On This Day

Christian feast days: Begga

Christian feast days: Chagnoald

Christian feast days: Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius of Alexandria

Christopher Columbus sails from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.

British scientist John Dalton begins using symbols to represent the atoms of different elements.

American Civil War: Forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant bloodlessly capture Paducah, Kentucky, giving the Union control of the Tennessee River's mouth.

Spanish Civil War: The Interprovincial Council of Asturias and León is established.

Istanbul's Greek, Jewish, and Armenian minorities are the target of a government-sponsored pogrom; dozens are killed in ensuing riots.

Emir Abdelkader, Algerian religious and military leader (died 1883)

William Lane, English-Australian journalist, founded New Australia (died 1917)

Jacob Rubinovitz, Polish-Israeli engineer and academic (died 2018)

Pat Nevin, Scottish footballer and sportscaster

Terry Bickers, English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Sir John Morden, 1st Baronet, English merchant and philanthropist, founded Morden College (born 1623)

James Cannon Jr., American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (born 1864)

Luciano Pavarotti, Italian tenor (born 1935)

Boris Chetkov, Russian painter (born 1926)

Ron Yeats, Scottish footballer (born 1937)