- Jan 2 Battle of Boschberg takes place in South Africa as part of the Mapoch War
- Jan 4 Ontario Rugby Football Union (forerunner of CFL) forms
- Jan 6 Ontario Rugby Football Union forms
- Jan 10 Fire at uninsured Newhall Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin kills 71. General Tom Thumb of P T Barnum fame, escapes unhurt
- Jan 13 Fire in Circus Ferroni in Berditschoft, Poland, kills 430
- Jan 13 Henrik Ibsen's "En Folkefiende" premieres in Oslo
- Jan 16 Pendleton Act creates basis of US Civil Service system
- Jan 16 Quebec Rugby Football Union forms
Event of Interest
Jan 19 The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey
Thomas Edison