On This Day

What Happened in March 1820

Historical Events

  • Mar 3 Missouri Compromise passes, allowing Missouri to join the United States despite slavery still being legal there.
  • Mar 5 Dutch city of Leeuwarden forbids Jews to go to synagogues on Sundays
  • Mar 9 -11) Philippines chases out foreigners; about 125 die
  • Mar 15 Maine admitted as 23rd state of the Union

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Mar 26 Future Mormon church leader Joseph Smith has his "First Vision" in a wooded area of New York, according to Mormon scholars

Religious Leader Joseph Smith
Religious Leader
Joseph Smith

Famous Birthdays

  • Mar 1 George Davis, Atty Gen (Confederacy), (d. 1896)
  • Mar 1 Richard Redhead, composer
  • Mar 2 Multatuli [Eduard Douwes Dekker], Dutch writer (Max Havelaar), born in Amsterdam (d. 1887)
  • Mar 4 Francesco Bentivegna, Italian revolutionary (d. 1856)
  • Mar 6 Horatio Gouverneur Wright, American Major General (Union Army), born in Clinton, Connecticut (d. 1899)
  • Mar 7 Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman, German composer and teacher, born in Bnin (d. 1900)
  • Mar 9 Samuel Blatchford, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, born in Auburn, New York (d. 1893)
  • Mar 13 Louis Hébert, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army) and civil engineer, born in Iberville Parish, Louisiana (d. 1901)

Person of interestVictor Emmanuel II

Mar 14 Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia (1849-61) and Italy (1861-78), born in Torino, Italy (d. 1878)

King of Sardinia and Italy Victor Emmanuel II
King of Sardinia and Italy
Victor Emmanuel II
  • Mar 17 Patrick Edward Connor, Irish-American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland (d. 1891)
  • Mar 17 Jean Ingelow, English poet (d. 1897)
  • Mar 20 Alexander J Cuza, monarch of Moldavia/Wallachia/Romania
  • Mar 21 Frank Mori, English composer, born in London (d. 1873)
  • Mar 24 Edmond Becquerel, French physicist who studied the solar spectrum, magnetism, electricity and optics (photovoltaic effect), born in Paris, France (d. 1891)
  • Mar 24 Fanny Crosby, American hymnist known as the "Queen of Gospel Song Writers", born in Brewster, New York (d. 1915)
  • Mar 25 Xavier de Merode, Earl of Merode, Belgian minister to Pope in Rome (d. 1874)
  • Mar 30 Anna Sewell, English author (Black Beauty), born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (d. 1878)

Famous Weddings


LoveWedding of Interest

Mar 8 5th US President James Monroe's daughter Maria 1st child of a President to marry in the White House

5th US President James Monroe
5th US President
James Monroe

Famous Deaths

  • Mar 11 Benjamin West, Anglo-American painter (Death of General Wolfe), dies at 81
  • Mar 12 Alexander Mackenzie, Scottish born Canadian explorer, First European to cross North America, dies at roughly 56
  • Mar 15 Clemens Maria Hofbauer, patron saint of Vienna (b. 1751
  • Mar 22 American military hero Commodore Stephen Decatur, killed in a duel with Commodore James Barron at 41
  • Mar 26 Jean-Etienne Despreaux, French ballet dancer and composer, dies at 71


What Happened in 1820