April 1 » The University of Northern Colorado was established, as the Colorado State Normal School.
April 22 » At noon, thousands rush to claim land in the Land Rush of 1889. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie are formed with populations of at least 10,000.
June 6 » The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle.
June 29 » Hyde Park and several other Illinois townships vote to be annexed by Chicago, forming the largest United States city in area and second largest in population at the time.
August 4 » The Great Fire of Spokane, Washington destroys some 32 blocks of the city, prompting a mass rebuilding project.
November 11 » The State of Washington is admitted as the 42nd state of the United States.
Day of death October 15, 1953
The temperature on October 15, 1953 was between 11.7 °C and 14.5 °C and averaged 13.0 °C. There was 0.1 mm of rain. The almost completely overcast was. The average windspeed was 2 Bft (weak wind) and was prevailing from the north. Source: KNMI
January 5 » The play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett receives its première in Paris.
January 19 » Almost 72 percent of all television sets in the United States are tuned into I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth.
February 11 » The Soviet Union breaks off diplomatic relations with Israel.
March 18 » An earthquake hits western Turkey, killing 265 people.
April 24 » Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
June 2 » The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who is crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories & Head of the Commonwealth, the first major international event to be televised.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Hendrik Dreyer, "Dreyer Tree", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/dreyer-tree/I8393.php : accessed January 20, 2026), "Jacobus Johannes van Niekerk (1889-1953)".
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