- Oct 1 General Dutch Werkliedenverbond (ANWV), forms in Utrecht
Event of Interest
Oct 2 Brigham Young, mormon leader, arrested for bigamy
Brigham Young
- Oct 6 Fisk Jubilee Singers begin 1st national tour
- Oct 7 16-hour fire injures 30 of Chicago's 185 firefighters
- Oct 8 Forest fire destroys Peshtigo, Wisconsin, killing between 1,200 and 2,500 people, making it the deadliest wildfire in recorded history
- Oct 8 Great Fire of Chicago kills 200 people and destroys over 4 square miles (10 square km) of buildings and the original Emancipation Proclamation
- Oct 10 The Great Chicago Fire is finally extinguished after 3 days, leaving approximately 300 dead, 100,000 homeless, and costing $222m in damage
- Oct 12 US President Grant condemns Ku Klux Klan
- Oct 13 The Delphic Fraternity is founded as the Delphic Society at the State Normal School in Geneseo, New York.
- Oct 17 Great Britain annexes Griqualand, South Africa
- Oct 21 1st US amateur outdoor athletic games (NY)
- Oct 23 Columbia & Sappho (US) beat Livonia (UK) in 3rd America's Cup
- Oct 24 Mob in Los Angeles, California hangs 18 Chinese
Event of Interest
Oct 27 Boss Tweed (William Macy Tweed), Democratic leader of Tammany Hall, arrested after NY Times exposed his corruption
Boss Tweed