Events in year of 1839
- 01-021st photo of the Moon (French photographer Louis Daguerre)
- 01-062 day storm off Irish and English coast immortalized as "Big Wind"
- 01-09Daguerrotype photo process announced at French Academy of Science
- 01-09Thomas Henderson measures 1st stellar parallax (Alpha Centauri)
- 01-10Tea from India 1st arrives in the UK
- 01-11Earthquake at Martinique destroys half of Port Royal-700 die
- 01-12Anthracite coal 1st used to smelt iron, Mauch Chunk, Penn
- 01-19Aden conquered by British East India Company
- 01-24Charles Darwin elected member of Royal Society
- 01-29Charles Darwin marries Emma Wedgwood
- 02-07Henry Clay declares in Senate "I had rather be right than President"
- 02-12Aroostock War: Boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick
- 02-18Detroit Boat Club forms
- 02-20Congress prohibits dueling in District of Columbia
- 02-24Steam shovel patented by William Otis, Philadelphia
- 02-25Seminoles and black allies shipped from Tampa Bay Florida, to West
- 02-26Jem Mason on Lottery wins 1st Grand National Steeplechase (Britain)
- 03-09Prussian government limits work week for children to 51 hours
- 03-231st known use of term OK (Boston)
- 03-261st Henley Royal Regatta
- 04-17Guatemala forms Republic
- 04-19Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom and Luxembourg a Grand Duchy
- 05-04The Cunard Steamship Company Ltd forms San Bonifacio
- 06-07Hawaiian Declaration of Rights is signed
- 06-121st baseball game played in America
- 06-141st Henley Regatta held
- 06-18Dutch Prince Willem Alexander PFL weds niece Princess Sophia
- 07-031st state normal school in US opens, Lexington, Mass, with 3 students
- 07-27Chartist riots break out in Birmingham England
- 07-30Slave rebels, take over slaver Amistad
People born in year of 1839
- 01-09John Knowles Paine: Portland, Maine -- Composer
- 01-11Eugenio Maria de Hostos: Puerto Rico -- Patriot / Scholar
- 01-14Emil Bohn: Composer
- 01-19Bohumil Pazdirek: Composer
- 01-25Seldon Connor: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1917
- 02-01James A Herne [J Aherne]: US playwright (Hearts of Oak)
- 02-07Nicolaas G Pierson: Dutch banker / Suriname Premier (1897-1901)
- 02-11Josiah Willard Gibbs: Theoretical physicist / chemist
- 03-08James Mason Crafts: US chemist (Friedel-Crafts-synthesis)
- 03-09Felix Huston Robertson: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1928
- 03-10Dudley Buck: Hartford, Connecticut -- Organist / church composer
- 03-17Josef Rheinberger: Vaduz, Liechtenstein -- Opera composer (Munich Conser)
- 03-18Francis Fessenden: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1906
- 03-25William Bell Wait: United States -- Educated the blind
- 03-31Nikolay Przhevalsky: Naturalist, explorer of east central Asia (OS)
- 04-05Robert Smalls: Beaufort, South Carolina -- Black congressman 1875-87 (Rep-SC)
- 04-05Stanislaw Pilinski: Composer
- 04-12Victorin de Joncieres: Composer
- 04-18Frantz Jehin-Prume: Composer
- 04-18Henry Clarence Kendall: NSW, Australia -- Poet (Bell Birds)
- 04-20Carol I: King of Romania (1881-1914)
- 04-22August W Eichler: German Botanist
- 04-26Cyrus Hamblin: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1867
- 05-01Chardonnet: Inventor (rayon)
- 05-08Francis W Warre-Cornish: English vice-provost of Eton / writer
- 05-19Alice Mary Smith: Composer
- 05-25John Eliot: English meteorologist
- 05-27Luigi Capuana: Sicilian author / critic (Roccaverdina)
- 06-03Paul Lindau: German playwright / critic (Der Herr im Hause)
- 06-18William Henry Seward, Jr.: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1920
People died in year of 1839
- 01-12Joseph A Koch: Aust Painter / cartoonist / etcher / illustrator, dies at 70
- 01-19Georg Abraham Schneider: Composer, dies at 38
- 02-01Giuseppe Valadier: Italian Architect / archaeologist, dies at 76
- 03-04Ignace Antoine Ladurner: Pianist / composer, dies at 72
