Useless trivia - Historum

**Clemmie** · January 22nd, 2012, 09:55 AM

There was a similar thread in the Middle Ages section so I thought perhaps I'd start one here.

I am reading a book by Bill James called Popular Crime

I just learned that the huge bank called Chase Manhattan got its start from the Manhattan Co. and J.P. Morgan's Chase Bank. The Manhattan Co. or Manhattan Bank was founded by Aaron Burr.

Anyone else know of other little know interesting facts of American history?

**Clemmie** · January 22nd, 2012, 10:30 AM

Burr and Alexander Hamilton were co-lawyers, along with Brockholst Livingston (appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by Thomas Jefferson) in a little know trial of Levi Weeks. He was accused of murdering his fiancee Elma Sands. This was unusual as most defendants didn't have access to lawyers, but Levi was fortunate in having a wealthy relative, Ezra Weeks. Weeks was acquitted.

**tjadams** · January 22nd, 2012, 02:04 PM

The tombstone currently of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello is
not the original one. It was replaced by Congress in 1883 & the
original was donated to the University of Missouri in 1885.
The original had been slowly chipped upon my visitors to take
home a souvenirs.

Baltis · January 22nd, 2012, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clemmie

I just learned that the huge bank called Chase Manhattan got its start from the Manhattan Co. and J.P. Morgan's Chase Bank. The Manhattan Co. or Manhattan Bank was founded by Aaron Burr.

Anyone else know of other little know interesting facts of American history?

J P Morgan bankers traditionally had their main branch on Wall Street. A very solid imposing stone structure but somewhat dwarfed by the buildings surrounding it. Although the building looked like one, they referred to their balance sheet as 'The Fortress'.

**oshron** · January 22nd, 2012, 04:47 PM

near the end of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the major antagonist Ghirahim is humming his own theme music while preparing a ritual to sacrifice Zelda

**botully** · January 22nd, 2012, 05:25 PM

Many of the major cities on the East coast of the US are on the "fall line", or where rivers are no longer navigable from the sea.
This is the best map I could quickly find that shows this:

**tjadams** · January 22nd, 2012, 05:42 PM

Everyone knows of the land on which Thomas Jefferson built his famous
house, Monticello. But he also owned other property.
He owned Poplar Forest, Natural Bridge- that he purchased from King George III
in 1774-and 483 acres of land he called Montalto.
By 1778 he owned almost 14,000 acres in six Virginia counties.

**Rongo** · January 22nd, 2012, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjadams

Everyone knows of the land on which Thomas Jefferson built his famous
house, Monticello. But he also owned other property.
He owned Poplar Forest, Natural Bridge- that he purchased from King George III
in 1774-and 483 acres of land he called Montalto.
By 1778 he owned almost 14,000 acres in six Virginia counties.

Definitely want to get there someday. Have driven by it a few times on Route 81(?), but never had time to stop. (Spent my spare time in the Shenandoah Valley - another gorgeous place).

**tjadams** · January 22nd, 2012, 07:50 PM

The oldest military monument in the US is located at
the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, USA.
The 1806 monument honors six Americans killed during the war with the
Barbary Coast Pirates and was carved by Giovanni C. Micali of Carrera marble and
was brought to the United States as ballast on board the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides)

HammockHank · January 23rd, 2012, 02:46 PM

Here's another piece of useless information. Well, actually the first as the others are really pretty interesting.

Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew marijuana. Back in their day it was called hemp and was used for making rope and for low quality cloth used to clothe slaves. It was also used as a form of currency and sometimes taxes were paid with nickel bags, err..I mean hemp things.