Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo was born in New York City, New York back in 1936 to Robert and Joan. At 7 he contracted polio, he attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains. Continuing with his education he graduated from Fordham University in 1956. After graduation, he served at Fort Benning, sent to a tour duty in Korea.He married Arlene a year after graduation. He got into acting in the1950’s. He is a strong and vocal supporter of women’s right and the feminist movement. Throughout his career he has received 31 Emmy Award nominations and two Tony Award nominations. In 2005, he helped narrate the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital special titled Fighting for Life. In 2006, he was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. All in all, he has received... 12/14/2018

William Weston was born in Bristol, England back in 1776, to Edward and Sarah. His parents were Quaker’s. he attended Gildersome Quaker boarding school in Yorkshire. He found employment at Dillwyn’s Cambrian Pottery in Swansea. He was also an artist, many of his works can be found at the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff and at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea.In 1806, he created an improved “forceps” mechanism used to raise wrecked ships. His first assignment was to raise the freight ship Anne and Teresa they both had a cargo of copper. That made him enough money to live comfortably but he wasn’t finished.In 1814, he became the major investor for the Nantgarw Pottery Company in Glamorganshire. However, it wasn’t until 1817, that he invented something that will forever place him ... 12/03/2018

Balamurali Krishna was born in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India back in 1977. When he was three the family moved to Buffalo, New York, then Orangeburg, South Caroling and finally to Baltimore, Maryland. He attended school at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, transferring to Baltimore City College.  Moving on to New York University, then onward to Mount Sinai School of Medicine graduating with distinction, scoring above 99 percent on his National Medical Boards. Completing his residency at Harvard University. He won the Westinghouse Science Talent Search becoming a National Merit Scholar. In 2002, he joined the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia. In 2008, he earned a PhD in Cell Biology from the Medical College of Georgia.What you may not know about Balamurali Krishna Ambati is the on Ma... 11/28/2018

Yang Chih-Yuan was born in Taipei, Taiwan back in 1968. His father died when he was two, so his mother a professor of English moved the family to San Joes, California in 1978. He only knew one English word when they arrived and that was “shoe”. However, in three years he became fluent in English.I have no idea of where he went to high school however he earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Stanford University in four years. It was during this time he met someone and together they started something that each one of us knows. In 2008, he gave his resignation as CEO of the company remaining on the board of directors until 2012. He has helped more than 50 startups become a mentor to technology with another firm he started AME Ventures.What you m... 11/27/2018

Soh Jaipil was born in Boseong County, Korea back in 1864. He studied at the Kim Seong-geun and Park Kyu-su’s private schools. Passing the civil service exam at the age of 18 becoming one of the youngest people to ever pass the exam. He was commissioned a junior officer in 1882. In 1884, he was involved in the Gapsin Coup, a radical attempt to overturn the old regime and establish equality among the Korean people.The coup failed and as a result his father, mother and two brothers were executed under a guilt-by-association system. To save his own life he fled Korea, moving to the United States. After fleeing to American he changed his name. he died in 1951 just two days short of his 87th, birthday.Remember the name change? What you may not know about Philip Jaisohn is that he was the fir... 11/21/2018

Chien-Shiung was born in Liuhe, China back in 1912 to Wu and Fan. She received her primary education at the Women’s Normal School No.2 in Suzhou. In 1929, she graduated top of her class and was admitted to the National Central University in Nanjing. In 1936, she left to continue her studies at the University of Michigan, it would be the last time she saw her parents.Her plans changed once she arrived in the United States, changing her graduate studies to the University of California, Berkeley. In 1940, she completed her Ph.D. She accepted a job at Princeton University in New Jersey as an instructor for naval officers. In 1949, she joined the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, she remained there for the rest of her career. She died in 1997, at 84.What you may not know about C... 11/20/2018

Charlotte Louise Berry was born in Washington, D.C. back in 1897 to Mackell and Louise. In 1917, she and her sister Sophie joined the Navy. She attained the rank of Yeoman (F) Second Class serving in the U.S. Naval Reserve after the war. She served as secretary of the Naval Reserve retiring in 1953.She helped found the National Yeoman Association in 1926, serving as its eighth commander from 1940-1941. She was also active in the American Legion for 88 years. She died in Boonsboro, Maryland in 2007.What you may not know about Charlotte Louise Berry Winters is that she was the last surviving American veteran of The First World War. She was 109 years of age when she passed.Until tomorrow give someone the free gift of a smile. During this month if you know of someone who is serving or has s... 11/12/2018

