Events in year of 1857
- 01-06Patent for reducing zinc ore granted to Samuel Wetherill, Penn
- 01-097.9 earthquake shakes Fort Tejon, California
- 01-151st first-class game in Sydney, NSW vs. Vic at The Domain
- 01-22National Association of Baseball Players founded, New York
- 02-16Gallaudet College (National Deaf Mute college) forms (Washington, DC)
- 02-18Insurrection of Chinese in Sarawak, Borneo
- 02-21Congress outlaws foreign currency as legal tender in US
- 02-21US issues flying eagle cents
- 02-241st perforated US postage stamps delivered to government
- 02-24LA Vineyard Society organized
- 03-06Dred Scott Decision: Supreme Court rules slaves cannot be citizens
- 03-07Baseball decides 9 innings constitutes an official game, not 9 runs
- 03-21Earthquake hits Tokyo; about 107,000 die
- 03-25Frederick Laggenheim takes 1st photo of a solar eclipse
- 04-21Alexander Douglas patents the bustle
- 04-27Establishment of Jewish congregations in Lower Austria prohibited
- 04-29US Army, Pacific Division HQ permanently forms at Presidio (San Francisco)
- 04-30San Jose State University forms
- 05-01William Walker, Conqueror of Nicaragua, surrenders to US Navy
- 05-10Indian Mutiny begins with revolt of Sepoys of Meerut
- 05-10Sepoy-revolt in Meerutkazerne, Delhi
- 05-19William Francis Channing and Moses G Farmer patents electric fire alarm
- 06-02James Gibbs, Va, patents chain-stitch single-thread sewing machine
- 06-05Walter Woodbury and James Page open photo studio in Batavia (Djakarta)
- 06-10England passes an act putting Canada on the decimal currency system
- 06-15San Francisco Water Works organized
- 06-2662 receive Victoria Cross
- 06-26Cawnpore England massacre
- 06-29Battle at Chinhat (Indies rebel under Barkat Ahmed beat British)
- 07-16Sir Henry Havelock arrives at Battle of Cawnpore
People born in year of 1857
- 01-02Frederick Opper: Cartoonist (Maud, Alphonse & Gaston)
- 01-02Martha Carey Thomas: Educator / President (Bryn Mawr College)
- 01-09Henry B Fuller: American writer (Under the Skylights)
- 01-11Fred[erick J] Archer: English jockey (won 5 Derbys)
- 01-17Eugene Augustin Lauste: Developer (1st sound-on-film recording)
- 01-17Wilhelm Kienzl: Austrian composer (Evangelimann)
- 01-18Otto von Below: German Commandant (WWI)
- 01-23Andrija Mohorovicic: Croatian geologist (Moho discontinuity)
- 02-02Jan Six: Dutch art historian / art collector
- 02-09Johannes T de Visser: Theologist / Dutch 1st Minister of Education
- 02-17Samuel Sidney McClure: Irish-American newspaper editor / publisher
- 02-18Max Klinger: German graphic artist / painter / sculptor
- 02-21Jules de Trooz: Baron / Premier of Belgium (1907)
- 02-22Heinrich Hertz: Physicist, 1st to broadcast and receive radio waves
- 02-22Robert Baden-Powell: Founder (Boy Scouts, Girl Guides)
- 02-28Gustave Adolph Kerker: Composer
- 03-03Alfred Bruneau: Composer
- 03-07Julius Wagner von Jauregg: Austria -- Psychiatrist (Nobel 1927)
- 03-08Ruggiero Leoncavallo: Italian composer (I pagliacci / Zaza)
- 03-22Arnold Sauwen: Flemish poet (Along the Meuse)
- 03-22Paul Doumer: Governor-General of Indo-China / 13th President of France (1931-32)
- 03-23Fannie Farmer: Actress (namesake of a candy company)
