- Aug 2 Louise-Victorine Ackermann, French poet (works characterized by a deep sense of pessimism), dies at 76
- Aug 11 John Henry Newman, British thologian (Tract 90), educator, poet (Dream of Gerontius), Anglican priest, Catholic priest, cardinal and saint, dies of pneumonia at 89
- Aug 14 Fr. Michael J. McGivney, Irish-American Catholic priest, and founder the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, dies of pneumonia at 38
- Aug 22 Vasile Alecsandri, Romanian foreign minister, diplomat and poet, dies at 69