WAEstate

Robert Craig Knievel "Evel Knievel" (1938-2007) - Daredevil Evel Knievel gained worldwide fame between the late 1960s and early 1980s for nationally televised death-defying motorcycle jumps. In his career he attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed attempt to jump across Snake River Canyon in Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket. Knievel’s stunts gained him international recognition and resulted in 433 broken bones, earning him an entry in the … [Read more...]

Davy Jones (1945-2012) - Actor, Singer, Racehorse Owner & Jockey Born in Manchester, England, Davy Jones was a child star appearing on television and stage, including a role as "The Artful Dodger" in a London production of the play Oliver. When the show came to Broadway, he earned a Tony nomination at age 16 for his performance. That success brought him to the attention of Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems Television, which created "The Monkees," a pop group as well as a popular TV series. Jones … [Read more...]

James Madison (1753-1836) - 4TH President of the United States, 1809-1817 James Madison was an American statesman and political theorist. He is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for being influential in the drafting of the U. S. Constitution and as the key champion and author of the U. S. Bill of Rights. Madison helped form the Democratic-Republican Party with Thomas Jefferson, and later became Jefferson’s Secretary of State, where he helped with the supervision of the Louisiana … [Read more...]

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) - 37TH President of the United States, 1963-1969 Lyndon B. Johnson was born in a small farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. In 1926, Johnson attended Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College, participating in debate and campus politics, which helped refine his skills of persuasion and political organization. After college Johnson taught Mexican-American children at the Welhausen School in Cotulla, where he discovered his desire to make a difference and perhaps better the … [Read more...]

Lucille Désirée Ball (1911-1989) - Actress & Comedian Lucille Ball was and American comedienne, model, film and televison actress, and studio executive. She was the star of the sitcoms I love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, and Life with Lucy, and was one of the most popular and influential stars in the United States during her lifetime. In 1962, Ball became the first woman to run a major television studio, Desilu, which produced many successful and popular … [Read more...]

John Adams (1735–1826) – 2ND President of the United States, 1797-1801 John Adams was a founding father, statesman, diplomat, and prominent supporter of America’s independence from Great Britain. He was an advocate for a strong central government and republicanism. Adams assisted Thomas Jefferson in the framing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and was also one of the creators of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. During his presidency, he signed the controvertible Alien and … [Read more...]

George Best (1946-2005) - Professional Football Player George Best was a Northern Irish professional footballer (soccer) who played as winger for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. In 1968, he won the European Cup with United, and was named the European Footballer of the Year, and FWA Footballer of the Year. He also is described by the national team’s governing body, the Irish Football Association, as the "greatest player to ever put on the green shirt of Northern … [Read more...]

Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (1888-1969) - Businessman & Ambassador Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy was a prominent American businessman and investor. Born to a political family in East Boston, Kennedy was educated at Boston Latin School and Harvard University. He embarked on a career in finance, rising to be president of a bank by the age of 25. He was a successful investor during the Roaring Twenties, making a fortune as a stock market and commodities investor. In fact, he was able to manipulate … [Read more...]

Thomas Jefferson ( 1743-1826) - 3RD President of the United States, 1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson was one of America’s Founding Fathers and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. At the beginning of the American Revolution, he served in the Continental Congress, representing Virginia, and then served as a wartime Governor of Virginia (1779-1781). Just after the war ended, Jefferson served as a diplomat, stationed in Paris. In May 1785, he became the United States Minister to … [Read more...]

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) – 16TH President of the United States, 1861-1865 Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, and a Whig Party leader. Lincoln is best known for his constant battle to preserve the Union while abolishing slavery. Raised in a one-room log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky, to become the leader that would motivate the Union to victory in the American Civil War, Lincoln portrayed the American Dream. Yet, Lincoln is also a notable example of someone dying … [Read more...]