April 12

-- On that day in 1861, the American civil war began with Confederate  forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

Read : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War.

It was the eight birthday of my great-grandfather Felix De Vidts (Pamel 1853 - 1940). He died in 1940 on June 8, his granddaughter's (my mother's) birthday.

-- At least five of my known ancestors were born or died on April 12 (the list has been published before). The most famous one was Zweder III van Abcoude, lord of Gaasbeek, Putten en Strijen, who died on April 12 1400 in Radda, Tuscany. I descend from one of his natural children, Clementia Van Gaasbeek. Zweder was born ca 1335 and his life is well documented.

In Brussels the man still has a terrible reputation as he is known as the head conspirator in the murder of Everaert 't Serclaes. History tells us that this reputation is wrong : it is  probable that he had nothing to do with that murder.