Events in year of 1886
- 01-011st Tournament of Roses (Pasadena, California)
- 01-15Weekly Herald, 1st Vancouver, BC newspaper, publishes 1st issue
- 01-19Aurora Ski Club, 1st in US, founded in Minnesota
- 01-26Karl Benz patents 1st auto with burning motor
- 01-271st British government of Salisbury resigns
- 01-291st successful gasoline-driven car patented, Karl Benz, Karlsruhe
- 02-09President Cleveland declares a state of emergency in Seattle because of anti-Chinese violence
- 02-122nd British government of Salisbury forms
- 02-13Painter Thomas Eakins resigns from Philadelphia Academy of Art after controversial over use of male nudes in a coed art class
- 02-23Aluminum manufacturing process developed
- 03-061st US alternating current power plant starts, Great Barrington, Massachusetts
- 03-17Carrollton Massacre, (Mississippi) 20 blacks killed
- 03-201st AC power plant in US begins commercial operation, Massachusetts
- 03-261st cremation in England
- 03-29Chemist John Pemberton begins to advertise for Coca-Coke
- 04-06City of Vancouver BC incorporated
- 04-06Declaration of Berlin neutralizes Tonga
- 04-25Sigmund Freud opens practice at Rathausstrasse 7, Vienna
- 04-291st public Dutch electricity opens
- 05-01US general strike for 8 hour day, begins
- 05-03M A Maclean elected 1st Mayor of Vancouver, BC
- 05-04Haymarket riot in Chicago; bomb kills 7 policemen
- 05-2114th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45
- 06-02Grover Cleveland is 1st to wed during presidency (Frances Folsom)
- 06-0324 Christians burn to death in Namgongo Uganda
- 06-0520th Belmont: Jim McLaughlin aboard Inspector B wins in 2:41
- 06-081st Civil Rights Act passes
- 06-13Fire destroys nearly 1,000 buildings in Vancouver, BC
- 07-031st New York Tribune printing using 1st commercial linotype machine
- 07-03In Germany, Karl Benz drives 1st automobile
People born in year of 1886
- 01-02Moyshe Leyb Halpern: Galican / US poet (In New-York)
- 01-03John G Fletcher: United States -- Poet (Epic of Arkansas)
- 01-03Josephine Hull: Newtonville, Massachusetts -- Academy award actress (Harvey)
- 01-08Noble Drew Ali [Timothy Drew]: North Carolina, United States -- Prophet (Moorish Science Temple)
- 01-10Jose Antonio de Donostia: Composer
- 01-11George Zucco: England, United Kingdom -- Actor (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Captain Fury)
- 01-14Hugh Lofting: England, United Kingdom -- Writer and illustrator (Dr Dolittle)
- 01-17Glenn Luther Martin: Aviator (Collier Trophy-1933)
- 01-17Ronald Firbank: London, England -- Novelist (Flower Beneath the Foot)
- 01-18Antoine Pevsner: French sculptor
- 01-18Peter Alma: Dutch painter / graphic artist
- 01-21Gustaaf Sap: Belgian Minister of Finance / Economy
- 01-22John Joseph Becker: Composer
- 01-26Joannes A Veraart: Dutch economist / MP (Jews of the Netherlands)
- 01-31Alfonso Lopez: Colombia -- Statesman (President UN Security Council - 1948)
- 02-02Kurt Baschwitz: German / Dutch sociologist / journalist (Du und)
- 02-03Erwin Kroll: Composer
- 02-08Charlie Ruggles: Los Angeles, California -- Actor (Ruggles, Aesop-Bullwinkle Show)
- 02-12Gustaf Lazarus Nordqvist: Composer
- 02-12Michel Brusselmans: Composer
- 02-14Theodor Werner: German painter
- 02-15Sax Rohmer: England, United Kingdom -- Author (Dr Fu Manchu)
