Historical Events on October 9

  • 1604: The most recent supernova to have been observed in the Milky Way occurred on this day.
  • 1701: The Collegiate School of Connecticut is given its charter in Saybrook, Connecticut. It would later be renamed Yale University.
  • 1708: At the Battle of Lesnaya, Swedish forces are defeated by Peter the Great.
  • 1760: During the Seven Year’s War, Russian forces occupy the German city of Berlin.
  • 1812: During the War of 1812, two British ships – the HMS Caledonia and the HMS Detroit – are captured on Lake Erie by American forces.
  • 1824: The practice and business of slavery is abolished in Costa Rica.
  • 1847: In St. Barthélemy, the practice of slavery is abolished.
  • 1861: Confederate troops are repelled by Union troops as they try to capture Fort Pickens during the American Civil War.
  • 1873: The United States Naval Institute is established by the United States Naval Academy.
  • 1900: The Cook Islands are made a territory of the U.K.
  • 1940: Paul’s Cathedral in London is hit by a bomb after German Luftwaffe conduct a night-time air raid at the Battle of Britain during World War II.
  • 1942: After destroying most of the Japanese Army’s 4th Infantry Regiment, U.S Marines withdraw back across the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal during World War II.
  • 1966: The Binh Tai Massacre begins.

Famous Birthdays on October 9

  • German chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Hermann Emil Fischer is born in 1852.
  • Dutch-American author and journalist Edward Bok is born in 1863.
  • English singer-songwriter John Lennon is born in 1940.
  • American baseball player and coach, Joe Pepitone is born in 1940.
  • American lawyer and politician Trent Lott is born in 1941.
  • American psychologist and author Douglas Kirby is born in 1943.
  • American academic and Nobel Prize laureate Jody Williams is born in 1950.
  • English illustrator Simon Drew is born in 1952.
  • English TV host and manager Sharon Osbourne is born in 1952.
  • American actor Scott Bakula is born in 1954.
  • American actor and game show host, John O’Hurley is born in 1954.