On This Day

December 1784 in History

Events in History


Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 21 John Jay becomes acting US Secretary of State (1789-990)

1st US Chief Justice John Jay
1st US Chief Justice
John Jay

Birthdays in History

  • Dec 7 Allan Cunningham, Scottish poet and author, born in Keir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (d. 1842)
  • Dec 13 Archduke Louis of Austria, 14th child of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and Feldmarschal-Leutnant of Austrian Imperial Army, born in Florence, Italy (d. 1864)
  • Dec 14 Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily, Princess of Asturias, born in Caserta Palace, Caserta, Naples (d. 1806)
  • Dec 19 Marcus Morton, 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1864)
  • Dec 24 Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1803)
  • Dec 30 Dorothea von Benckendorff, Baltic monarch of Lieven

Deaths in History


Person of interestPhillis Wheatley

Dec 5 Phillis Wheatley, American poet and first published African-American woman, dies in Boston at 31

Poet Phillis Wheatley
Poet
Phillis Wheatley

Person of interestSamuel Johnson

Dec 13 Samuel Johnson, English scholar and lexicographer (A Dictionary of the English Language), dies at 75

Scholar and Lexicographer Samuel Johnson
Scholar and Lexicographer
Samuel Johnson
  • Dec 25 Yosa Buson, Japanese painter (b. 1716)
  • Dec 26 Seth Warner, American revolutionary leader, dies at 41
  • Dec 26 Otto Friedrich Müller, Danish Naturalist who was a pioneer in the study of microorganisms, dies at 54