- 02-16Van Wyck Brooks: New Jersey, United States -- Literary historian / writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain)
- 02-19George Luther Foote: Composer
- 02-20Bela Kun: Cehu Silvaniei, Romania -- Head of Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919)
- 02-22Hugo Ball: German playwright / co-founder Flametti
- 02-23Albert Edward Sammons: Composer
- 02-27Hugo L Black: Alabama, United States -- (Sen-D-Alabama) / 78th Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
- 02-28Max Vasmer: German slavic (La Tertulia de Pombo)
- 03-01Oskar Kokoschka: Russia / Austrian / British, painter (Erasmus Prize 1960)
People died in year of 1886
- 01-04Ernest Panckoucke: French publisher (Horace), dies at 77
- 01-09Jakob Eduard Schmolzer: Composer, dies at 73
- 01-18Michal Czajchovski [Sadik Pasja]: Writer
- 03-18Leopold Zunz: German intellect (Synagogue Poetry), dies at 91
- 03-29John Keble: Theologian, Bournemouth
- 03-31Giovanni Rossi: Composer, dies at 57
- 04-09Joseph V von Scheffel: German writer (Ekkehard), dies at 60
- 04-13Karoly Thern: Composer, dies at 68
- 05-01Conrad Busken Huet: Writer (Country of Rubens)
- 05-01Heinrich Franz Daniel Stiehl: Composer, dies at 56
- 05-05Joseph Albert: German photographer (Albertotype), dies at 61
- 05-15Emily Dickinson: US poet, dies at 55
- 06-13Ludwig II: King of Bavaria, drowns, dies at 40
- 06-18Joannes A Paredis: Belgian / Netherlands Bishop of Roermond, dies at 90
- 07-05Henry Gerhard: Founder (Social-Democratic Union), dies at 57
- 07-16Ned Buntline [Edward Zane Carroll Judson]: Author
- 07-29Adolf Muller: Composer, dies at 84
- 07-29Solomon Gazfried: Rabbi / Author (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch)
- 07-31Franz von Liszt [Ferencz]: Hungarian pianist / composer, dies at 74
- 08-03Per August Olander: Composer, dies at 62
- 08-06Wilhelm Scherer: German literature historian, dies at 45
- 08-10Eduard Grell: Composer, dies at 85
- 08-13Adolf von Doss: Composer, dies at 62
- 08-16Swami Ramakrishna: Indies philosopher, dies at 50
- 08-22Jose da Silva Mendes Leal: Portuguese Author (Indiana), dies at 67
- 09-14Hubert Reis: Composer, dies at 84
- 09-20John Liptrot Hatton: Composer, dies at 77
- 10-10David L Yule: 1st Jewish US senator
- 10-23Johann Nepomuk Kafka: Composer, dies at 67
- 11-08Frederick J "Fred" Archer: English jockey, commits suicide at 29
Events in year of 1887
- 01-04Thomas Stevens is 1st man to bicycle around the world (SF-SF)
- 01-051st US school of librarianship opens at Columbia University
- 01-20US Senate approves naval base lease of Pearl Harbor
- 01-21Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) forms
- 01-26Battle of Dogali: Abyssinian Emperor John IV defeats Italians
- 01-28England all out for 45 vs. Aust SCG, their lowest total ever
- 02-01Harvey Wilcox of Ks subdivides 120 acres he owned in Southern California and starts selling it off as a real estate development (Hollywood)
- 02-03To avoid disputed National elections, Congress creates Electoral Count Act
- 02-04Interstate Commerce Act authorizes federal regulation of railroads
- 02-05Snow falls on San Francisco
- 02-08Aurora Ski Club of Red Wing, Minn became the 1st US ski club
- 02-08Dawes Act passed (indians living apart from tribe granted citizenship)
- 02-14Cubs sell Mike King Kelly to Boston for record $10,000
- 02-161st newspaper convention (Rochester NY)
