1813. An elegant sword and thanks voted to Decatur and Biddle, by the legislature of Pennsylvania, for their distinguished gallantry and skill. They were presented to those officers at New London, on board their respective ships.
1826. Lindley Murray, the grammarian, died in England, aged 81. He was born in Pennsylvania, of quaker parentage, and studied law; but during the revolutionary war he turned merchant, and before its close acquired sufficient property to retire upon. He visited England for the benefit of his health, where he finally settled, about a mile from the city of York, and employed his leisure in the production of those works of education, which acquired such popularity as to have maintained their places more than forty years.
1826. The Liberia Herald appeared at Monrovia, the first paper printed in Africa. It was edited by Charles L. Force, from Boston, and like the early newspapers of New England, was printed on one side only.
1829. Francis Joseph Gossec, an eminent music composer, died, aged 96. He was first attached to the cathedral at Antwerp; but in 1751 went to Paris, where he passed the remainder of his life, and acquired a reputation seldom surpassed.
1839. James Boaden, an English dramatic author and biographer, died, aged 70.
1843. Great land slide at Troy, N. Y.; 18 persons killed.
1852. Homeopathic college at Cleveland, Ohio, mobbed, and the windows and interior of the building destroyed, in consequence of the discovery of the remains of subjects which had been taken from the burial ground there.
1852. State lunatic asylum at Lexington, Ky., destroyed by fire, in which one of the inmates perished.
1853. George Manners died, aged 75; many years British consul at Boston, and author of several dramas of merit, and other poetical works.
1853. William Gibbs McNeil died, aged 51; a military officer, who, during the Dorr excitement in Rhode Island, commanded the state troops, acting throughout with great prudence and judgment.