1607 The first Anglican (later Episcopalian) parish in America is formed at Jamestown, Virginia.

1639 Increase Mather, colonial American minister, was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts (d. 23 August 1723).

1675 The foundation stone of one of the most famous cathedrals in the Christian world, Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, was laid without special ceremony or fanfare.

1821 The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church held its first annual conference in Zion Church in New York City. At the conference a limited episcopacy was established, and James Varick was elected the first bishop (thereafter called “superintendent”).

1836 Sanford Fillmore Bennett, American newspaper editor and pharmacist, was in Eden, New York (d. 12 June 1898).

1841 Karl Bernhard Garve, hymnist, died in Herrnhut (b. 24 January 1763, Jeinsen, near Hannover, Germany).

1846 Isaac McCoy, missionary to American Indians, died (b. 13 June 1784).

1873 Heinrich A. W. Meyer, German Biblical commentator, died (b. 10 January 1800, Gotha, Germany).

1892 Reinhold Niebuhr, American theologian, was born in Wright City, Missouri (d. 1 June 1971).

1897 Clara H. Scott (b. 3 December 1841), American music educator, died.

1897 Lawrence Tuttiett, hymnist, died (b. 31 October 1825, Colyton, Devonshire, England).

1899 Henry Christian Wyneken, Missouri Synod theologian, died (b. 13 December 1844, Fort Wayne, Indiana).

1907 Arthur Carl Piepkorn, Army chaplain and theologian, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 13 December 1973).

1963 Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini (1897–1978) was elected Pope Paul VI in Rome, the 261st pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.