October 6, 1846 – Engineer and inventor George Westinghouse is born in Central Ridge, New York. He developed air brakes for trains and later promoted the adoption of alternating current (AC) systems for electric power transmission.
October 9, 1940 – British rock singer-songwriter John Lennon is born in Liverpool, England. Among his famous songs are “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Help,” and “Imagine.”
October 10, 1900 – Helen Hayes, nicknamed the “First Lady of the American Theater,” is born in Washington, D.C.
October 11, 1884 – Eleanor Roosevelt is born in New York City. She marries her fifth cousin, Franklin, and famously carries out the duties of First Lady when he becomes President in 1933. Following Franklin’s death in office, Eleanor remains active in political and social causes, including serving as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations and being affectionately called “First Lady of the World.”