- 1638 Johann Georg Gichtel, German mystic and religious leader, born in Regensburg, Germany (d. 1710)
- 1692 Pieter Musschenbroek, Dutch mathematician and physician (Leyden jar)
- 1782 Thomas Hart Benton, American politician, born in Harts Mill, North Carolina (d. 1858)
- 1790 Ludwig Emil Grimm, German painter and engraver, born in Hanau, Germany (d. 1863)
- 1800 James Bogardus, American inventor and builder (made cast-iron buildings), born in Catskill, New York (d. 1874)
- 1807 Josephine of Leuchtenberg, Queen of Sweden and Norway, born in Milan, Italy (d. 1876)
- 1808 Catharinus Putnam Buckingham, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Zanesville, Ohio (d. 1888)
- 1816 Montgomery Dent Corse, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Alexandria, Virginia (d. 1895)
Victor Emmanuel II
1820 Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia (1849-61) and Italy (1861-78), born in Torino, Italy (d. 1878)
Victor Emmanuel II
- 1821 Jens Worsaae, Danish archaeologist, historian and politician, born in Vejle, Denmark (d. 1885)
- 1822 Teresa of the Two Sicilies, Empress of Brazil (1843-89), born in Naples, Two Sicilies (d. 1889)
- 1823 Roswell S. Ripley, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Worthington, Ohio (d. 1887)
- 1823 Théodore de Banville, French writer, born in Moulins, France (d. 1891)
- 1829 Charles Charlesworth, English boy who died of old age before he was 7 years old, born in Straffordshire, England
- 1833 John S. Marmaduke, 25th Governor of Missouri and Major General (Confederate Army), born in Saline County, Missouri (d. 1887)
- 1833 Lucy Hobbs Taylor, 1st US woman dentist, born in Constable, New York (1866)
- 1835 Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer (discovered canals of Mars), born in Savigliano, Italy (d. 1910)
- 1837 Charles Ammi Cutter, American librarian (Expansive classification), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1903)
- 1844 King Umberto I of Italy (1878-1900), born in Turin, Italy (d. 1900)
- 1847 Antonio de Castro Alves, Brazilian poet (Espumas Flutuantes), born in Muritiba, Brazil (d. 1871)
- 1853 Ferdinand Hodler, Swiss painter, born in Bern, Switzerland (d. 1918)
- 1854 Paul Ehrlich, German bacteriologist and physician (Chemotherapy, Nobel Prize 1908), Strehlen, Lower Silesia, German Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1915)
- 1854 Thomas Riley Marshall, 28th Vice President of U.S. (1913-21), born in North Manchester, Indiana (d. 1925)
- 1854 Alexandru Macedonski, Romanian writer, born in Bucharest (d. 1920)
- 1854 John Lane, British publisher (The Bodley Head), born in Devon (d. 1925)
- 1862 Vilhelm Bjerknes, Norwegian-American physicist and meteorologist, born in Christiania, Norway (d. 1951)
- 1864 Casey [John] Jones, American railroad engineer who dies trying to save a train (Ballad of Casey Jones), born in Missouri (d. 1900)
- 1869 Algernon Blackwood, English novelist (The Willows), born in Shooter's Hill, Kent, England (d. 1951)
- 1873 Johannes Aengenent, Bishop of Haarlem (1928-35), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1935)
- 1874 Anton Philips, Co-Founder of Royal Philips Electronics N.V., born in Zaltbommel, Gelderland, Netherlands (d. 1951)
- 1875 Isadore Gilbert Mudge, American librarian and author (Thackeray Dictionary), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1957)
- 1878 Carel T Scharten, Dutch poet and writer (Forces of the Future), born in Middelburg, Netherlands (d. 1950)
Albert Einstein
1879 Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate (theory of relativity), born in Ulm, German Empire (d. 1955)
Albert Einstein
- 1882 Waclaw Sierpinski, Polish mathematician (Sierpinski triangle), born in Warsaw, Kingdom of Poland (d. 1969)
- 1884 Albert Egges van Giffen, Dutch archaeologist, born in Noordhorn, Netherlands (d. 1973)
- 1885 Gervais Raoul Lufbery, French-American World War I fighter pilot and flying ace, born in Chamalières, France (d. 1918)
- 1887 George Creten, Belgian sculptor and painter, born in Saint-Gilles, Belgium (d. 1966)
- 1887 Sylvia Beach, American publisher and bookseller (Shakespeare and Company), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1962)
