Fannie Downing/Williams (born 1869)

In 1869, in the year that Fannie Downing/Williams was born, on December 10th, the Wyoming territorial legislature gave women the right to vote. It was the first time in the world that women were able to vote legally without restrictions.

In 1875, on May 17th, Aristides was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby. It was the first year of the "The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports" - begun by Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the grandson of William Clark, the explorer.

In 1880, on February 4th, five members of one family in Ontario, Canada were killed and their farm was burned by a mob. Called the Black Donnelly Massacre, the Irish family had been feuding with other citizens of the town. No one was ever convicted.

In 1917, in April, the U.S. entered World War I, declaring war against Germany. President Wilson had previously declared neutrality in the war - a position supported by the majority of Americans - but after Germany declared that they would sink all ships trading with Great Britain and sunk U.S. ships, public opinion began to change. Then the Lusitania was sunk, killing 1,201 - including 128 Americans - and more U.S. ships were sunk. The U.S. could stand aside no longer.

In 1932, on February 27th, actress Elizabeth Taylor was born in London. Her parents were Americans living in London and when she was 7, the family moved to Los Angeles. Her first small part in a movie was in There's One Born Every Minute in 1942 but her first starring role was in National Velvet in 1944. She became as famous for her 8 marriages (to 7 people) as she was for her beauty and films.