Famous People Who Died In 1785

Remembered as the founder of the British colony of Georgia in the US, James Oglethorpe was a renowned British soldier, MP, and social reformer. Educated at Oxford, he initially fought for the Austrian army against the Turks. As an MP, he brought in prison reforms. He was also the governor of Georgia.

Polish-American businessman Haym Salomon not only contributed to the establishment of the Philadelphia synagogue Mikveh Israel, but also lent huge amounts of interest-free money to soldiers and other borrowers during the American Revolutionary War. The financier eventually died in poverty, with the American government owing thousands of dollars to him.

Though he initially studied law, Carlo Buonaparte quit without a degree to take charge of his inheritance after his father’s death. He later served Pasquale Paoli. However, following the French conquest of Corsica, he completed his legal education. He is best remembered as the father of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Gustaf Philip Creutz was a Swedish diplomat, statesman, and poet. He is credited with drafting the first Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States and Sweden along with Benjamin Franklin whom he had met in Paris where he was serving as an ambassador.

The queen of Sardinia through her marriage to Victor Amadeus III, Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was also the youngest daughter of Spanish king Philip V. Known for shunning people, except learned intellectuals and politicians, she was also extremely religious. A mother of 12, she lost 3 children in infancy.

Johan Herman Wessel was a Danish-Norwegian poet, playwright, and satirist whose works are characterized by the use of satiric wit and parody. One of his satirical plays titled Kierlighed uden Strømper is performed even today! Johan Herman Wessel is also credited with writing Anno 7603, which is widely regarded as one of the first fictional works that discuss time travel.

Matthias van den Gheyn was a Flemish musician best remembered as an outstanding virtuoso of the organ and carillon. Matthias' most important work was his 11 famous preludes for carillon. These 11 preludes have become standard repertoire since the early 1900s among carillonneurs worldwide. His biographer Xavier-Victor-Fidèle van Elewyck regarded Matthias as the greatest musician of 18th century Southern Netherlands.