Birthday Meme

Sarah posted hers last week, and this is something I've been meaning to do for a while. I just kept forgetting.

The "rules", such as they are:

1. Search Wikipedia for your birth day and month, but not year.
2. List 3 events, 2 births, 1 death and a holiday, if there is one.
3. Encourage others to play.

February 2 actually seems to have a lot going on, even after you eliminate all the Punxsutawney-related groundhog day stuff. Three events that happened on February 2:

1. New Amsterdam (later renamed New York City) was incorporated in 1653.
   
2. In 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court convenes for the first time after an unsuccessful attempt on February 1.
3. In 1880, the first electric streetlight is installed in Wabash, Indiana.
   

So you can blame NYC, the Supreme Court, and streetlights keeping you awake at night on my birthday.

Two people who were born on February 2:

1. The Irish author James Joyce (1882)
2. The American hotelier Howard Johnson (1897)

Brent Spiner, Christie Brinkley, Stan Getz, and Ayn Rand also share the same natal day. But really, the combination of Joyce and Johnson just made me giggle.

And a death:

1. Owen Tudor, the Welsh founder of the Tudor dynasty of England, died in 1461.

Sid Vicious, Boris Karloff, and Gene Kelly also passed the veil on February 2 (obviously later than 1461, though).

The holiday most commonly known, at least in the US, for February 2 is of course Groundhog's Day, where a small furry mammal is supposed to be able to predict whether spring is coming or not based on whether it gets frightened by its shadow. Groundhog Day actually has its beginnings in Candlemas which marks the end of the Christmas season, as it is 40 days after Christmas, which is the day when Mary could be "purified" and Jesus presented in the temple. It was the date when the celebrant of the Mass blesses the (beeswax) candles for the coming year.

So, share yours. Post a link in the comments if you do. I know I learned some interesting factoids!