January 4 » Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
February 21 » An Englishman raised in Australia, Bob Fitzsimmons, fought an Irishman, Peter Maher, in an American promoted event which technically took place in Mexico, winning the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship in boxing.
March 1 » Henri Becquerel discovers radioactive decay.
May 27 » The F4-strength St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado hits in St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois, killing at least 255 people and causing over $10-million in damage.
June 15 » The deadliest tsunami in Japan's history kills more than 22,000 people.
August 17 » Bridget Driscoll became the first recorded case of a pedestrian killed in a collision with a motor car in the United Kingdom.
Day of marriage May 15, 1920
The temperature on May 15, 1920 was between 3.9 °C and 15.5 °C and averaged 10.1 °C. There was 13.6 hours of sunshine (87%). The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the northeast. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from September 9, 1918 to September 18, 1922 the cabinet Ruys de Beerenbrouck I, with Jonkheer mr. Ch.J.M. Ruys de Beerenbrouck (RKSP) as prime minister.
May 2 » The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis.
May 16 » In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonizes Joan of Arc.
August 25 » Polish–Soviet War: Battle of Warsaw, which began on August 13, ends with the Red Army's defeat.
October 14 » Finland and Soviet Russia sign the Treaty of Tartu, exchanging some territories.
November 12 » Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes sign the Treaty of Rapallo.
December 11 » Irish War of Independence: In retaliation for a recent IRA ambush, British forces burn and loot numerous buildings in Cork city. Many civilians report being beaten, shot at, robbed and verbally abused by British forces.
Day of death July 8, 1954
The temperature on July 8, 1954 was between 4.5 °C and 20.4 °C and averaged 13.7 °C. There was 12.2 hours of sunshine (74%). The partly clouded was. The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the west-southwest. Source: KNMI
May 17 » The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.
July 20 » Germany: Otto John, head of West Germany's secret service, defects to East Germany.
August 24 » Getúlio Vargas, president of Brazil, commits suicide and is succeeded by João Café Filho.
September 17 » The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is first published.
November 12 » Ellis Island ceased operations.
December 2 » Cold War: The United States Senate votes 65 to 22 to censure Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute".
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Hans Weening, "Family tree Weening", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-weening/I77014.php : accessed February 9, 2026), "Johannes Schaafsma (1896-1954)".
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