- 02-16Eduard Douwes Dekker writes his last text (Lf8-c5)
- 02-201st minor league baseball association organizes (Pittsburgh)
- 02-20Germany, Austria-Hungary and France end Triple Alliance
- 02-211st US bacteriology laboratory opens (Brooklyn)
- 02-21Oregon becomes 1st US state to make Labor Day a holiday
- 02-22Union Labor Party organized in Cincinnati
- 02-23Congress grants Seal Rocks to San Francisco
- 02-23French / Italian Riviera struck by Earthquake; 2,000 die
- 03-02American Trotting Association organized in Detroit
- 03-03American Protective Association forms (anti-Catholic) in Clinton, Iowa
- 03-03Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6 year old blind-deaf Helen Keller
- 03-08Everett Horton, CT, patents fishing rod of telescoping steel tubes
- 03-13Chester Greenwood of Maine patents earmuffs
- 03-151st salaried fish and game warden (William Alden Smith in Michigan)
- 03-24Oscar Straus appointed 1st Jewish ambassador from US (to Turkey)
- 04-04Susanna Medora Salter elected 1st US woman mayor (Argonia, KS)
People born in year of 1887
- 01-01Wilhelm Canaris: German Admiral / head German military intelligence
- 01-03Helen Parkhurst: US educator (Education on the Dalton plan)
- 01-10Robinson Jeffers: United States -- Poet / playwright (Tamar & Other Poems, Medea)
- 01-11Aldo Leopold: Founder (Wilderness Society)
- 01-16John Hamilton: Pennsylvania, United States -- Actor (Perry White-Superman)
- 01-19Alexander Woollcott: New Jersey, United States -- Short story writer (Man Who Came to Dinner)
- 01-21Alfred Henry Ackley: Composer
- 01-25Diego Valeri: Italian author / poet (Le Gaie Tristezze)
- 01-26Enrique E Ecker: Bacteriologist
- 01-26Marc A "Pete" Mitscher: US Lieutenant Admiral (WWII-Task Force 58)
- 01-27Carl Blegen: Minneapolis, Minnesota -- Archaeologist (excavator at Troy, Pylos)
- 01-28Lily Theresa Strickland: Composer
- 01-29Albert Conti: Trieste, Austria -- Actor (Jazz Heaven, Doomed Battalion)
- 02-01Dirk Roosenburg: Dutch architect
- 02-03Carlo Jachino: Composer
- 02-03Georg Trakl: Austrian poet (Autumn of the Lonely)
- 02-09Henry Zimmerman: Baseball player (1912-batted .372 with 14 HRs)
- 02-09Vital Celen: Flemish writer (Puppy Love)
- 02-11John van Melle: South African writer (Dawid Booysen)
- 02-13Alvin York: Famed US soldier with 25 kills in WWI
- 02-15H M Bateman: Sutton Forest, NSW -- Cartoonist
- 02-17Leevi Antti Madetoja: Composer
- 02-18Nikos Kasandsakis: Writer
- 02-20David McKinley Williams: Composer
- 02-20Hesketh Pearson: England, United Kingdom -- Biographer / playwright (Writ for Libel)
- 02-21Savielly [Xavier] G Tartakower: Austrian / Polish / French chess player
- 02-23Oskar Frederik Lindberg: Composer
- 02-25Leonard Carey: England, United Kingdom -- Actor (Laughter)
- 02-26Benegal Narsing Rau: India -- President of UN Security Council (1950)
- 02-26Grover Cleveland Alexander: HOF baseball pitcher (Phillies, Cubs)
People died in year of 1887
- 01-01Johan Hendrik Koelman: Portrait painter, dies at 66
- 01-14Friedrich von Amerling: Austrian painter, dies at 83
- 01-14Peter "Peerke" Donders: Missionary (Father of Melaatsen), dies at 77
- 02-10Ellen Wood: English Author (Pomeroy Abbey), dies at 73
- 02-10Pieter JBCR van der Aa: Dutch geographer, dies at 54
- 02-15Alexander Borodin: Composer
- 02-19Eduard Douwes Dekker: Dutch writer (Max Havelaar), dies at 66
