February 4, 1902 – American aviator Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, is born in Detroit, Michigan. His 1927 flight in “The Spirit of Saint Louis” is credited with ushering in a new era of global transportation. Later, the 1932 kidnapping and death of the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh created a media frenzy. It spurred Congress to pass the so-called “Lindbergh” law making it a federal crime to transport a kidnap victim across state lines.
February 5, 1900 – Illinois Governor, two-time Democratic presidential candidate (1952 and 1956), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson II, is born in Los Angeles, California.
February 7, 1812 – British novelist Charles Dickens (“David Copperfield”, “Oliver Twist”, “A Christmas Carol”) is born in Portsmouth, England.
February 9, 1773 – The 9th U. S. President, William Henry Harrison, is born in Berkeley, Virginia. He was sworn into office on March 4, 1841, but died 32 days later from complications from a cold he caught during his inaugural ceremonies.