- 03-13Robert Gallenberg: Composer, dies at 55
- 03-29Bernardus JC Dibbets: Dutch Baron / General Major (Maastricht), dies at 56
- 04-11John Galt: Scottish writer (Last of the Lairds), dies at 59
- 04-20Giuseppe Rossini: Father of Italian Composer Gioacchino Rossini
- 05-03Ferdinando Paer: Composer, dies at 67
- 05-13Israel Ashkenazi of Shklov: Found Ashkenazic community (1815)
- 05-13Joseph Fesch: French Cardinal / war commission / Earl / senator
- 05-18Carolina [Maria A] Bonaparte: Countess Lipona, dies at 57
- 06-02Wijnand YY Nuijen: Painter / lithographer (Wrecked), dies at 26
- 06-09Gerrit J Pijman: Dutch Minister of War (1798-1800), dies at 89
- 06-10Nathaniel Pryor: Sgt of Lewis & Clark Expedition
- 06-13Martin-Pierre Dalvimare: Composer, dies at 66
- 06-15Hans Skramstad: Composer, dies at 41
- 06-27Ranjit Singh: Gov of Lahore
- 06-30Johan O Wallin: Swedish Poet / Archbishop (Dead Angel)
- 07-01Mahmud II: Sultan of Turkey (1808-39), dies at 53
- 07-10Fernando Joseph Maria Sor: Composer, dies at 61
- 07-12Christian Traugott Tag: Composer, dies at 62
- 07-15Winthrop Mackworth Praed: Politician / poet
- 08-23Charles Philippe Lafont: Composer, dies at 57
- 09-10Pieter Fontijn: Dutch painter, dies at 66
- 09-17Ethel Mary Dell [Mrs G T Savage]: Romantic Novelist
- 09-20Jose Gaspar de Francia: Dictator of Paraguay (1816-39), dies at 74
- 09-21Jacob Gottfried Weber: German composer, dies at 60
- 10-11Leonor de Almeida marquesa de Alorna: Portuguese poet, dies at 88
- 10-18French Jozef Kinsoen: Flemish portrait painter, dies at 68
Events in year of 1840
- 01-011st recorded bowling match in US, Knickerbocker Alleys, New York City
- 01-031st deep sea sounding
- 01-05Records show 95,820 licensed public houses in England on this date
- 01-10Penny Post mail system is starts
- 01-18Electro-Magnetic Intelligencer, 1st US electrical journal, appears
- 01-19Antarctica discovered, Charles Wilkes expedition (US claim)
- 01-20Dutch King Willem II crowned
- 02-01Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, 1st in US, incorporated
- 02-06Waitangi Day; treaty signed between Britain and Maoris of New Zealand
- 02-10British Queen Victoria marries her cousin Albert von Saksen-Coburg
- 02-12Housatonic Railroad opens
- 02-16American Charles Wilkes discovers Shackleton Ice Shelf, Antarctica
- 03-23Draper takes 1st successful photo of the Moon (daguerrotype)
- 05-011st adhesive postage stamps ("Penny Blacks" from England) issued
- 05-061st postage stamps (Penny Black) issued (Great Britain)
- 05-07Tornado strikes Natchez Miss, kills 317
- 05-08Alexander Wolcott patents Photographic Process
- 05-21New Zealand became a British colony
- 06-12Meteorite hits Uden, Netherlands
- 06-20Samuel Morse patents his telegraph
- 07-15England, Russia, Austria and Prussia signs Quadruple Alliance
- 07-23Union Act passed by British Parliament, uniting Upper and Lower Canada
- 08-18Organization of American Society of Dental Surgeons founded (NY)
- 08-289 Jewish prisoners are released from Damascus jails
- 09-12Composer Robert Schumann marries Clara Wieck
- 10-07Willem I resigns as King of the Netherlands
- 10-081st Hawaiian constitution proclaimed
- 12-02Opera "Die Favoritin" is produced (Paris)
- 12-02William H Harrison elected President of US
People born in year of 1840
- 01-03Father Joseph Damien de Veuster: Belgium -- Helped lepers in Hawaii
- 01-05John Doby Kennedy: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1896
- 01-18Austin Dobson: England, United Kingdom -- Poet / critic / biographer
- 01-18Ernst Rudorff: Composer
- 01-21Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake: Pioneer English woman Physician
- 01-23Ernst Abbe: Germany -- Physicist (Carl Zeiss Optics Company)
- 02-02Louis Bourgault-Ducoudray: Composer
- 02-05Hiram Stevens Maxim: Inventor (automatic single-barrel rifle)