- 03-02August W Eichler: German botanist, dies at 47
- 03-02Wilhelm Troszel: Composer, dies at 63
- 03-16Emanuel Kania: Composer, dies at 59
- 03-28Ditler G Monrad: Danish Bishop / Premier (1863-..), dies at 75
- 04-28Carl Ferdinand Pohl: Composer, dies at 67
- 04-30Friedrich Wilhelm Markull: Composer, dies at 71
- 05-08Alexander Ulyanov: Brother of Lenin / hanged for assassination of tsar
- 05-23Ludwig Mathias Lindeman: Composer, dies at 74
- 05-27Coenraad J van Houten: Dutch cocoa manufacturer, dies at 86
- 06-12Gustav Weber: Composer, dies at 41
- 06-21Adolf Schimon: Composer, dies at 67
- 07-05August F Pott: German philological (That Personennamen)
- 07-16Nicaise de Keyser: Flemish Painter (Battle at Woeringen), dies at 73
- 08-14Richard Jeffries: Naturalist / essayist
- 08-17Franz Commer: Composer, dies at 74
- 08-27Wilhelm Volkmar: Composer, dies at 74
- 09-14Friedrich T Vischer: German philosopher / writer (Auch einer)
- 10-07George James Webb: Composer, dies at 84
- 10-17Gustav R Kirchhoff: German physicist (spectroscopy), dies at 63
- 10-31George Alexander Macfarren: Composer, dies at 74
- 11-02Jenny Lind [Swedish Nightingale]: Soprano, dies at 67
- 11-18Eduard Marxsen: Composer, dies at 81
- 11-18Gustav T Fechner: German psychologist / physicist, dies at 86
Events in year of 1888
- 01-031st wax drinking straw patented, by Marvin C Stone in Washington DC
- 01-05Dutch Heidemaatschappij established
- 01-07Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Valley of Fear" (BG)
- 01-13National Geographic Society founded (Washington, DC)
- 01-27National Geographic Society organizes (Washington, DC)
- 01-30Harry Moses 297 not out for NSW against Victoria
- 02-22John Reid of Scotland demonstrates golf to Americans (Yonkers NY)
- 02-24Louisville, Ky becomes 1st government in US to adopt Australian ballot
- 02-28Ferry in San Pablo Bay explodes
- 03-10HW Boxing champ John L Sullivan draws Charlie Mitchell in 30 rounds
- 03-13Great Blizzard of 1888 rages
- 03-142nd largest snowfall in NYC history (21")
- 03-20Start of the Sherlock Holmes Adventure, "A Scandal in Bohemia"
- 03-22English Football League established
- 03-25Socialist leader Domela Nieuwenhuis elected to Dutch 2nd chamber
- 04-01Soccer team Sparta forms in Rotterdam
- 04-07Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Yellow Face" (BG)
- 04-16Drentse and Friese peat cutters go on strike
- 04-20246 reported killed by hail in Moradabad, India
- 04-24Eastman Kodak forms
- 04-29Old Kavallison, Congo: Stanley meet Emin Pasha
- 04-30Hail stones kills about 250 in Moradabad district of Delhi
- 05-04Italy and Spain sign military covenant
- 05-07George Eastman patents "Kodak box camera"
- 05-1116th Preakness: F Littlefield aboard Refund wins in 2:49
- 05-12Crouching start 1st used by Charles Sherrill of Yale
- 05-13DeWolf Hooper 1st recited "Casey at Bat"
- 05-16CPR opens Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
- 05-22Leroy Buffington patents a system to build skyscrapers
- 06-01California gets its 1st seismograph
People born in year of 1888
- 01-04Arthur Berry: England, United Kingdom -- Soccer player (1908, 12 Olympics - Gold Medalist)
- 01-08Matt Moore: County Meath, Ireland -- Actor (Coquette, Deluge)
- 01-08Richard Courant: German / US mathematician (What is mathematics?)