- 03-27Karl Pearson: London, England -- Mathematician
- 03-27Pearson: Mathematician
- 04-05Alexander-Jozef von Battenberg: Ruler of Bulgaria (1879-86)
- 04-10Henry Ernest Dudeney: Mathematician / puzzle maker
- 04-14Edgar Stillman Kelley: Sparta, Wisconsin -- Composer (Gulliver)
- 04-18Clarence S Darrow: Defense attorney at Scopes monkey trial
- 04-19Lucien Levy-Bruhl: Philosopher
- 04-20Charles LP "Philip" Zilcken: Painter / author (HW Knife Day)
People died in year of 1857
- 01-20Edward Francis Fitzwilliam: Composer, dies at 32
- 01-27Dorothea von Benckendorff: Baltic Monarch of Lieven, dies at 72
- 02-14Johannes B van Bree: Dutch violinist / Composer / conductor, dies at 56
- 02-14John B van Bree: Violinist / Composer / conductor, dies at 56
- 02-15Mikhail Glinka: Composer
- 02-15Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka: Russian composer, dies at 53
- 02-16Auguste-Gaspard-Louis Desnoyers: French engraver, dies at 77
- 02-16Elisha Kent Kane: Arctic explorer (Kane Basin), dies at 37
- 02-26Ole Andreas Lindeman: Composer, dies at 88
- 03-11Manuel Jose Quintana: Spanish Author / Poet (A la paz), dies at 84
- 03-17Adolph Trube: Composer, dies at 42
- 03-21Abraham J van der Aa: Lexicographer (Biograph dictionary), dies at 64
- 05-02LC Alfred the Musset: French Poet (Lesson caprices Marianne)
- 05-11E Francois Vidocq: French criminalogist / police officer, dies at 81
- 06-28Joseph Fischhof: Composer, dies at 53
- 07-15Carl Czerny: Austrian pianist / composer, dies at 66
- 07-25Joseph Napoleon Ney Moskova: Composer, dies at 54
- 07-29Charles LJL Bonaparte: Corsican / French Prince of Canino, dies at 54
- 08-01Charles Turner: Engraver
- 08-10John Wilson Croker: Politician
- 08-12William Daniel Conybeare: Geologist
- 09-03M Heinrich C Lichtenstein: German zoologist / explorer, dies at 77
- 09-18Karol Kazimierz Kurpinski: Composer, dies at 72
- 10-14Ignacy Marceli Komorowski: Composer, dies at 33
- 11-07Charles Heinrich Christoph Zeuner: Composer, dies at 62
- 11-26Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff: German Poet (That Freier), dies at 69
- 12-03Christian D Rauch: German sculptor, dies at 80
- 12-11Francois Henri Joseph Castil-Blaze: Composer, dies at 73
Events in year of 1858
- 01-01Canada begins using decimal currency system
- 01-14French Emperor Napoleon III escapes attempt on his life by Felice Orsini, an Italian patriot who was later executed
- 01-30William Wells Brown published 1st Black drama, "Leap to Freedom"
- 02-111st apparition of Mary to 14-year-old Bernadette of Lourdes France
- 02-13Sir Richard Burton and John Speake explore Lake Tanganyika, Africa
- 02-21Edwin T Holmes installs 1st electric burglar alarm (Boston, Massachusetts)
- 03-02Frederick Cook, New Orleans, patents a cotton-bale metallic tie
- 03-08Opera "I Pagliacci" is produced (Naples)
- 03-09Albert Potts of Philadelphia patents the street mailbox
- 03-18Dutch Van der Brugghen government resigns
- 03-23Streetcar patented (E A Gardner of Philadelphia)
- 03-30Pencil with attached eraser patented (Hyman L Lipman of Philadelphia)
- 04-121st US billiards championship (Michael J Phelan wins in Detroit)
