January 1 » New York, New York annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The four initial boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, are joined on January 25 by Staten Island to create the modern city of five boroughs.
June 11 » The Hundred Days' Reform, a planned movement to reform social, political, and educational institutions in China, is started by the Guangxu Emperor, but is suspended by Empress Dowager Cixi after 104 days. (The failed reform led to the abolition of the Imperial examination in 1905.)
July 4 » En route from New York to Le Havre, the SS La Bourgogne collides with another ship and sinks off the coast of Sable Island, with the loss of 549 lives.
July 7 » US President William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States.
September 2 » Battle of Omdurman: British and Egyptian troops defeat Sudanese tribesmen and establish British dominance in Sudan.
September 13 » Hannibal Goodwin patents celluloid photographic film.
Day of death February 17, 1949
The temperature on February 17, 1949 was between -0.1 °C and 11.9 °C and averaged 5.5 °C. There was 8.0 hours of sunshine (80%). The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the south-southwest. Source: KNMI
From August 7, 1948 till March 15, 1951 the Netherlands had a cabinet Drees - Van Schaik with the prime ministers Dr. W. Drees (PvdA) and Mr. J.R.H. van Schaik (KVP).
January 20 » Point Four Program a program for economic aid to poor countries announced by United States President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address for a full term as President.
February 15 » Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux begin excavations at Cave 1 of the Qumran Caves, where they will eventually discover the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls.
May 12 » Cold War: The Soviet Union lifts its blockade of Berlin.
June 8 » George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is published.
August 5 » In Ecuador, an earthquake destroys 50 towns and kills more than 6,000.
September 21 » The People's Republic of China is proclaimed.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Yves Gob, "Family tree Gob", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-gob/I19087.php : accessed February 28, 2026), "Nicolas MEESSEN (1898-1949)".
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