by... 11/02/2017

Vernon George Waldegrave was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk back in 1873 to Waldegrave and Georgiana. He graduated from the Royal Military College in Sandhurst, assigned to the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1894.He could speak German, Italian, French, Polish and the Chinese languages.  He was assigned to the intelligence staff in Tientsin, promoted to captain in 1901.He retired from active duty in 1909 however, he remained in the reserves.  With the outbreak of WWI, he was recalled to active duty at the rank of lieutenant-colonel.  Before his death in 1942 he was promoted to the rank of major-general.  What you may not know of Sir Vernon George Waldegrave Kell is that he was the founder and first director of the British Security Service which is also known as MI5.  Known simply as “K... 10/16/2017

Alexander V. Fraser was born in New York, New York back in 1804. He attended the Mathematical, Nautical and Commercial School in New York. He joined the Revenue Marine (an armed custom enforcement service) in 1832.By 1842, he was captain of the cutter “Ewing”. In 1843, he was appointed the Bureau’s first Chief, under the Department of the Treasury. Under his leadership he prohibited the use of slave labor, drinking of alcohol aboard the ships and supporting the building of iron-hulled steam vessels.He was replaced in 1848 by Richard Evans, taking command of the cutter “Lawrence” he made a 4-year journey around the Cape of Good Hope to San Francisco and back again. He aided distressed ships, collecting revenue and surveying the ports and coast of California. He died in Brooklyn in 1868.W... 09/16/2017

Delina Ecker was born in Herkimer County, New York back in 1815. She attended school until she was 11, then stayed at home to work. Sorry I do not have any information as to her parents except for her father William, as it has been lost to history.This one will be short compared to my normal blogs, so let’s get to it. She married John in 1834, the couple had six children. During her entire lifetime (except for the last two months), she lied within a ten-mile radius of where she was born.What you may not know about Delina Filkins is that she was the first verified person to reach both the ages of 112 and 113. Her case was investigated in the 1970’s and again in 2005. Both investigations found her birth to be fully verifiable. She died at her grandsons’ home in 1928. She was 113 years and... 09/05/2017

Maude Farris was born in Morley, Michigan back in 1887 to Frank and Della. Nothing is written about her childhood however, for this post it really doesn’t matter. She married Jason in 1903, they had seven children. Maude worked as a factory clerk, a hotel maid, a baker and a restaurant cook.She retired in her 70’s living in Coldwater, Michigan at a nursing home after she fell breaking her hip. Maude never drank or smoked but in her later years she was known for caring for the garden at the nursing home, for making pot holders and for her generosity. One time the police caught some kids who broke into her home, she refused to file charges saying, “they probably needed it more than she did.”What you may not know about Maude Farris-Luse is that she was a supercentenarian. She lived to be 1... 08/02/2017

Adolf Gaston was born in 1852.  I’m sure it was in Germany but I can’t find any information as to who his parents were or where he received his early educated.  When he was three his mother died at six his father died.  Afterwards, he was raised by his father’s uncle.Now for the rest of the story.  He studied medicine in Wurzburg, Zurich.  In 1884, he married Marry (no it’s spelled right) anyway they had eight children.  During WWI, he headed the field hospitals in France, Russia and Turkey.  He died in 1937However, it was what he did in 1888 that will forever place him in the history books.  Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick made an afocal scieral shell made from heavy brown glass.  Testing it on rabbits then on himself and finally on a small group of volunteers.  His afocal scieral is what we n... 07/04/2017

Funny as Realtors we always have heard this quote, "Buy land because they are not making anymore of it" and I have heard it quoted by Mark Twain and Will Rogers.  So,  who originally quoted  this shared sentiment?  Yes Mark Twain quoted it...  I do love studying and observing those wise sayings of old.  If I would have listened to my gut instinct and sayings of old, I would be very wealthy right now and would have invested every dollar I had in real estate instead of the stock market for this very reason.  Well hindsight  going forward, I now advise my clients to start investing in their children and grandchildren's futures with real estate investments. When I first came to Northwest ARit was a back ground of growing up  inlarge metroplex areas like Houston later in Dallas and Austin.  ... 05/12/2017

William Richardson was born in Egremont, Cumberland, England back in 1756.  In 1763 the family immigrated to the American colonies locating near Lancaster, South Carolina.  He studied at Queen’s Museum later at Liberty Hall in Charlotte.  Later he attended college at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) graduating with honors in 1776.In 1778 he joined the 1,200 militiamen led by Brigadier General Allen Jones.  In 1779 he received a lieutenant’s commission, later that same year he rose through the ranks fast becoming a major under General Casimir Pulaski.  Just two days’ shy of his twenty-third birthday he led a charge against British forces at the Battle of Stono Ferry.  He was severally wounded in that battle and sent back for convalescing from his injuries.  His most a... 03/18/2017

David Marshall was born in Cumberland County, North Carolina back in 1900 to James and Laura. He was expelled from school during the eighth grade and began working in a blacksmith shop. At 15 he enlisted in the Navy claiming he was 17. When the Navy found out his true age he was given the boot.In 1917 he enrolled in the Blackstone Military Academy failing his first semester because he stole several rifles and around 10,000 rounds of ammunition. He began operating a still near Godwin, North Carolina, in 1921 deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office came under fire. They had seized the still and product and was transporting it from the scene. Deputy Alfred Pate was struck by two bullets and died at the scene. David was arrested the next day for the murder of Deputy Pate.To mak... 03/14/2017