December 29
1709 - Elixabeth of Russia (Elizaveta Petrovra) ~ tsarina of Russia ~ daughter of Peter the Great
1721 - Madame de Pompadour (Jeanne Antoinette Poisson) ~ Royal Mistress of King Louis XV
... no one in French history had more influence than this woman, in every direction. Powerful, intelligent, polished, beautiful, a mistress. Her name is common with Voltare, Place de la Concorde, Petit Trianon, Sevres porcelain...just to name a few. Many other things and events...she made them happen. Voltare wrote "I am very sad at the death of Madame de Pompadour. I was indebted to her and I mourn her out of gratitude. It seems absurd that while an ancient pen-pusher, hardly able to walk, should still be alive, a beautiful woman, in the midst of a splendid career, should die at the age of forty two."
1800 - Charles Goodyear ~ invented vulcanization of rubber
1808 - Andrew Johnson ~ 17th POTUS by virtue of Lincoln's assassination...a simple minded, backward, "cracker" by nature, was impeached, but avoided the "boot" by a single vote, and at Lincoln's 1st inaugration when he spoke, he was so sockeyed he could hardly stand up ;-}
~ By the Bye ~
1170 ~ ASSASSINATION!!! inside Canterbury Cathedral, of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury by followers of King Henry II
1845 ~ TEXAS becomes State # 28
1848 ~ Gas lights installed at the White House for Polk
1862 ~ Bowling Ball invented....along with getting drunk while bowling
1885 ~ Gootlieb Daimler patents 1st Bike
~ gotta love it ~