William Henry III was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Henry II and Ann Marie. As a child, he apprenticed as a printer for the American Traveller (no that is the way it was spelled, I double checked). Anyway, his duty was to greet ships as they docked at port. Receiving the latest news from Europe, he would then pass that information on to the publisher for the American Traveller.His father was murdered in 1844, shortly afterwards his mother married James Buckle, moving the family to Labrador. It was there where William learned the fishing trade. In 1858, he was called to England where he received an inheritance from his great-uncle William Jury. Using that inheritance, he started a large-scale fishing operation. He also had a successful career in politics representing the Newfo... 11/04/2018

Elizabeth Coleman was born in New Lisbon, New Jersey back in 1871 to Joseph and Mary. She graduated from Friends’ Central School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1887. After graduation, she worked at her father’s bogs helping to supervise cranberry pickers. During the off season, she continued her education taking courses in first aid, photography, dressmaking and millinery at Drexel University.In 1927, she helped to develop and commercialize cultivated blueberries. What you may not know about Elizabeth Coleman White is that she was the first woman to become a member of the American Cranberry Association and the first woman to receive a citation from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. I know this one is short but that is my story for today.Until tomorrow give someone the free gif... 11/02/2018

Harold Alden was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota back in 1903 to William and Harriet. He graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He was also awarded the Ruggles Prize for excellence in Mathematics. He continued his education at John Hopkins University however I do not know if he graduated.He worked part-time at the National Bureau of Standards’ Radio Laboratory. In 1922, he worked at the Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1924, he became Hazeltine Corporation’s first employee. During WWII, he led work on the Identification friend or foe (IFF) antennas for aircraft, surface vessels, submarines and ground stations.  What you may not know about Harold Alden Wheeler is that he held over 180 U.S. Patents, he was a member of the National Academ... 10/31/2018

Wesley Anthony was born in Baltimore, Maryland back in 1927. He graduated from high school in Washington, D.C. After graduation, he attended Howard University. In 1945, he was nominated for admission to the Naval Academy. One of his classmates Jimmy Carter would later become the 39th President of the United States.He was assigned to the Civil Engineer Corps. He was sent to the Philippines and Liberia, Antarctica and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was also involved in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He retired after 20 years of service in 1969. He served as a motivational speaker after his retirement.   What you may not know about Wesley Anthony Brown is that he was the first African-American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland retiring as a lieutenant commande... 10/26/2018

Barbara Polk was born in Boston, Massachusetts back in 1914. Can’t tell you anything about her early upbringing but what I can tell you of course is the rest of the story. She graduated from Smith College. She also took courses from Harvard University however, I could not determine if she actually graduated from there.As a young woman, she worked as a secretary for the New England Museum of Natural History where she met and married Bradford. Her husband was the director of the Boston Museum of Science and she went with him on his expeditions. Her and Bradford completed a large-scale map of the Grand Canyon published in the National Geographic magazine in 1978, for that they received the Alexander Graham Bell Medal in 1980. She died in 2014, just a few weeks before reaching 100.What you ... 10/20/2018

Thomas Fletcher was born in Chatham, England back in 1800 to Thomas and Ann. At the ripe old age of 12 he joined the Royal Navy assigned to the HMS Bahama as a midshipman. He met and married Elizabeth in 1822, leaving the Navy as a lieutenant in 1832. His wife died in Calcutta in 1834, afterwards he married again to Harriet.That same year he inherited a substantial estate from his grandfather when the couple moved to Rochester. In 1837, he set up an agency in Cornhill, London for conveying post-and passengers to India via Egypt. He died at his London home in 1850. A statue of Thomas can be found on Railway Street in Chatham. Now, you may be asking why there is a statute of him and I’m so glad you did.Thomas Fletcher Waghorn developed a new route from Great Britain to India reducing the ... 10/09/2018

