Famous Birthdays Feb 9 John Meursius [van Meurs], Dutch classical scholar, born in Loosduinen (d. 1639) Born in 1579 Famous Deaths Feb 20 Nicholas Bacon, English politician (b. 1509) Jan 1579 History by Year Mar 1579 What Happened in 1579 Francis Drake Lands in CaliforniaJune 17, 1579