This Day In Founding Fathers History – 8 April

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This Day In Founding Fathers History – 8 April

On this day in 1862, John D. Lynde received a patent for his “Improved Bottle for Aerated Liquids,” an early aerosol dispenser. ₁

In 1997 on this day, an official ceremony was held at the state capital in Tennessee where Governor Donald Sundquist signed House Joint Resolution 32 to post-ratify the 15^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In 1870, the Tennessee legislature refused to ratify the amendment, although three-fourths of the states at the time did ratify. Upon Governor Sundquist’s signing of the resolution, Tennessee became the 37^th and final of the original states to ratify the amendment. ₂

One notable birthday on this day in 1726, that of Lewis Morris. Morris, half-brother to Gouverneur Morris, was born in Morrisania, New York (today part of New York City). As a delegate to the Continental Congress, Morris signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1760, Morris was appointed a judge of the Admiralty Court for the province and held the position for 14 years, resigning in 1774. In 1776, Morris was absent from Philadelphia and the Congress while serving as brigadier general in the Westchester County militia. Morris also served in the state senate for New York for two terms and held positions on various councils. He also attended the Federal Convention of 1787 and the New York ratifying convention in Poughkeepsie. ₃

 

_{1 “John D. Lynde, Aerosol Dispenser, U.S. Patent #39894,” House Divided – The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/39026
2 “To Make Amends: Tennessee’s 128-Year Post-Ratification of the 15th Amendment,” www.teachingamericanhistory.org/File/To_Make_Amends.pdf
3 “Morris, Lewis,” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000982; “Lewis Morris,” Signers of the Declaration – Biographical Sketches, nps.gov/history/history/online_books/declaration/bio32.htm}