On This Day

January 1831 in History

Events in History


Book releaseHistoric Publication

Jan 1 William Lloyd Garrison publishes 1st issue of abolitionist journal, "The Liberator"; publication continued until the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865

Abolitionist and Social Reformer William Lloyd Garrison
Abolitionist and Social Reformer
William Lloyd Garrison
  • Jan 2 Liberator, abolitionist newspaper, begins publishing in Boston
  • Jan 3 1st US building & loan association organized, Frankford, Penn
  • Jan 15 1st US-built locomotive to pull a passenger train makes 1st run
  • Jan 15 1st US railroad honeymoon trip, Mr & Mrs Pierson, Charleston, South Carolina

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Jan 22 Charles Darwin takes his Bachelors of Art exam at Christ's College, Cambridge, coming tenth out of 171 candidates

Naturalist Charles Darwin
Naturalist
Charles Darwin

Birthdays in History

  • Jan 2 Justin Winston, historian/librarian (Harvard)
  • Jan 11 James Ronald Chalmers, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Halifax County, Virginia (d. 1898)
  • Jan 14 John Bullock Clark Jr., American general (Confederate Army), born in Fayette, Missouri (d. 1903)
  • Jan 17 Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria (d. 1903)
  • Jan 18 Edward Ferrero, American ballroom operator and Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Granada, Spain (d. 1899)
  • Jan 20 Piet Joubert, South African general and vice-president, born in Prince Albert, British Cape Colony (d. 1900)
  • Jan 26 Mary Mapes Dodge, American writer (Hans Brinker & the Silver Skates), born in NYC, New York
  • Jan 28 Henry Brevard Davidson, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1899)

Deaths in History

  • Jan 4 Nikola P Neofit Rilski, Bulgaria abbot/poet, dies at 37
  • Jan 21 Achim v Arnim, writer, dies at 49
  • Jan 26 Sangolli Rayanna, Indian military chief warrior, dies at 32