Events in year of 1872
- 01-031st patent list issued by US Patent Office
- 01-20California Stock Exchange Board organized
- 01-29Francis L Cardoza elected State Treasurer of South Carolina
- 02-07Alcorn A&M College opens
- 02-141st state bird refuge authorized (Lake Merritt CA)
- 02-20Hydraulic electric elevator patented by Cyrus Baldwin
- 02-20Luther Crowell patents a machine that manufactures paper bags
- 02-20Metropolitan Museum of Art opens (NYC)
- 02-20Silas Noble and JP Cooley patents toothpick manufacturing machine
- 02-221st national convention of Prohibition Party (Columbus Ohio)
- 02-27Charlotte Ray, 1st Black woman lawyer, graduated Harvard University
- 03-05George Westinghouse Jr patents triple air brake for trains
- 03-161st FA Cup Final: Wanderers-Royal Engineers 1-0 in Bolton
- 03-22Illinois becomes 1st state to require sexual equality in employment
- 03-267.8 earthquake shakes Owens Valley, California
- 03-26Thomas J Martin patents fire extinguisher
- 04-011st edition of The Standard
- 04-02George B Brayton patents gasoline powered engine
- 04-09Samuel R Percy patents dried milk
- 04-101st National black convention meets in New Orleans
- 04-10Arbor day 1st celebrated in Nebraska, later changed to April 22
- 04-12Jesse James gang robs bank in Columbia, Kentucky (1 dead / $1,500)
- 04-14San Francisco organizes Bar Association
- 04-20San Francisco Bar Association organized
- 04-24Volcano Vesuvius erupts
- 05-10Victoria Woodhull becomes 1st woman nominated for US President
- 05-16Metropolitan Gas Company lamps lit for 1st time
- 05-17Bohemian Club incorporated
- 05-22Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners (except for 500)
- 05-30Mahlon Loomis patents wireless telegraphy
People born in year of 1872
- 01-04Edmund Rumpler: Austria -- Auto / airplane builder
- 01-06Alexander N Scriabin: Moscow, Russia -- Hallucinogenic composer (Prometheus)
- 01-11Paul Graener: Composer
- 01-16Edward G Craig: Actor / director (On the art of theatre)
- 01-16Henri-Paul Busser: Composer
- 01-18Paul Leautaud [Maurice Boissard]: France -- Writer (Petit ami)
- 01-21Frans Beelaerts van Blokland: Dutch Foreign Minister
- 01-21Jonkhr Frans Beelaerts van Blokland: Dutch Foreign Minister
- 01-27Learned Hand: Albany, New York -- Chief judge (US Court of Appeals)
- 01-31Zane Grey: American West Novelist (Riders of the Purple Sage)
- 02-01Paul Fort: French poet / founder of Vers et Prose
- 02-07Nikolaos "Sokrates" Politis: Greek lawyer / diplomat / Foreign Minister
- 02-10Anne Anema: Dutch lawyer / journalist / politician (ARP)
- 02-24John Jarvis: England, United Kingdom -- Swimmer (won 108 titles)
- 03-03Wee Willie Keeler: Outfielder (Baltimore Orioles); hit .432 in 1897
- 03-07Piet Mondriaan: Holland, Netherlands -- Abstract painter (Broadway Boogie Woogie)
- 03-07Vasily Andreyevich Zolotaryov: Composer
- 03-08Paul Juon: Russian / Swiss violinist / composer
- 03-10Felix Borowski: Composer
- 03-11Abraham van Stolk Jzn: Lumber Merchant / art collector
- 03-13Oswald Garrison Villard: American journalist
- 03-18Frank Hoyt Losey: Composer
- 03-19Sergei Diaghilev: Gruzino Novgorod, Russia -- Ballet director
- 03-20Bernhard Seklas: Composer
- 03-20Karin Michaelis: Writer
- 03-25Vito Pardo: Italian sculptor (Columbus monument in Argentina)
- 03-28Jose Sanjurjo y Sacanell: Spanish General (Morocco)
- 03-30Sergey Nikiforovich Vasilenko: Composer
- 03-31Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev: Russia -- Dance master (Imperial Ballet)
- 04-01Tadeusz Joteyko: Composer
People died in year of 1872
- 01-21Franz Grillparzer: Austrian playwright (Sappho / Libussa), dies at 81
- 02-21Pavel P Gagarin: Russian monarch / politician, dies at 82
- 03-10Giuseppe Mazzini: Italian revolutionary (Giovane Italy), dies at 66
- 03-30Nicolaos Mantzaros: Composer, dies at 76
- 04-02Samuel F B Morse: Developer of electric telegraph, dies at 80
