Today in history—February 8

1693: Virginia charters the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg to train clergymen.  It will get its first chair of law in 1779.

1820: William Tecumseh Sherman is born at Lancaster, Ohio. After managing a bank in California and practicing law in Kansas, he will discover his real vocation at age 41.

1837: Democrat Richard Mentor Johnson, a Kentucky lawyer and Congressman, is elected Vice President by the U.S. Senate, after no candidate receives a majority in the Electoral College.

1861: The Confederate States of America is formed at Montgomery, Alabama.

1896: Representatives of several Midwestern universities meet to form the Western Conference, which later changes its name to “Big 10.” There are 11 members.

1905: Louis-Philippe Pigeon, who will serve on Canada’s Supreme Court from 1967 to 1980, is born at Henryville, Quebec.

1910: William D. Boyce incorporates the Boy Scouts of America as a U.S. counterpart to the earlier British scouting organization.

1936: The first National Football League draft is held. Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago is the first player picked. Yes, they used to have a football team.

1955: Lawyer/writer John Grisham is born in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

1969: After 157 years, the Saturday Evening Post ceases publication. The magazine cost twice as much to produce as its cover price.

1996: Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell reaches agreement with the city of Cleveland to betray them and move the team to Baltimore so that he can make a great deal more money.