Born on August 30, 1837, Ellen Lewis Herndon “Nell” Arthur was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States.

A gifted contralto and admired Washington hostess, she died of pneumonia nearly a year before her husband assumed office. She was remembered for her poise and the grace she brought to Washington’s social circles.

Though she never served as First Lady, Arthur honored her memory throughout his presidency—most poignantly by commissioning a stained-glass window at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square. Created by the French firm Lorin of Chartres, the window depicts angels of the Resurrection and was installed in the church’s south transept, positioned so Arthur could see it illuminated from the White House at night.
The tribute remains one of the most personal and enduring memorials ever placed by a sitting president.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

George Frederick Root, the composer of “Battle Cry of Freedom,” one of the most poignant and frequently sung anthems of the Civil War, was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, on August 30, 1820.

Root’s song, with its catchy melody and stirring chorus, was a potent motivator for Union soldiers and was inspired by President Lincoln’s 1862 call for 300,000 volunteers. Over 700,000 copies of the song’s sheet music were sold due to its enormous popularity, and Confederate musicians even modified the catchy melody with their own lyrics.

“Battle Cry of Freedom” remained popular after the war, being used as a campaign anthem for Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and in 1880 for James A. Garfield. Composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk noted its enduring influence and famously decided it should be made the national anthem.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

World War II & Korean War Veteran Ted Williams was born on August 30, 1918 in San Diego, California.

As a star baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, #9 won the American League Batting Championship six times.

His name, “Theodore” or “Ted” for short was chosen in honor of Theodore Roosevelt.

Image: Ted Williams being sworn into the U.S. military during WWII via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Salem, Federal Street, Saint James Church Laying cornerstone, August 30, 1891

Image via Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts, no known restrictions

On August 30, 1645
Dutch settlers made a peace treaty with Native Americans at New Amsterdam. Nieuw-Amsterdam, named by the Dutch, was the small city on Manhattan Island in New Netherland.

Image: Nieu Amsterdam een stedeken in Noord Amerikaes via NYPL Digital Collections, public domain

On August 30, 1967 the US Senate voted 69 – 11 to confirm Thurgood Marshall as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall, the first African – American to serve on the Court, retired in 1991. He’s shown here at the time of his nomination by President Johnson.

Image from NARA via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US

American POW has been rescued and is served a full meal aboard the USS Benevolence on August 30, 1945.

He was captured at Corregidor over three years earlier in 1942.

via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Legendary stunt pilot Paul Mantz won his second of three consecutive Bendix Trophy victories on August 30, 1947, when he flew a modified P-51C Mustang from Van Nuys, California to Cleveland, Ohio.

After being kicked out of the U.S. Army Air Corps as a cadet for reckless flying in the 1920s, Mantz went on to serve with distinction during World War II, training pilots and ferrying aircraft.

His victory in 1947, at a speed of over 460 mph, brought him $10,000 in prize money and demonstrated his proficiency in both cinematic aerials and competitive flying. Mantz’s trademark combination of technical precision and Hollywood spectacle was embodied by the Mustang, which was painted with promotional markings from the movie Blaze of Noon.

In 1948, he would win the Bendix once more, making history as the only pilot to win the trophy three times in a row.

Image: Paul Mantz in 1935 from Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

On August 30, 1781, the French Fleet commanded by Comte de Grasse arrives at the mouth of the Chesapeake. Over 3,000 French troops disembark to support the American Army.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On August 30, 1869, Union Civil War Veteran Major John Wesley Powell and other men complete their expedition of the Colorado River. It was the first U.S. government-sponsored passage through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.

Image: Commemorative stamp from 1969 with art depicting John Wesley Powell’s Expedition
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

The Lace Maker

by American artist Julian Alden Weir who was born on August 30, 1852 in West Point, New York.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Ty Cobb made his Major League debut for the Detroit Tigers on August 30, 1905, at just 18 years old. In his first at-bat, he doubled off Hall of Famer Jack Chesbro. Cobb would go on to collect 4,189 hits over his 24-year career—the second-highest total in MLB history.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

An image of John Kirby Allen from the 1830s

John and his older brother Augustus founded the city of Houston, Texas on August 30, 1836.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On August 30, 1917, three American aero squadrons, the 70th, 79th, and 638th, were established at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas.

Image of Kelly Field in 1920 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

1st Sergeant William S. Morse in uniform with sword of Co. C, 24th New York Infantry Regiment who was injured at the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 30, 1862.

In 1864, Captain Morse mustered into service again but with Co. B, 184th New York Infantry Regiment at Elmira, New York.

Image via LOC, no known restrictions

Happy Birthday to Warren Buffet, born August 30, 1930. Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffet is known for his business acumen as well as his philanthropy, pledging to donate 99% of his wealth. His 1947 yearbook from Omaha’s Woodrow Wilson High noted: “Likes math; a future stockbroker.”

Image from USA International trade Administration via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.