- 04-15Battle of Azimghur, Mexicans defeat Spanish loyalists
- 05-08John Brown holds antislavery convention
- 05-11Minnesota admitted as 32nd US state
- 05-15Royal Italian Opera opens in Covent Garden London
- 06-16Abraham Lincoln says "A house divided against itself cannot stand"
- 06-21Louisiana chess prodigy Paul Morphy arrives in Europe
- 06-29Great fire in London harbor
- 06-29Treaty of Algun, China cedes north bank of Amur River to Russia
- 07-02Partial emancipation of Russian serfs
- 07-06Lyman Blake patents shoe manufacturing machine
- 07-20Fee 1st charged to see a baseball game (50 cents) (NY beats Brooklyn 22-18)
- 07-23Jewish Disabilities Removal Act passed by British Parliament
- 07-26Baron Lionel de Rothschild is 1st Jew elected to British Parliament
- 07-281st use of fingerprints as a means of identification is made by
- 07-28Nadar takes 1st airborne photo (in a balloon)
- 07-28William Herschel of the Indian Civil Service in India
- 07-291st commercial treaty between US and Japan signed
People born in year of 1858
- 01-05Gustaf af Geijerstam: Swedish author (Boken om Lillebror)
- 01-15Giovanni Segantini: Italy -- Painter
- 01-17Tomas Carrasquilla: Colombian author (Frutos de mi Tierra)
- 01-19Eugene Brieux: French playwright (Blanchette, Lesson Avaries)
- 01-22Beatrice Potter Webb: England, United Kingdom -- Economist
- 01-22Frederick Lugard: British captain / Baron (Congo)
- 01-25Giuseppi Radiciotti: Composer
- 02-14Charles Beach Hawley: Composer
- 02-15William Pickering: Boston, Massachusetts -- Astronomer (9th and 10th moons of Saturn)
- 02-16Laurence "Lon" Myers: United States -- Track star (top US miler)
- 02-17Ernest Ford: Composer
- 02-18Louise M A: Princess of Belgium
- 02-24Arnold Dolmetsch: Le Mans, France -- Musician
- 02-28Jacob P Vis: Dutch industrialist (founder NV Royal Salt Industries)
- 03-01Georg Simmel: German philosopher / sociologist
- 03-07Nikolai Artzibushev: Composer
- 03-13Maximilien Luce: French painter
- 03-15Liberty Hyde Bailey: US Botanist (Plantbreeding)
- 03-23Ludwig Quidde: German historian / politician (Nobel prize 1927)
- 03-27Peter Christian Lutkin: Composer
- 04-01Arnold Aletrino: Dutch physician-criminologist / author (From Life)
- 04-01Gaetano Mosca: Italian sociologist (Circulation of Elite)
- 04-03Matthew Ricketts: 1st Black man elected to Neb State Legislature
- 04-07Adrien H Gerhard: Dutch socialist politician (SDAP)
- 04-15Anton G O Ridder Van Rappard: Dutch painter / lithographer / etcher
- 04-15Emile Durkheim: French sociologist (Division du travail social)
- 04-19May Robson [Mary J Robison]: Melbourne, Victoria -- Actress (Apple Annie)
- 04-19Siegfried Ochs: Composer
- 04-20Auguste Chapuis: Composer
- 04-22Ethel Mary Smyth: Composer
People died in year of 1858
- 01-05Johann JWAFK Radetzky von Radetz: Austr Earl / field marshal, dies at 91
- 01-07Willem Broes: Vicar / Theologist (Textenrol), dies at 91
- 01-08Friedrich Karl Kuhmstedt: Composer, dies at 48
- 01-27Gerrit van der Linde Jz: Dutch "Principal", poet, dies at 49
- 02-16Georg F Creuzer: German philological / historian, dies at 86
- 02-19Alois Basil Nikolaus Tomasini: Composer, dies at 78
