William John Cooper Carr Masson (1876 - 1956)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during William John Cooper's lifetime.

In 1876, in the year that William John Cooper Carr Masson was born, on May 1st, Queen Victoria added the title Empress of India, a title held by British monarchs until 1948 - when India gained independence from the United Kingdom.

In 1893, William John Cooper was 17 years old when on February 1st, Thomas Edison's motion picture studio on his laboratory grounds in West Orange New Jersey was completed. The studio was called "Black Maria" and the first movie made and viewed in it was of 3 people pretending to be blacksmiths.

In 1915, by the time he was 39 years old, in April, the Ottoman Empire rounded up, arrested, and deported 235 to 270 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Turkey. As their actions continued through the next several years, an estimated 600,000 to 1 million Armenians were killed by Turkish soldiers.

In 1921, by the time he was 45 years old, on November 11th, the first burial was held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The body of an unknown soldier - selected by Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger who was highly decorated for valor and received the Distinguished Service Cross in "The Great War" - was brought back from France (World War 1) and placed in the newly completed tomb. President Warren G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremonies.

In 1956, in the year of William John Cooper Carr Masson's passing, this was the year that the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, became an international sensation. He began the year as a regional favorite and ended the year with 17 recordings having been on the Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart, 11 TV appearances, and a movie. Elvis scandalized adults and thrilled teens.