American artist William H. Johnson, born on March 18, 1901, in Florence, South Carolina, had an influential career as a painter. His work evolved through several styles, including realism, expressionism, and a distinctive folk art style for which he is most celebrated.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Grover Cleveland about 9 years before he became Sheriff of Erie County in New York State.

On March 18, 1837 Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of The United States, was born in Caldwell, New Jersey.

Image via National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, no known restrictions

March 18, 1925 saw an outbreak of at least 12 deadly tornadoes in America’s midwest and south. Alabama and Kansas experienced twisters but it was the Tri-State storms in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana that were most severe with 750 people killed and 2,200 injured. Shown is Griffin, Indiana, where 46 lost their lives.

Image by Edeans-commonwiki, CCA-SA 3.0 Unported via Wikimedia Commons.

U.S. Army Veteran, baseball player and country music legend Charley Pride was born on March 18, 1934 in Sledge, Mississippi.

Image via Alamy

Photo of pro baseball pitcher Bill Vinton, date on back says March 18, 1884, a few months before he played his first game as a Philadelphia Quaker.

Only lived until he was 28

Image via NYPL Digital Collections, no known restrictions

Theodore Roosevelt speaking at the dedication ceremony of Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in Arizona on March 18, 1911

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Paterson, New Jersey – Textiles. After drying, the skeins are taken from the rack and each skein is put on a swift of the winding machine. This machine winds the yarn from the skein on to bobbins.

March 18, 1937

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On the morning of March 18, 1909, an eight-year-old named Willie Whitla was kidnapped from his school in Sharon, PA.

A ransom note demanding $10,000 was delivered to the family’s home. As Willie’s mother read the note she had to be carried to a chair by the postman who delivered it.

The perpetrators took the boy to Cleveland, Ohio (more than 75 miles from where he was abducted.)

The parents paid the ransom and Willie was returned to them.
Eventually the perpetrators (husband and wife) were caught and most of the money was recovered. About two months later they were sentenced. The husband received life in jail and died in prison. The wife received a 25-year sentence and later died due to complications of pneumonia.

Source: An absorbing drama of real life: The story of the kidnaping of Billy Whitla by Hamilton Pearce, published in 1909.
https://archive.org/details/absorbingdramaof00pear/page/13/mode/1up?view=theater

“Wells Fargo Express Co. Deadwood Treasure Wagon and Guards with $250,000 gold bullion from the Great Homestake Mine, Deadwood, S.D.” c. 1890

On March 18, 1852, Henry Wells and William G. Fargo formed Wells, Fargo & Co.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme park ride opened at Disneyland on March 18, 1967.

Image: Photo of Walt Disney inspecting some of the plastic pirate heads that are to be placed at his new attraction c. 1966 from Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Hammerhead shark caught at Palm Beach, Florida

March 18, 1893

via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

“I would especially like to recourt the Muse of poetry, who ran off with the mailman four years ago, and drops me only a scribbled postcard from time to time.”

A quote from American writer John Updike who was born on March 18, 1932 in Reading, Pennsylvania.


Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Soldiers of the 97th Infantry Division in Cologne, Germany, March 18, 1945

via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Irene Cara, best known for her hit songs from the movies Fame and Flashdance was born on March 18, 1959 in New York City.

Image via Alamy

On March 18, 1900, twenty-year-old W.C. Fields opened for the Orpheum vaudeville circuit in San Francisco with his juggling act.

Image of W.C. Fields about 45 years old c. 1925 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain