- Dec 3 Samuel Crompton, English inventor (mule-jenny spinning machine), born in 10 Firwood Fold, Bolton, Lancashire, England (d. 1827)
- Dec 19 John Taylor, American philosopher (Jeffersonian Democracy), born in Virginia, (d. 1824)
- Dec 28 Johan Wikmanson, Swedish composer, born in Stockholm, Swedish (d. 1800)