- 04-03Sigismund Ritter von Neukomm: Austrian composer, dies at 79
- 04-16Johann Baptist Cramer: German / British pianist / Composer / publisher, dies at 87
- 06-03Julius Reubke: Composer, dies at 24
- 06-12Cornelis Smit: Dutch ship builder / ship owner, dies at 74
- 06-12William Horsley: Composer, dies at 83
- 06-15Ary Scheffer: Painter / etcher / sculptor, dies at 63
- 07-06Jan Emmanuel Dulezalek: Composer, dies at 78
- 08-14George Combe: Phrenologist
- 09-05Moritz G [Moses] Saphir: Hungarian journalist, dies at 63
- 09-10Henry Wellington Greatorex: Composer, dies at 44
- 09-17Dred Scott: US slave (REV-decision Supreme court)
- 10-10Karl A Varnhagen von Ense: German Author / Poet / diplomat, dies at 73
- 10-12Ando Hiroshige: Japanese painter, dies at 61
- 10-26Isac Baker Woodbury: Composer, dies at 39
- 12-18Joseph-Henri-Ignace Mees: Composer, dies at 81
- 12-27Alexandre Pierre Francois Boely: Composer, dies at 73
Events in year of 1859
- 01-051st steamboat sails, Red River
- 02-10Gen Horsford defeats Begum of Oude and Nana Sahib in Indian mutiny
- 02-14Oregon admitted as 33rd state
- 02-19Dan Sickles is acquitted of murder on grounds of temporary insanity 1st time this defense is successfully used
- 02-251st use of "insanity plea" to prove innocence
- 02-28Arkansas legislature requires free blacks to choose exile or slavery
- 03-01Present seal of SF adopted (its 2nd)
- 03-19Opera "Faust" by Charles Gounod premieres in Paris
- 03-211st Zoological Society incorporates (Philadelphia)
- 03-21Scottish National Gallery opens in Edinburgh
- 03-21Zoological Society of Philadelphia, 1st in US, incorporated
- 03-261st sighting of Vulcan, a planet thought to orbit inside Mercury
- 04-04Opera "Dinorah" is produced (Paris)
- 04-12Hibernia Savings & Loan Society of SF incorporates
- 04-25Ground broken for Suez Canal
- 04-27"Pomona" sinks in North Atlantic drowning all 400 aboard
- 04-30Paul Morphy returns from 10-mo chess tour of Europe, retires
- 05-31Philadelphia Athletics organize to play "town ball" became baseball 20 years later
- 06-11Comstock silver load discovered near Virginia City, Nevada
- 06-12Comstock Silver Lode in Nevada discovered
- 06-24Battle of Solferino, N-Italy: France / Sardinia-Austria
- 06-281st dog show held (Newcastle-on-Tyne, England)
- 06-30Charles Blondin is 1st to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope
- 07-011st intercollegiate baseball game, Amherst beats Williams 66-32
- 07-01Balloon covers a record 809 miles over St. Louis
- 07-05Captain N C Brooks discovers Midway Islands
- 07-12Paper bag manufacturing machine patents by William Goodale, Massachusetts
- 07-22V E Walker takes 10-74 in an innings for England vs. Surrey
- 08-09Elevator patented
- 08-171st air mail (in a balloon) took off from Lafayette, Indiana
People born in year of 1859
- 01-05DeWitt B Brace: Inventor (spectrophotometer)
- 01-06Samuel Alexander: English philosopher (Moral order and progress)
- 01-09Frederik Pijper: Dutch vicar / church historian (The Monasteries)
- 01-11[Gerard] Jan Ligthart: Dutch educator (Nog bij mother, Ot & Sien)
- 01-13Karl Bleibtreu: German author (Revolution of Literature)
- 01-19Alice Eastwood: Toronto, Ontario -- Botanist (Handbook of Trees of California)