- 02-05John Boyd Dunlop: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Developer (pneumatic rubber tire)
- 02-11Sanuel Dana Greene: Lieutenant Commander (Union Navy), died in 1884
- 02-13Georg Jacobi: Composer
- 02-22F August Bebel: German social-democrat
- 02-23Carl Menger: Austrian economist
- 02-25Alexis Hollander: Composer
- 02-25Otto Liebmann: German philosopher (Climax of Theories)
- 02-29John Philip Holland: Liscannor, Ireland -- Pioneer in submarine building
- 03-05Constance Fenimore Woolson: New Hampshire, United States -- Writer (Jupiter Lights)
- 03-08Franco Faccio: Italian composer / conductor
- 03-11Edmund Kirby, Jr.: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1863
- 03-26Carli Zoeller: Composer
- 03-26George Smith: London, England -- Assyriologist (cuneiform (script))
- 03-28Mehemed Emin Pasja: German explorer / Governor (Equatoria)
- 03-31John Herbert Kelly: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1864
- 04-11John Conrad Nordqvist: Composer
- 04-12Edmond Audran: Composer
- 04-19Andrea Bezzola: Writer
- 04-21Franz Xaver Haberl: German priest / musicologist (Magister choralis)
- 04-25James Dearing: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1865
- 04-27Edward Whymper: 1st to climb Matterhorn (1865)
- 05-11Filippo Capocci: Composer
People died in year of 1840
- 03-02Heinrich Olbers: German astronomer (comets and asteroids), dies at 81
- 03-12Friedrich Westenholz: Composer, dies at 61
- 03-28Simon-Antoine-Jean Lhuillier: Swiss mathematician, dies at 89
- 03-30George (Beau) Brummell: Dandy
- 05-05Gottlob Benedikt Bierey: Composer, dies at 67
- 05-05Matthaus Fischer: Composer, dies at 76
- 05-17Niccolo Paganini: Composer, dies at 57
- 05-30Dominique J de Eerens: Governor-General of Dutch-Indies, dies at 59
- 06-07Frederik Willem III: King of Prussia (1797-1840), dies at 69
- 06-19John Cockerill: English / Belgian industrial / orangist, dies at 50
- 06-25Leopold Count of Limburg Stirum: Dutch General / politician, dies at 82
- 06-29Lucien Bonaparte: Prince of Canino / Musignano, dies at 65
- 07-22Josef Jawurek: Composer, dies at 83
- 07-23Frantisek Max Knize: Composer, dies at 55
- 08-18Antony CW Staring: Dutch patriot / Poet (Jaromir), dies at 73
- 08-24Joseph Waast Aubert Nonot: Composer, dies at 89
- 08-25K L Immermann: Writer, dies at 44
- 08-27William Kneass: 3rd US chief engraver (1824-40), dies in office
- 09-08John H van de Palm: Theologist / literature / speaker, dies at 77
- 09-15Franz Xaver Pechacek: Composer, dies at 47
- 09-25Jacques-Etienne-Joseph-Alexandre Macdonald: Duc de Tarente, soldier
- 11-24Cornelis RT Krayenhoff: Fortress Architect / cartographer, dies at 82
Events in year of 1841
- 01-05James Clark Ross (UK) is 1st to enter pack ice near Ross Ice Shelf
- 01-20China cedes Hong Kong to British
- 01-26Hong Kong proclaimed a sovereign territory of Britain
- 02-181st continuous filibuster in US Senate began, lasting until March 11
- 03-04Longest inauguration speech (8,443 words), William Henry Harrison
- 03-09US Supreme Court rules Negroes are free (Amistad Incident)
- 03-22Cornstarch patented (Orlando Jones)
- 03-271st US steam fire engine tested, New York City
- 04-06Cornerstone laid for 2nd Mormon temple, Nauvoo, Missouri
- 04-10New York "Tribune" begins publishing under editor Horace Greeley
- 04-26"Bombay Gazette" begins publishing on silk
- 04-27Imakita Kosen, 1st Zen teacher of D.T. Suzuki, found the awakening
- 05-011st emigrant wagon train leaves Independence, Missouri for California
- 06-141st Canadian parliament opens in Kingston, Ontario
- 07-03John Couch Adams decides to determine position of an unknown planet by irregularities it causes in the motion of Uranus
- 07-05Thomas Cook opens 1st travel agency
- 07-17British humor magazine "Punch" 1st published
- 08-09Erie boat in Buffalo New York catches fire; 242 die
- 08-21John Hampton patents venetian blind
- 09-09Great Lakes steamer "Erie" sinks off Silver Creek NY, kills 300
