Click on any of the News, Events, or Discoveries buttons above to see historical things that happened during
Ellis Davis's life. These are only some of the major events that affected the life and times of
Ellis, his family, and friends. For example, Ellis is 4 years old when Tennessee enacts Jim Crow law.
Age | Date | Event |
11 |
1882 |
The Florida Central and Western Railroad Company was created. It combines the Florida Central, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Mobile railroads. |
12 |
1883 |
Three railroad companies are merged to form the Florida Transit and Penisular Railroad Company. Thee are: Florida Transit Railroad Co., Peninsular Railroad Co, and the Tropical Florida Railroad Co. |
13 |
1884 |
Most railroads in Florida are passed into the hands of a single company owned and operated by a single management, under the name of The Florida Railway and Navigation Company. It has more that 500 miles of main track in operation and about 300 miles of track under construction. The longest route was the "Western Division" which ran from Tallahassee to Jacksonville - 209 miles. |
35 |
1906 |
An attempt to drain the Everglades and convert it to farmland begins. |
46 |
1917 |
Seminole Indians become a Florida tourist attraction. |
Age | Date | Event |
6 |
1877 |
Edison invents the phonograph permitting music and voices to be recorded and replayed. |
8 |
1879 |
Edison invents the electric light bulb. |
18 |
1889 |
The first calculating machine is invented and uses punch cards |
24 |
1895 |
Wireless telegraph and the "antenna" are invented but it covers a very short distance. |
26 |
1897 |
First ship to shore message is sent using an improved form of wireless telegraph |
29 |
1900 |
The cause of yellow fever is discovered. It is proven that the fever is spread by mosquitoes. This rallies an effort to provide better mosquito control. |
29 |
1900 |
Freud publishes his book "The Interpretation of Dreams" |
30 |
1901 |
First transatlantic wireless telegraph is sent. |
31 |
1902 |
The first Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil is discovered. |
32 |
1903 |
Wright Brothers complete the first successful flight with an airplane at Kitty Hawk |
33 |
1904 |
The first vacuum tube diode is invented by Fleming |
35 |
1906 |
The triode vacuum tube is invented |
35 |
1906 |
Kellogg sells the first box of Corn Flakes |
35 |
1906 |
Electrons are discovered by Thomson |
41 |
1912 |
The unsinkable Titanic sinks on its first trip to New York drowning 1,513 people. |
42 |
1913 |
Ford builds the first assembly line into his automobile production plant |
43 |
1914 |
The first traffic lights (which is only red or green) are put up in America; Construction of the Panama Canal is completed |
Age | Date | Event |
11 |
1882 |
NEWS HEADLINES: Edison creates the first large power station in New York City, making it the first place in America to have electricity. |
14 |
1885 |
NEWS HEADLINES: Eastman invents the box camera. For the first time photography becomes affordable for the average citizen. |
37 |
1908 |
NEWS HEADLINES: Henry Ford produces the first Model T automobile |
41 |
1912 |
White residents of Forsyth County, GA, drive the black population out. |
42 |
1913 |
NEWS HEADLINES: Edison invents motion pictures |
46 |
1917 |
NEWS HEADLINES: In June, the United States enters World War I on the side of the allies. The Russian Revolution ends the reign of the czars and thrusts Russia into communism. |
Age | Date | Event |
4 |
1875 |
Tennessee enacts Jim Crow law. |
5 |
1876 |
The National League of Baseball is founded |
38 |
1909 |
The National Association for Advancement of Colored People is formed (NAACP) |
39 |
1910 |
Boy Scout and Girl Scout Organizations are introduced in America and the concept of a "week end" meaning time off from regular work begins to take root. The British Empire covers 1/5th of the world land area. |
Age | Date | Event |
38 |
1909 |
The "Piltdown Man" hoax -- a fake archeological discovery announced by dishonest scientists who wanted to "prove" that human beings had evolved in Europe |
43 |
1914 |
World War I - Following the crisis touched off by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Germany declared war on Russia and additional countries joined the war within several days. |
46 |
1917 |
Germany uses airplanes to drop bombs in the early stages of World War I -- the first major military use of airplanes. |