- 01-10Emile van Bosch: Dutch revue / operetta-artist (Fair Folks)
- 01-12Claude Delvincourt: Composer
- 01-15Joseph Henabery: Omaha, Nebraska -- Director (Cobra)
- 01-20Leadbelly: Louisiana, United States -- Blues 12 string guitarist (Rock Island Line)
- 01-23Gilbert Ledward: Sculptor
- 01-24Ernst Heinrich Heinkel: German inventor (1st rocket-powered aircraft)
- 01-24Hedwig "Vicki" Baum: Austrian / US author (Men Never Know)
- 02-02Candelario Huizar: Composer
- 02-02Frank Lloyd: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Actor / director (Mutiny on Bounty, Oliver Twist)
- 02-03Joris Baers: Flemish bibliography / founder (Boekengids)
- 02-04Paul Althaus: German theologist (The Christian Truth)
- 02-06Ljudmil Stojanow: Bulgarian poet (Metsh i Slowo, Cholera)
- 02-08Matthijs Vermeulen: Dutch composer / music critic
- 02-10G Ungaretti: Writer
- 02-13Georgios Papandreou: Greek prefect of Lesbos / Minister / Premier
- 02-13Heintje Davids [Hendrika]: Dutch revue star
- 02-17Henrietta P "Hetty" Beck: Actress (Bouwmeester Award)
- 02-17Otto Stern: German / US physicist (Stern-Gerlach-experiment, Nobel 1943)
- 02-17Ronald Aburthnott Knox: English priest / writer (Viaduct Murder)
- 02-20Georges Bernanos: France -- Novelist (Diary of a Country Priest)
- 02-20Marie Rambert: Warsaw, Poland -- English ballet producer / director / teacher
- 02-21Willem Banning: Dutch theologist / sociologist (Religious Build Up)
- 02-25John Foster Dulles: US Secretary of State (1953-59)
- 02-27Lotte Lehmann: Perleberg, Germany -- Soprano (Fidello)
- 03-04Knute Rockne: Norwegian / US football player / coach (Notre Dame)
- 03-05Friedrich Schnack: German journalist / writer (Rosewood)
- 03-07Alidius WLT van Starkenborch Stachouwer: Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies (1936-45)
People died in year of 1888
- 01-05Henri Herz: Composer, dies a day before 85th birthday
- 01-14Stephen Heller: Composer, dies at 74
- 01-21Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh: Composer, dies at 83
- 01-29Edward Lear: Poet / author, dies at 75
- 01-30Asa Gray: US Botanist (Flora of North America), dies at 77
- 03-04Amos Bronson Alcott: US theory / Poet (Table Talk), dies at 88
- 03-06Louisa May Alcott: US Author (Old-fashioned Girl), dies at 55
- 03-10Ciro Pinsuti: Italian pianist / composer, dies at 57
- 03-12Henry Bergh: Founder (ASPCA), dies at 76
- 03-29Charles-Henri Valentin Alkan: Composer, dies at 74
- 04-14William Fisk Sherwin: Composer, dies at 62
- 04-15Matthew Arnold: English poet, dies at 65
- 06-03Cark Reidel: Composer, dies at 60
- 06-12Carel Vosmaer: Art Historian / Poet / editor (Netherlands Spectator), dies at 62
- 06-15Frederik III NK van Hohenzollern: German Emperor / King of Prussia
- 06-20Cesare Dominiceti: Composer, dies at 66
- 06-20John H Zuckertort: German chess player, dies at 45
- 06-23Emil Naumann: Composer, dies at 60
- 07-04Theodor Storm: German judge / Author (Schimmelreiter), dies at 70
- 07-10Rafael Hernando: Composer, dies at 66
- 07-20Henri Braekeleer: Flemish painter
- 07-21Matthias J Scheeben: German Theologist (Natur und Gnade), dies at 53
- 08-08Friedrich Wilhelm Jahns: Composer, dies at 79
- 08-09Charles Cros: French Mathematician / chemist / poet, dies at 45
- 08-09Isaac Strauss: Composer, dies at 82
- 08-17James Jameson: British nature investigator (Congo)
- 08-21Simon Vissering: Dutch Minister of Finance (1879-81), dies at 70
- 08-24Rudolph J E Clausius: German physicist (thermodynamics)
- 08-31Mary Ann Nicholls: A 42-year-old prostitute, was found stabbed to death in London, 1st of at least five murders by Jack the Ripper
- 09-09John van Swieten: Dutch Governor of West-Sumatra, dies at 71