On This Day

What Happened in July 1838

Historical Events

  • Jul 4 Iowa Territory is organised from Wisconsin Territory, lasting until 1846
  • Jul 4 Huskar Colliery Mining Disaster in Silkstone England: mining pit floods drown 26 children, leads to 1842 'Mines and Collieries Act' bans women and children working underground
  • Jul 7 Central American federation is dissolved
  • Jul 8 Arabs attack Jewish community of Safed

Famous Birthdays

  • Jul 6 Vatroslav Jagić, Croatian scholar of Slavic studies, born in Varaždin, Austrian Empire (d. 1923)

Person of interestFerdinand von Zeppelin

Jul 8 Ferdinand von Zeppelin, German general and inventor (rigid dirigibles) who founded the Zeppelin airship company, born in Konstanz, Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany (d. 1917)

Inventor of the Zeppelin Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Inventor of the Zeppelin
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
  • Jul 11 John Wanamaker, American merchant (Wanamakers Department Store), pioneer in marketing and Postmaster General, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1922)
  • Jul 19 Joel Asaph Allen, American zoologist (Allen's rule) and first curator of birds and mammals at the American Museum of Natural History, born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 1921)
  • Jul 20 Augustin Daly, American playwright and theatrical manager, born in Plymouth, North Carolina (d. 1899)
  • Jul 20 George Otto Trevelyan, British statesman and biographer (d. 1928)
  • Jul 23 Édouard Colonne, French composer and violinist, born in Bordeaux, France (d. 1910)
  • Jul 30 Eugen Richter, German politician (Liberal), born in Düsseldorf, Germany (d. 1906)

Famous Deaths

  • Jul 10 Willem earl van Hogendorp, Dutch colonial governor, dies at about 43
  • Jul 17 John Whites, hydraulic engineer, dies at 82
  • Jul 19 Frédéric-Nicolas Duvernoy, French horn player and composer, dies at 72
  • Jul 28 Bernhard Henrik Crusell, Swedish-Finnish composer, dies at 62
  • Jul 29 Jonathan Huntington, composer, dies at 66


What Happened in 1838