- 04-20Ljudwit Gaj: Croatian writer / Poet (Pjesma iz Zagorja), dies at 62
- 04-27Ion Heliade-Radulescu: Romanian politician / author, dies at 70
- 05-01Amalia: Princess of Weimar / Wife of Prince Hendrik the Navigator
- 05-15Thomas Hastings: Composer, dies at 87
- 05-17Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski: Composer, dies at 63
- 05-19Johan van Dale: Schoolmaster (New Dutch Language Wordbook), dies at 44
- 05-24Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld: Painter
- 06-03Heinrich Esser: Composer, dies at 53
- 06-04Johan R Thorbecke: Literature / Liberal Premier
- 06-04Stanislaw Moniuszko: Composer, dies at 53
- 06-28Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch: Composer, dies at 66
- 07-26Michele Carafa: Composer, dies at 84
- 07-28Friedrich Kaiser: Astronomer (Kaiser-Compass)
- 08-02Judocus Smits: Dutch RC newspaper publisher (De Tijd), dies at 59
- 08-11Lowell Mason: US Organist / Composer (Zebulo), dies at 80
- 08-19Eugene-Prosper Prevost: Composer, dies at 63
- 09-07Antoni Stolpe: Composer, dies at 21
- 09-13Ludwig A Feuerbach: German philosopher (Man what he eats), dies at 68
- 09-14Yury Nikolayevich Golitsin: Composer, dies at 48
- 09-18Charles XV Louis E: King of Sweden / Norway (1859-72)
- 10-02Eberhard F Walcker: Organ builder (Paulskirche Frankfurt A / M)
- 10-14Albrecht FH: Prince of Prussia, dies at 63
- 10-21Jacques Babinet: French physicist / Mathematician / astronomer, dies at 78
- 11-23Ten Bears (Parra-Wa-Samen): US Poet / Comanche chief
- 11-29Cornelius Kreighoff: Canadian
Events in year of 1873
- 01-01Origin of Japanese Era
- 01-06Pope Pius IX encyclical "On the Church in Armenia"
- 01-13P B S Pinchback relinquishes office at Louisiana Governor
- 01-14"Celluloid" registered as a trademark
- 01-14P B S Pinchback elected to Senate
- 01-22Britains SS Northfleet sinks at Dungeness England, 300 die
- 02-11Spanish Cortes fires King Amadeus I
- 02-12Congress abolishes bimetallism and authorizes $1 and $3 gold coins
- 02-20University of California gets its 1st Med School (UC / SF)
- 02-27Dutch socialist Samuel van Wooden demands law against child labor
- 03-03Congress authorizes federal departmental postage stamps
- 03-03US Congress and government raise own salary, retroactively
- 03-09Royal Canadian Mounted Police founded
- 04-01British White Star steamship Atlantic sinks off Nova Scotia, 547 die
- 04-01Mehmed Kemals play "Vatan" premeres in Constantinople
- 04-13Colfax Massacre in Grant Parish Louisiana (60 blacks killed)
- 05-011st US postal card issued
- 05-01International Exhibition opens in Vienna
- 05-07US marines attack Panama
- 05-231st Preakness: G Barbee aboard Survivor wins in 2:43
- 05-23Postal cards sold in SF for 1st time
- 06-041st contract workers of British-Indies Co arrives in Suriname
- 06-05Sultan Bargash closes slave market of Zanzibar
- 06-077th Belmont: James Roe aboard Springbok wins in 3:01.75
- 06-18Susan B Anthony fined $100 for attempting to vote for President
- 06-22Prince Edward Island joins Canada
- 07-01Henry Flipper of Georgia is 2nd black to enter West Point
- 07-01Prince Edward Island becomes 7th Canadian province
- 07-04Aquarium opens in Woodward Gardens
- 07-10French Poet Paul Verlaine wounds Arthur Rimbaud with pistol
People born in year of 1873
- 01-01Mariano Azuela: Mexico -- Novelist (The Flies, The Bosses)
- 01-02Anton Pannekoek: Dutch astronomer / marxist theorist (Communist Tactics)
- 01-06Karl Straube: German Organist / conductor
- 01-07Adolph Zukor: Hungary -- Movie producer / director / executive (Paramount)
- 01-08Lucien Capet: Composer
- 01-15Max Adler: Austria -- Sociologist / socialist theorist
- 01-16Boyd Alexander: English explorer
- 01-17Francois Rasse: Composer
- 01-19Hans E Blaich: Writer
- 01-20Charles A Ellwood: United States -- Sociologist / psychologist
- 01-20Johannes V Jensen: Denmark -- Novelist / poet (Energy Storage, Nobel 1944)