- 1888 Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Quebec painter (d. 1970)
- 1891 John P Strijbos, Dutch writer (Wandering through South-Africa)
- 1892 Olive Netta Parsons, co-founder (Collet's Bookshop)
- 1895 Frans Ganshof, Belgian historian
- 1898 Arnold Chikobava, Georgian linguist (d. 1985)
- 1899 K.C. Irving, Canadian industrialist (d. 1992)
- 1903 Molla Mustafa Barzani, Iran, Kurd leader (KDP)
- 1903 Adolph Gottlieb American painter (d. 1974)
- 1905 Raymond Aron, French sociologist/political scientist
- 1908 Maurice (Jean Jacques) Merleau-Ponty, French philosopher
- 1908 Ed Heinemann, American aircraft designer (Douglas Aircraft; d. 1991)
- 1909 Andre Pieyre de Mandiargues, French writer (Margin)
- 1914 Henry Ralph Carr, soldier
- 1915 Kenneth Rowntree, painter
- 1917 Macha Louis Rosenthal, critic/poet
- 1919 Max Shulman, novelist (Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Tender Trap)
- 1920 Hank Ketcham, cartoonist (Dennis the Menace)
- 1921 S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A
- 1922 Colin Fletcher, Welsh author and pioneering backpacker (Walking Through Time), born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 2007)
- 1925 John Barrington Wain, English novelist/poet (Hurry on Down)
- 1925 Francis A. Marzen, American Catholic prelate (d. 2004)
- 1927 Joop F Wolff, Dutch editor (Truth)/Dutch politician (CPN)
Frank Borman
1928 Frank Borman, American astronaut (Gemini 7, Apollo 8) and CEO of Eastern Air Lines (1975-86), born in Gary, Indiana
Frank Borman
- 1932 Naina Yeltsina, Russia's first First Lady
- 1933 René Felber, former member of the Swiss Federal Council
- 1934 Eugene A Cernan, Capt USN, astronaut (Gemini 9, Apollo 10 17), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2017)
- 1934 Paul Rader, the 15th General of The Salvation Army
- 1939 William Benjamin Lenoir, astronaut (STS 5), born in Miami, Florida
- 1942 John Whittaker, English real estate developer (Peel Holdings)
- 1944 Peter Paul Zahl, writer
- 1947 Jan at Veldhuis, Dutch politician (VVD)
- 1947 Jimmy O'Rourke, rocker
- 1947 William Jefferson, (Rep-D-Louisiana)
- 1947 Pam Ayres, British poet
- 1948 Tom Coburn, American politician, junior senator from Oklahoma
- 1949 Michael Stedman, British World War I Historian and Author
- 1950 Michael Ford, son of US President Gerald & Betty Ford
- 1951 Jerry Greenfield, American businessman and co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1952 J Fred Muggs, chimpanzee (Today show), born in French Cameroon
Martin Dempsey
1952 Martin Dempsey, American General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2011-), born in Jersey City, New Jersey
Martin Dempsey
Danny Meyer
1958 Danny Meyer, American restaurateur (Shake Shack, Union Square Cafe), born in St. Louis, Missouri
Danny Meyer
- 1961 Gary Dell'Abate, producer (Howard Stern Show)
- 1961 Grigoriy Kornev, Russian speed walker (world record 5 km)
- 1963 Pedro Duque, engineer/astronaut (STS 78 alt, sk:95), born in Madrid, Spain
- 1967 Edward M Fincke, Capt USAF/astronaut, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 1978 Carlo Giuliani, Italian anarchist (d. 2001)
- 1989 Oliver Bernsen, son of Corbin Bernsen & Amanda Pays
March in History
![Wave of Doubt over Britannia]()
Wave of Doubt over Britannia
The composer who put "Rule, Britannia!" to music was born on this day, but the original words are not quite what they bellow out at the Last Night of the Proms.
March 12, 1710![Sportsman Who Became Larger Than Life]()
Sportsman Who Became Larger Than Life
Nothing suggested that Daniel Lambert, born on this day, would evolve from an athletic youngster to the mountain of a man that he became.
March 13, 1770![Boy Wonder Conquers Theatreland]()
Boy Wonder Conquers Theatreland
Parliament was adjourned on this day so that MPs could grab their seats for a performance by Master Betty – the theatrical wonder of the age.
March 14, 1805![Nature Blows Gunboat Diplomacy Out of the Water]()
Nature Blows Gunboat Diplomacy Out of the Water
The world's superpowers were prepared to use the power of their warships to control the Samoan Islands in the 1880s. But nature had other ideas.
March 15, 1889
