Charles Darwin entered the world on February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury. His father, Robert Darwin, a prosperous local doctor, was a stern and critical figure in his life. Darwin's mother, Susannah Wedgwood, hailed from the renowned Wedgwood pottery family, with her father being Josiah Wedgwood. Additionally, Darwin's grandfather was Erasmus Darwin, a multifaceted figure known for his roles as a naturalist, poet, and philosopher, who had proposed his own theory of evolution. During his youth, Darwin's fascination with chemistry earned him the playful nickname "Gas" among his friends.
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| Painting of seven-year-old Charles Darwin in 1816. |
Coincidentally, on the same day and year, February 12, 1809,
Abraham Lincoln was born in a humble one-room log cabin on Sinking Spring farm in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Lincoln, the first president born outside of the original 13 colonies, grew up in a frontier family with his father, Thomas, working as a farmer. Despite a lifelong belief that he was illegitimate, it was only discovered after his death that Lincoln was indeed legitimate.
Alice Roosevelt,
Theodore Roosevelt's only child from his first marriage, was born on February 12, 1884. Known as Alice Lee Roosevelt, she became a prominent figure in Washington, D.C., often described as the toast of the town. When questioned about controlling his spirited daughter, Roosevelt remarked that he could either be President of the United States or control Alice, but not both. At the age of 16, Alice inspired the creation of the song "Alice-Blue Gown," leading to the term "Alice Blue" representing a light bluish-green color.
For more February 12 anniversaries, including the founding of the US state of Georgia, the premiere of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" and Christian Dior's "New Look" fashion collection, check out
OnThatDay.