- 01-28Colette: Writer
- 01-30Rose Melville: Actress (Sis)
- 02-01Clara Butt: Southwick, Sussex -- Contralto (Country of Hope & Glory)
- 02-02Freiherr Konstantin von Neurath: German Secretary of State (1932-38)
- 02-02Johan P Earl van Limburg Stirum: Dutch diplomat
- 02-02Leopold Fall: Austria -- Operetta composer (Dollar Princess)
- 02-03Ernest B Allo: French theologist
- 02-11Feodor Chaliapine: Russian author / Novelist (Pages from My Life)
- 02-22Muhammad Iqbal: Dutch East Indies lawyer / poet / philosopher
- 02-23Dmitri Arakishvili: Composer
- 02-26Ewoud van Everdingen: Dutch meteorologist
- 03-03William Green: President of American Federation of Labor (1924-52)
- 03-10Jakob Wassermann: Germany -- Novelist (My Life as German and Jew)
- 03-14Joannes DJ Aengenent: Sociologist / Bishop of Haarlem (1928-35)
- 03-15David Vaughan Thomas: Composer
- 03-15Lee Shubert: Producer (theatres in New York and LA named after him)
- 03-16Hippoliet Daeye: Flemish painter (Sereniteit)
- 03-17Chard Somerset: 1st woman Cabinet Minister (1929-31)
- 03-19Max Reger: Brand, Bavaria -- Composer / pianist / Professor (Leipzig University)
People died in year of 1873
- 01-03John Lodge Ellerton: Composer, dies at 71
- 01-28Henry Hugo Pierson: Composer, dies at 57
- 02-01Matthew Maury: Hydrographer
- 02-13Petrus AS van Limburg Brouwer [Abraham van Luik]: Literary
- 02-14Charles Samvei Bovy-Lysberg: Composer, dies at 52
- 03-05Marie-Alexis Castillon de Saint-Victor: Composer, dies at 34
- 03-20Adolfe Louis Eugene Fetis: Composer, dies at 52
- 03-30Benedict Augustin Morel: Psychologist (dementia praecox), dies at 63
- 04-13Carlo Coccia: Composer, dies at 90
- 04-17Semyon Stepanovich Gulak-Artemovsky: Composer, dies at 60
- 04-18Justus Freiherr von Liebig: German chemist, dies at 69
- 04-25Walter de la Mare: Engl Poet / Author (Behold the Dreamer), dies at 43
- 04-28A Manzoni: Writer, dies at 88
- 05-08John Stuart Mill: Great Empiricist philosopher, dies at 66
- 05-13Kaspar Masek: Composer, dies at 79
- 05-15Alexander J Cuza: Monarch of Moldavia / Romania, dies at 53
- 05-26August Conradi: Composer, dies at 51
- 06-02Francois Hainl: Composer, dies at 65
- 06-13Angelo Maurizio Gaspare Mariani: Composer, dies at 51
- 06-14Friedrich von Raumer: German Historian / parliamentarian, dies at 92
- 07-03Josef Michal Ksawery Jan Poniatowski: Composer, dies at 57
- 07-14Ferdinand David: Dutch violinist / composer, dies at 63
- 08-02Frank Mori: Composer, dies at 53
- 08-26Carl Wilhelm: Composer, dies at 57
- 08-31Charles F Pahud de Montagnes: Governor-General (Dutch East Indies), dies at 70
- 09-20Lulu Strauss und Torney: German poetess / writer
- 09-28Emile Gaboriau: Detective writer (Monsieur Lecoq), dies at 37
- 10-02Cornelius Varley: Water-color painter
- 10-29Ernest Feydeau: French author, dies at 52
- 10-29Johan N M J: King of Saxon (1854-73)
Events in year of 1874
- 01-01New York City annexes the Bronx
- 01-13Battle between jobless and police in NYC, 100s injuried
- 01-13US troops land in Honolulu to protect the King
- 01-14I D Shadd elected Speaker of lower house of Miss legislature
- 01-17Armed Democrats seize Texas government ending Radical Reconstruction
- 01-31Jesse James gang robs train at Gads Hill, Missouri
- 02-12King David Kalakaua of Sandwich Is Hawaii, is 1st King to visit US
- 02-21Benjamin Disraeli replaces William Gladstone as English Premier
- 02-21Oakland Daily Tribune begins publication
- 02-23Major Walter Winfield patents game called "sphairistike" (lawn tennis)
- 04-05"Die Fledermaus" 1st performed (Vienna)
- 04-15New York legislature passes compulsory education law
- 04-16Dr David Livingstones corpse arrives in Southampton
- 04-19Barracks on Alcatraz Island destroyed in fire
- 04-27White League, Paramilitary white supremacist organization, forms
- 05-05Dutch 2nd Chamber passes child labor law
- 05-09Victoria Embankment, in London opens
