The Spartanburg Female College had opened in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1855 under the auspices of the Methodist Church.  On April 14, 1860, it suffered a fire that destroyed one of its four buildings and damaged much of the college's furniture, including musical instruments.  No injuries were reported. The college survived the fire but closed permanently shortly after the Civil War. (By John Osborne)

The barque Friendship, owned in San Francisco and commanded by a Captain Knight, was carrying lumber off the central coast of Oregon.  Near Cape Blanco, the vessel was driven ashore and completely destroyed with the loss of all ten of her crew.  (By John Osborne)

In the midst of hostility from fellow Virginians and the Democratic and Whig press, the Republicans of Prince William County, including many transplanted New Englanders, met at Occuquan in convention to elect delegates for the state convention to be held in Wheeling, Virginia later in the month. (By John Osborne)  

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the state capital, had previously been under a burgess government but after its incorporation moved towards a mayoral system.  William H. Kepner, a millstone manufacturer and a Democrat was elected as the first Mayor of Harrisburg.  (By John Osborne) 

The General Committee of Indiana's Constitutional Union Party met in Indianapolis and made John McLean of Ohio its unanimous choice for President, and John Bell of Tennessee as Vice-President. The Committee also selected delegates for the national convention in Baltimore, Maryland upcoming in less than four weeks.  (By John Osborne)

Galusha Grow of Pennsylvania had introduced the bill in the House of Representatives to admit Kansas as a state under the Wyandotte Constitution on February 15, 1860.  The House passed the bill by a vote of 134 to 73.  The bill then went to the Senate where delaying tactics held it up until southern senators withdrew from the body in January, 1861.  It then passed 36 to 16 and was signed into law on January 29, 1861.  (By John Osborne)

Police in Richmond, Virginia raided a secret African-American meeting in an outbuilding behind a large house and arrested a dozen members of a group they described as suspects in underground railroad activity.  The group, known as the "Sons of Ham," included several local black preachers.  (By John Osborne) 

The Missouri Democratic Party Convention met over three days in the Hall of Representatives in Jefferson City.  Its platform supported the actions of the Buchanan Administration over the policies of Stephen Douglas and strongly defended the legality of slavery and the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law.  It then nominated Claiborne Jackson for governor and named delegates for the national convention.  (By John Osborne)

Harold Wyllys, a young area farmer, went on trial in Greenville, South Carolina charged with circulating Hilton Helper's controversial book on slavery called The Impending Crisis.  During a break in the trial, outside the courthouse, copies of Helper's book and other offending publications were ceremonially burned before large crowds.  Wyllys was convicted later that day and sentenced to a year's imprisonment.  (By John Osborne)