Peleg Wadsworth Jr. was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts back in 1748 to Peleg and Susanna. He attended Harvard graduating the A.B. in 1769. He taught school for several years in Plymouth, where he met Elizabeth Bartlett. The couple was married in 1772. The Wadsworth moved to Kingston, Massachusetts until 1775 when Peleg was recruited to a company of minutemen where is was chosen to be their captain.He was given command of all the troops for the defense of the Province of Maine in 1780. In 1781, he was captured and imprisoned at Fort George escaping by cutting a hole in the ceiling of the fort.He purchased 7,800 acres in Hiram, Maine in 1790. He was chosen as a presidential elector of the Massachusetts Senate from 1793-1807 making him the first representative in Congress from Massachusett... 10/08/2018

Pierre Vernier was born in Omans, France back in 1580. He was taught science by his father. At some time in his life, sorry I can’t find when, he was captain and castellan of the castle at Ornans for the King of Spain. Later he was director general of economy in the County of Burgundy.In 1631, he published: The construction, use and properties of the new math quadrant. While I have seen his invention I still don’t understand it. I do hope the picture goes through, if it doesn’t regardless, you now know this as a caliper. It’s been around for 387 years, with no end in sight. If you know how to use it, my hats off to you. Until tomorrow give someone the free gift of a smile.    10/07/2018

Antoon van Dyck was born in Antwerp, Belgium back in 1599 to Frans and Maria. By the time he was 15 he was already an accomplished painter. At 16 years old, he opened his own workshop selling his paintings. In 1618, he was admitted to the Guild of Saint Luke as a free master. Within a few short years he was the dominant master of Antwerp and the whole of Northern Europe.He travelled throughout Europe to Italy, London, Genoa and Palermo in Sicily. Somewhere along the line he changed his name to Anthony. His works were so popular that he was knighted. So, I’m writing about Sir Anthony van Dyck today. I seriously doubt that you can find one of his originals but if you do, you, your kids and their kids will be well off. However, there is one other thing he is still noted for. For you see he... 09/30/2018

John Butler was born in Middletown, Ohio back in 1875. He attended Westminster prep school at Dobbs Ferry, New York then off to Yale University graduating in 1897 with a bachelor’s degree in English. He returned to Middletown where he worked at his father’s paper mill. When his father died the family sold the business so he went to work with a bridge builder in Dayton, Ohio.In 1904, he went to work for a steel mill, after 18 months he was promoted to the assistant of the sheet mill superintendent. In 1906, he was promoted to the superintendent of the new steel mill in Zanesville, Ohio. In 1909, he was chosen to plan and activate Armco’s East Works in Middletown as chief of operations. In 1921, he presented his plans for an improvement to processing steel to Armco. They implemented them ... 09/28/2018

Hezekiah Usher was born in Bethnal Green, London, England back in 1615. I could not find anything else on his life until the year 1642. Then in 1645 he moved to Boston in the Massachusetts bay Colony. He lived on State Street near the market-place. He opened up a business and by 1652, he was a well-known merchant.He was also a real estate investor, working for the London Society of the Corporation for Propagating the Gospel for spreading the New Testament among the Indians in America. He died in Boston in 1676.What you may not know about Hezekiah is that he is the first known bookseller in British America. He sold the first book printed in the Colonies the Bay Psalm Book. If you can find one of the first publications I’ll see you on the Antiques Roadshow. He was also the publisher of th... 09/26/2018

William Ungar was born in Krasne, Poland back in 1913 to a Jewish family. He worked as a teacher in a technical high school prior to WWII. During the war, he fought for the Polish Army where he was wounded. When he returned home, Poland was overrun by the German Army, he was able to remain hidden thanks to some identification documents given to him by a friend. In 1946, he came to America where he found work as an envelope machine operator while attending school at night. In 1952, he graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. With his previous experience and mechanical mind, he started his own company which is still in operation to this day. He died in 2013, at 100 years young.What you may not know about William is that he is the founder of the ... 09/25/2018

Jennie Kidd Gowanlock was born in Kelso, Scotland back in 1841. Sorry I don’t have any information as to who her parents were so with that the family moved to Canada in 1847 settling near Stratford, Ontario. She was educated in being a teacher where she taught school until she married Edward in 1865. After their marriage she moved to Toronto, where Edward ran a newspaper.Having dealt with chronic illnesses she decided to further her education, so she decided on obtaining a medical degree. She first enrolled at the University of Toronto, later she transferred to the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania where she graduated in 1875 with an M.D. Moving back to Canada she opened the Therapeutic and Electrical Institute in Toronto, where she also ran a free dispensary for the poor, later b... 09/20/2018