- 05-12US Assay Office in Helena, Montana authorized
- 05-13Pope Pius IX encyclical "On Greek-Ruthenian rite"
- 05-141st admission charge at a football game, Harvard beats McGill 3-0
- 05-14Harvard beats University of McGill (Montreal) in football, 3-0
- 05-161st recorded dam disaster in US (Williamsburg, Massachusetts)
- 05-20Levi Strauss markets blue jeans with copper rivets, price $13.50 doz
- 05-29Present constitution of Switzerland takes effect
- 06-201st US Lifesaving Medal awarded (Lucian Clemons)
- 06-22Dr Andrew T Sill, of Macon Missouri, finds science of osteopathy
- 06-22Game of lawn tennis introduced
- 07-011st Chamber accept law against child labor
- 07-011st US kidnapping for ransom, 4-year-old Charles Ross, $20,000
- 07-011st US zoo opens (Philadelphia)
People born in year of 1874
- 01-01Hugo Leichtentritt: Composer
- 01-04Josef Suk: Czechoslovakia -- Violinist / composer (Asrael)
- 01-04Sven Fleuron: Writer
- 01-05Joseph Erlanger: Doctor (shock therapy-Nobel 1944)
- 01-13Jozef E van Roey: Flemish Cardinal / Archbishop of Mechlin
- 01-14Thornton Waldo Burgess: Author (Peter Rabbit)
- 01-16Robert Service: England, United Kingdom -- Canadian poet (Cremation of Sam McGee)
- 01-22Wincenty Witoz: Galicia, Poland -- Prime Minister of Poland (1920-21, 1923, 1926)
- 01-24Arthur Shomburg: Famous African
- 01-25[William] Somerset Maugham: Paris, France -- Novelist / poet (Of Human Bondage)
- 01-25Hewlett Johnson [Red Dean of Canterbury]: English Bishop
- 01-29John David Rockefeller, Jr.: Cleveland, Ohio -- Philanthropist
- 01-29Robert Lach: Composer
- 02-01Hugo von Hofmannsthal: Austria -- Poet / dramatist / essayist
- 02-03Franklyn Dyall: Liverpool, England -- Actor (Easy Virtue)
- 02-06Milton Bennett Medary: United States -- Architect (Washington Chapel)
- 02-09Amy Lowell: US poet / critic (Patterns, Sword Blades & Poppy Seed)
- 02-09Vsevolod Meyerhold: Russian theatrical director / actor (Houligan)
- 02-11Fritz Bennicke Hart: Composer
- 02-13Hendrik Spiekman: Dutch politician (social-democratic)
- 02-15Emilis Melngailis: Composer
- 02-15Ernest H Shackleton: Kilkee, Ireland -- Explorer (Endurance, Antarctica)
- 02-17Thomas J Watson: United States -- Representative / founder (IBM)
- 02-20Mary Garden: Aberdeen, Scotland -- Opera star
- 02-24Honus Wagner: HOF shortstop (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1900-17)
- 02-26Carl Vogler: Composer
- 02-27Max Ettinger: Composer
- 02-28Soledad Jiminez: Santander, Spain -- Actor (Phantom ofthe Range)
- 03-01Jean de Merode [Marie-Louise B Courtenay]: Princess of the Netherlands
- 03-05Arthur van Schendel: Dutch writer (The World a Dancing Party)
People died in year of 1874
- 01-17Chang and Eng Bunker: Chinese / Thai Siamese twins, dies at 62
- 01-19H v Fallersleben: Writer, dies at 75
- 02-08David F Strauss: German theologist, dies at 66
- 02-09Jules Michelet: French Historian (History of France), dies at 75
- 02-17[Lambert] Adolphe J Quetelet: Belg astronomer / sociologist, dies at 77
- 02-24Anselmo Clave: Composer, dies at 49
- 03-08Millard Fillmore: 13th President (1850-53), dies at 74
- 03-11Charles Sumner: A white civil rights leader, dies at 63
- 03-20Hans Christian Lumbye: Composer, dies at 63
- 04-14Hermanus J Abbring: Dutch Author / engineer on Curacao, dies at 86
- 04-19Owen Jones: Architect
- 05-01Vilem Blodek: Composer, dies at 39
- 06-22Howard Staunton: World chess champion, designer of chess pieces
- 07-11Xavier FMG Earl Merode: Belg pontifical defense minister, dies at 54
- 08-22Sydney Thompson Dobell: Poet
- 08-27Johan George Schwartze: Painter
- 08-27John Henry Foley: Sculptor
- 10-06Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen: Composer, dies at 50
- 10-26Peter Cornelius: German composer, dies at 49
- 11-09Israel Bak: Created 1st Hebrew printing press
- 12-16Abraham Capadose: Physician / missionary, dies at 79
- 12-22Johann Peter Pixis: Composer, dies at 86