Famous Birthdays Feb 17 Matthew Tilghman, American Continental Congressman (d. 1790) Famous Deaths Feb 1 Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, English politician, dies at 57 Feb 18 Pierre Antoine Motteux, French-born English dramatist (b. 1663) Feb 23 Francois Fagel, Dutch field marshal/mayor of Nimegen, dies at 63 1717 History by Year 1719