What Happened in January 1880

Historical Events

  • Jan 1 Building of Panama Canal begins
  • Jan 6 Record snow cover in Seattle - 120 cm
  • Jan 9 6' (1.83 metres) of snow falls in Seattle in 5 days
  • Jan 9 The Great Gale of 1880 devastates parts of Oregon and Washington with high wind and heavy snow
  • Jan 21 1st US sewage disposal system separate from storm drains in Memphis, Tennessee

InventionHistoric Invention

Jan 27 Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp

Inventor Thomas Edison
Inventor
Thomas Edison

Famous Birthdays

  • Jan 1 Edie Martin, British actress (Titfield Thunderbolt), born in London, England (d. 1964)
  • Jan 2 Louis Breguet, French aviation pioneer
  • Jan 5 Nikolai Medtner, Russian pianist and composer (Skazi), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1951)
  • Jan 6 Tom Mix [Thomas Hezikiah Mix], American silent screen cowboy actor (Dick Turpin), born in Mix Run, Pennsylvania (d. 1940)
  • Jan 6 Yuliya Veysberg, Russian music critic & composer, born in Orenburg, Russia (d. 1942)
  • Jan 10 Eduard M Meijers, Dutch lawyer (Short Cause)
  • Jan 10 Frans van Cauwelaert, Flemish minister & mayor of Antwerp, born in Roosdaal, Belgium (d. 1961)
  • Jan 10 Grock [Adrien Wettach], Swiss clown and circus director, born in Loveresse, Canton of Bern (d. 1959)

Person of interestManuel Azaña

Jan 10 Manuel Azaña, Prime Minister of Spain (1931-33) and 2nd President of the Spanish Republic (1936-39), born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain (d. 1940)

President of the Spanish Republic Manuel Azaña
President of the Spanish Republic
Manuel Azaña
  • Jan 11 Rudolf T Palm, Curacao, pianist/composer
  • Jan 17 Mack Sennett, movie creator (Keystone Kops)
  • Jan 18 Paul Ehrenfest, Austria/Neth physicist (adiabates hypothesis)
  • Jan 20 Walter W. Bacon, American politician (d. 1962)
  • Jan 24 Elisabeth Achelis, creator (World Calendar)
  • Jan 25 Francis George Scott, Scottish composer, born in Hawick, Roxburghshire (d. 1958)

Person of interestDouglas MacArthur

Jan 26 Douglas MacArthur, American General in World War II, born in Little Rock, Arkansas (d. 1964)

US WWII General Douglas MacArthur
US WWII General
Douglas MacArthur
  • Jan 28 Herbert Strudwick, cricketer (England wicket-keeper before & after WWI)
  • Jan 28 Mary Boland, American comedienne and actress (Ruggles of Red Gap), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1965)
  • Jan 29 W C Fields, [William Claude Dukenfield], actor (Bank Dick), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Famous Weddings


HeartWedding of Interest

Jan 7 Pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski (19) weds Antonina Korsak

Pianist, Composer and Polish Prime Minister Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Pianist, Composer and Polish Prime Minister
Ignacy Jan Paderewski

Famous Deaths

  • Jan 4 Anselm Feuerbach, German painter, dies at 50

Person of interestEmperor Norton

Jan 8 Joshua Abraham Norton, [Emperor Norton] Self-proclaimed US Emperor/Protector of Mexico, dies at 60

Emperor of the USA Emperor Norton
Emperor of the USA
Emperor Norton
  • Jan 24 José Gautier Benítez, Puerto Rican poet, dies at 28
  • Jan 27 Edward Middleton Barry, English architect (b. 1830)