Historical Events Mar 19 Naturalization Act passes granting Jews right to colonize North American colonies Famous Birthdays Mar 5 William Shield, composer Mar 5 Jonas C. Dryander, Swedish botanist (d. 1810) Mar 8 William V of Orange, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1806) Mar 10 John Playfair, Scottish clergyman, geologist and mathematician, born in Benvie, Scotland (d. 1819) Famous Deaths Mar 14 George Wade, British military leader (b. 1673) Mar 23 Johann Gottfried Walther, German composer and musicologist, dies at 63 1747 History by Year 1749 What Happened in 1748 Ruins of Pompeii April 1, 1748