- 01-21Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski: Composer
- 01-27Wilhelm II: Potsdam -- German Emperor (1888-1918)
- 02-01Victor August Herbert: Dublin, Ireland -- Composer (Babes in Toyland)
- 02-02Havelock Ellis: US Physician / sexologist (Psychology of Sex)
- 02-13Frank van de Goes: Dutch writer / marxist theorist
- 02-13William Strang: Scottish painter / engraver
- 02-14George Washington Gale Ferris: Engineer / inventor (Ferris Wheel)
- 02-18Sholem Aleichem [Solomon Rabinowitz]: Author (Fiddler on the Roof)
- 02-19Svante August Arhenius: Swedish physicist / chemist (Nobel 1903)
- 03-08Kenneth Grahame: Author (Wind, Willows)
- 03-08Otto Taubmann: Composer
- 03-12Josef Cyril Sychra: Composer
- 03-26Nikolay Alexandrovich Sokolov: Composer
- 04-03Reginald De Koven: Composer
- 04-05Wilhelm Harteveld: Composer
- 04-07Walter Camp: Connecticut, United States -- Father of American football (Yale)
- 04-08Edmund Husserl: Germany -- Philosopher (founded Phenomenology)
- 04-11Basil Harwood: Composer
- 04-18Eduard G H H Cuypers: Architect (Sanatorium High-Laren)
- 05-01Willem J Leyds: Dutch / South Africa lawyer / politician / diplomat
- 05-03Andy Adams: US writer (Log of a Cowboy)
- 05-06Willem J T Kloos: Dutch poet (Act of Simple Justice)
- 05-13Eugust Enna: Composer
- 05-15Pierre Curie: France -- Physicist (Nobel 1903)
People died in year of 1859
- 01-08Antoine GB Schayes: Belgian Historian / archaeologist, dies at 50
- 01-20B v Arnim: Writer, dies at 73
- 01-20Bettina Brentano: Composer, dies at 73
- 01-27Carl A Agardh: Swedish Botanist / Bishop of Karlstad, dies at 74
- 02-06Johannes Josephus Viotta: Composer, dies at 45
- 02-26Ferdinand Lukas Schubert: Composer, dies at 64
- 03-01Josef Theodor Krov: Composer, dies at 61
- 04-12John Emde: German evangelist, dies at about 84
- 04-30Sergei T Aksakov: Russian writer (Bagrova-vnuka), dies at 67
- 05-05Peter G L Dirichlet: German mathematician, dies at 53
- 05-06Friedrich Heinrich Alexander: Explorer / scientist
- 05-10Johan BJFS: Archduke of Austria (Firechief & Housewife)
- 05-22Ferdinand II [Re Bomba]: Dutch King of Sicily, dies at 49
- 06-18Joseph Hartmann Stuntz: Composer, dies at 65
- 06-27Jean C Baud: Governor-General of Dutch-Indies (1834-36), dies at 69
- 07-08F J Oscar I: King of Sweden / Norway (1844-59), dies at 60
- 07-20Hans E Schack: Danish politician / writer (Fantasy)
- 07-29Auguste Mathieu Panseron: Composer, dies at 63
- 08-10George Staunton: Writer
- 09-05W Friedrich Olivier: German landscape painter, dies at 68
- 09-13Cornelis J van Axes: Lawyer, dies at 71
- 09-15John LA Luyten: Catholic Member of Dutch 2nd parliament, dies at 72
- 09-28Rinse Posthumus: Fries writer
- 10-04Karl Baedeker: German tour guide (Die Schweiz), dies at 57
- 10-22Louis (Ludwig) Spohr: Composer (Faust), dies at 75
- 11-07Carl Gottlieb Reissiger: Composer, dies at 61
- 11-22Ludwig "Louis" Spohr: German violinist / Composer (Faust), dies at 75
- 11-28Washington Irving: US Author (Geoffrey Crayon, gent)
- 12-02John Brown: US abolitionist (Harpers Ferry), hanged at 59
- 12-05Louis Poinsot: French Mathematician / instrument maker, dies at 82