- 09-24Britain obtains Sarawak from Brunei (James Brooke appointed Rajah)
- 09-30Samuel Slocum patented the stapler
- 11-02Akbar Khan successfully revolts against Shah Shuja in Afghanistan
- 11-041st wagon train arrives in California
- 11-16Life preservers made of cork are patented by Napoleon Guerin (NYC)
- 11-16N E Guerin of New York patents cork-filled life preserver
- 11-2535 Amistad survivors return to Africa
- 12-29King / grand Duke Willem II installs Order of Eikenkroon
- 12-31Alabama becomes 1st state to license dental surgeons
People born in year of 1841
- 01-14Berthe M P Morisot: French painter / aquarellist
- 01-25John Arbuthnot Fisher: Ceylon -- 1st Baron Fisher / Admiral of the Fleet
- 01-28Henry Stanley: England, United Kingdom -- Journalist / explorer (found Livingston in Africa)
- 01-28Viktor Ernst Nessler: Composer
- 01-30Alfred Townsend George: Civil War journalist, died in 1914
- 02-01William H H Davenport: Buffalo, New York -- Stage medium
- 02-10Walter Parratt: Composer
- 02-12Bert van Tienhoven: Mayor (Amsterdam) / Foreign Minister
- 02-12Gijsbert van Tienhoven: Dutch Mayor (Amsterdam) / Foreign Minister
- 02-18Samuel Prowse Warren: Composer
- 02-19Felipe Pedrell: Composer
- 02-25Pierre Auguste Renoir: Limoges, France -- Impressionist painter / sculptor
- 02-26Evelyn Baring Earl Cromer: English consul-General (Egypt)
- 02-27[Eleanor] Agnes Lee: Daughter of US General Robert E Lee
- 03-01Blanche Kelso Bruce: Virginia, United States -- (Sen-Miss, 1875-1881)
- 03-01Romualdo Marenco: Composer
- 03-03John Murray: Canadian Oceanographer (Depths of the Ocean)
- 03-04Kristian Mandrup Elster: Norwegian author (And fremmed Fugl)
- 03-08Oliver Wendell Holmes: Massachusetts, United States -- 59th Supreme Court Justice (1902-32)
- 04-07Alfred Cogniaux: Belgian botanicus
- 04-07Joseph H "Jozef" Neuhuys: Painter
- 04-25Pauline Lucca: Soprano
- 04-26Wilhelm Scherer: German literature historian
- 05-11Ernst von Possart: German actor / stage manager / reciter
- 05-15Giovanni Bolzoni: Composer
- 05-20Sara Louisa Oberholtz: Social reformer, anti-smoking advocate
- 05-21Joseph Parry: Composer
- 05-24Charles Napier Henry: Painter
- 05-24Tito Mattei: Pianist / composer
- 05-28Giovanni Sgambati: Composer
People died in year of 1841
- 01-03Wilhelmus Kist: Writer / Director of Dutch (Official) Gazette, dies at 82
- 02-11J H Ferdinand Olivier: German painter, dies at 55
- 02-13Thomas Ainsworth: English / Dutch industrialist, dies at 45
- 02-14Antun Sorkocevic: Composer, dies at 65
- 02-15Sibrand Acker Stratingh: Dutch dr / chemist (electrical car), dies at 53
- 02-17Ferdinando Carulli: Composer, dies at 70
- 04-04William Henry Harrison: Becomes 1st President to die in office, at 68
- 04-29A Bertrand: Writer
- 05-03Cornelis T Elout: Dutch Minister of Finance / Navy / Colonies, dies at 74
- 05-06John Thomson: Composer, dies at 35
- 05-20Joseph Blanco White: Theological writert
- 05-23Franz Xaver von Baader: German philosopher / theologist, dies at 76
- 07-27Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov: Poet / Novelist
- 08-10Hippolyte Monpou: Composer, dies at 37
- 08-13Bernhard Heinrich Romberg: German composer, dies at 73
- 08-13Bernhard Romberg: German cellist / composer
- 08-24Karl Friedrich Curschmann: Composer, dies at 36
- 08-27Ignaz Xaver von Seyfried: Composer, dies at 65
- 09-09Augustin P de Candolle: Swiss botanist, dies at 63
- 09-15Alessandro Rolla: Composer, dies at 84
- 10-09Karl F Schinkel: German Painter / writer (Neue Wache), dies at 60
- 11-01Antoine PFGdV Celles: Belgium / Dutch / French MP
- 11-14Thomas Bruce: Count of Elgin and Kincardine, British diplomat
- 11-18Georg Chistoph Grosheim: Composer, dies at 77
- 11-30Charles Louis W J van Keverberg: Dutch government official, dies at 73
- 12-07Johann Daniel Ferstenberg: Composer, dies at 83
- 12-18Felice Blangini: Composer, dies at 60