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
Events in year of 1889
- 01-03Admissions convention meets in Ellensburg, WA, asks for statehood
- 01-081st Computer patented
- 01-08Dr Herman Hollerith receives 1st US patent for a tabulating machine
- 01-10Ivory Coast declared a protectorate of France
- 01-23Dr Daniel Hale Williams forms Provident Hospital in Chicago
- 01-30John Herschel uses camera obscura to photograph 48" (120cm) telescope
- 01-30Victoria beat NSW after following on (New South Wales all out 63 needed 76)
- 02-07Astronomical Society of Pacific holds 1st meeting in San Francisco
- 02-08Flood ravages Dutch coast
- 02-11Meiji constitution of Japan adopted; 1st Diet convenes in 1890
- 02-12Henrik Ibsens "Fruen fra Haven, " premieres in Oslo
- 02-141st train load of fruit (oranges) leaves LA for east
- 02-22Dakotas, Montana and Washington admitted to union
- 02-22President Cleveland signs bill to admit Dakotas, Montana and Washington state
- 03-02Kansas passes 1st US antitrust
- 03-04Benjamin Harrison inaugurated as 23rd President
- 03-09Kansas passes 1st general antitrust law in US
- 03-12Battle at Metema (Gallabad): Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes IV, defeated
- 03-156 US and German warships perish in harbor of Apia Samoa, 200 die
- 03-23President Harrison opens Oklahoma for white colonization
- 03-26Johnny Briggs took 15-26 (7-17 & 8-11) vs. South Africa at Newlands
- 03-26South Africa all out 47, then follow-on all out 43 vs. England
- 03-30John T Reid opens 1st US golf course (Yonkers, NY)
- 03-31300m Eiffel Tower officially opens (commemorates French Revolution)
- 04-011st dishwashing machine marketed (Chicago)
- 04-03Savings Bank of Order of True Reformers opens in Richmond, Virginia
- 04-06George Eastman places Kodak Camera on sale for 1st time
- 04-22Oklahoma land rush officially started; some were "sooner"
- 04-30George Washington Bridge linking NYC and New Jersey opens
- 05-011st International Workers Day, according to 2nd International
People born in year of 1889
- 01-01Alexander Smallens: St. Petersburg, Russia -- Conductor
- 01-01Charles Bickford: Cambridge, Massachusetts -- Actor (John-The Virginian)
- 01-01Tadeusz Jarecki: Composer
- 01-01Tom Dugan: Dublin, Ireland -- Actor (Circus Clown, Drag, Skyway)
- 01-02Tito Schipa: Italy -- Tenor / composer (La Rondine)
- 01-02Walter Baldwin: Ohio, United States -- Actor (Gay Amigo)
- 01-04Albertus W "Albert" van Dalsum: Actor / director (Abandoned Child)
- 01-06Alan M Bateman: Canadian geologist (Yale University Professor)
- 01-08Paul Hartmann: Furth, Germany -- Actor (Haunted Castle)
- 01-14Vincenzo Davico: Composer
- 01-21Pitirim A Sorokin: Russian / US sociologist (Social mobility)
- 01-23Franklin Pangborn: Newark -- Actor (My Best Gal, Hats Off, Easy Living)
- 01-23Prosper Arents: Flemish bibliographer (Rubens-bibliography)
- 01-25Vladimir Vladimirovich Scherbachov: Composer
- 01-27Balthasar van der Pol: Physicist (Comparison of Van der Pol)
- 01-29Francisco Santiago: Composer
- 01-29Rudolf Mauersberger: Composer
- 02-01Gertrude Caton-Thompson: British archaeologist (Zimbabwe, So Arabia)
- 02-03Risto Ryti: Finnish Premier / President
- 02-04Walter Catlett: San Francisco, California -- Actor (Front Page, Tale of 2 Cities)
- 02-05Ioan Dumitru Chirescu: Composer
- 02-06Karel Wellens: Flemish painter
- 02-06Siegfried Kracauer: Writer
- 02-10Howard Spring: British author / Novelist / writer / critic (O Absalom)
- 02-11John Mills: Dancer (Mills Brothers)
- 02-11Vladimir Mikhaylovich Deshevov: Composer
- 02-17H[aroldson] L Hunt: Texas oil multi-millionaire
- 02-18Sybold van Ravesteyn: Architect (Blijdorp, CS Rotterdam, Utrecht)
- 02-19Jose Eustasio Rivera: Colombia -- Poet / Novelist (Vortex)
- 02-20Levko Mykolayevich Revutsky: Composer
People died in year of 1889
- 01-10Martin Andreas Udbye: Composer, dies at 68
- 01-17Juan Montalvo: Ecuadorian Author (Siete Tratados), dies at 56
- 01-27Ivan S Aksakov: Russian journalist, dies at 65
- 02-01Joseph Gungl: Composer, dies at 78
- 02-03Belle Starr: US female gangster, murdered at 40
- 03-03Edward Sydney Smith: Composer, dies at 49
- 03-08Jens / John Ericsson: Swed / US, engineer (fire extinguisher), dies at 85
- 03-12Yohannes IV [Kasa]: Emperor of Ethiopia (1872-89), dies in battle
- 03-17Joseph A Alberdingk Thijm [Pauwels Foreestier]: Poet, dies at 68
- 03-18William Henry Monk: Composer, dies at 66
- 03-27Moritz Furstenau: Composer, dies at 64
- 03-28Matilde "Tillie" Ziegler: Killed by husband William Kemmler
- 04-04Thomas T H Jorissen: Historian, dies at 56
- 04-19Warren De La Rue: Astronomer / chemist
- 05-15Alfred Potocki: Premier Austrian / Governor / Viceroy of Galicia
- 05-17William Roxby Beverly: Artist
- 06-08Gerard Manley Hopkins: Poet, dies at 54
- 06-15Mihail Eminesco: Romanian Poet (Luceafarul), dies at 39
- 06-27Carlotta Patti: Italian soprano
- 06-27Whitney Eugene Thayer: Composer, dies at 50
- 06-28Maria Mitchell: 1st US woman astronomer (Vassar), dies at 70
- 06-30Eugenio Terziani: Composer, dies at 64
- 07-04Auguste Mermet: Composer, dies at 79
- 07-07Giovanni Bottesini: Composer, dies at 67
- 07-11Gyula Reviczky: Hungarian Author / poet, dies at 34
- 07-13Carli Zoeller: Composer, dies at 49
- 07-16Michele Amari: Italian Historian / Minister of Education, dies at 83
- 08-04Carl Ludwig Amand Mangold: Composer, dies at 75
- 08-05Willem Ruys J Dz: Ship owner, dies at 80
- 08-17Ernst Franck: German Composer / conductor, dies at 42