8th May 1787
US mayor John Bailhache is born in Jersey
Although John Bailhache was born in Jersey, at St Ouen, he’ll be better remembered as the Mayor of Columbus, after his appointment in 1835.
In 1810, aged 27, he had moved to Ohio with an uncle from Guernsey and taken a position with a local newspaper, of which he eventually bought a considerable share. During his time in journalism, he was appointed a judge in the Court of Common Pleas and, later, elected to the district legislature, then appointed state printer before ascending to the office of Mayor.
An influential character
As outlined in An Illustrated History of Southern California, “he filled a conspicuous place in the early history of Ohio and exerted influence second to none in moulding a pure and correct public sentiment in the then almost unknown and inaccessible Northwest Territory, at a time when society was in its formative condition.”
Bailhache died on 3 September 1857 without ever returning to Jersey.
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Other events that occured in May
The 95th Regiment of Foot is disbanded
- The 95th Regiment of Foot was founded on 23 July 1779 when France entered the American War of Independence on America’s side.
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King of the Ecrehous is admitted to hospital
- Phillipe Pinel was known by many as the King of the Ecrehous, under which title he ruled the islands off Jersey’s north-east coast.
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The Queen gives Jersey ownership of its beaches
- It took until 2015 for the queen to hand over Jersey’s beaches and the 12 miles of seabed stretching away from them.
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Murdered Zsuzsanna Basenyei last seen alive
- Hungarian national Zsuzsanna Basenyei was last seen alive on 10 May 2018. Six days later, her body was discovered at La Pulec.
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