Famous People Who Died In 1786
Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1786. This list includes people like Nathanael Greene, Frederick II of Prussia, Frederick The Great, Moses Mendelssohn, Carl Wilhelm Scheele and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include emperors & kings, astronomers, military leaders and educators who died in 1786. This list includes people from England, Germany, United States and many more countries.
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Birthdate: January 24, 1712
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: August 17
Prussian king Frederick II, also known as Frederick the Great and The Old Fritz, was the longest-reigning Hohenzollern king. He is known for his involvement in the Silesian Wars and the Partitions of Poland. He also supported art and culture, and reformed the judicial system of Prussia.
2
Nathanael Greene(Major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War)
Birthdate: August 7, 1742
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Potowomut, Rhode Island, United States
Died: June 19
3
Eva Ekeblad
(Swedish Agronomist Known for Discovering a Method in 1746 to Make Alcohol and Flour From Potatoes)
Birthdate: July 10, 1724
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: May 15
Eva Ekeblad was a Swedish countess, agronomist, salon hostess, and scientist. In 1746, she discovered a method to make flour and alcohol from potatoes which earned her popularity. Her discovery made her the first female inductee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748.
4
Moses Mendelssohn
(Philosopher)
Birthdate: September 6, 1729
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
Died: January 4
5
Peter III of Portugal
(King of Portugal)
Birthdate: July 5, 1717
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lisbon, Portugal
Died: May 25
Birthdate: November 8, 1723
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Newstead Abbey, England
Died: April 10
7
Pierre Poivre
(Horticulturist)
Birthdate: August 23, 1719
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lyon, France
Died: January 6
Birthdate: July 1, 1730
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: West Brewster, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 28
9
Bernardo de Gálvez
(49th Viceroy of New Spain)
Birthdate: July 23, 1746
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Macharaviaya, Spain
Died: November 30
10
Charles Mason
(English Astronomer)
Birthdate: 1728
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: October 25
11
Gaspar de Portolá
(First Governor of the Californias)
Birthdate: 1716 AD
Birthplace: Os de Balaguer, Spain
Died: November 30
Gaspar de Portolá was a Spanish military officer. He is best remembered for heading the Portolá expedition, which laid the foundations of prominent Californian cities like Monterey and San Diego. Gaspar de Portolá is also remembered for his service as the first Governor of the Californias from 30 November 1767 to 9 July 1770.
12
Jean-Étienne Guettard
(Geologist and Mineralogist Known for His Pioneering Geological Survey of France)
Birthdate: September 22, 1715
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Étampes, France
Died: January 7
Apart from recognizing the volcanic nature of central France’s Auvergne district, French geologist and mineralogist Jean-Étienne Guettard also wrote extensively on the geological aspects of the terrains of France and England. He was the first to make a geological survey of France and study the Paris Basin bedrock.
Birthdate: December 4, 1713
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Venice, Italy
Died: December 26
14
Augustus Keppel, Viscount Keppel
(Admiral)
Birthdate: April 25, 1725
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Caversham, Reading, United Kingdom
Died: October 2
15
George Hepplewhite
(Cabinetmaker)
Birthdate: 1727 AD
Birthplace: Ryton, United Kingdom
Died: June 21
Birthdate: October 7, 1729
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Russia
Died: April 7
Described as the right hand of Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia, Praskovya Bruce became Catherine's lady-in-waiting soon after her arrival in Russia, remaining so even after her ascendance to the throne. A close confidant of the empress, she fell from grace when she was caught having sex with one of the queen's latest lovers and was sent away.
17
Patience Wright
(Sculptor)
Birthdate: 1725 AD
Birthplace: Oyster Bay, New York, United States
Died: March 23
18
Carl Wilhelm Scheele
(Swedish German Chemist Who Discovered Oxygen)
Birthdate: December 9, 1742
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Stralsund, Germany
Died: May 21
Born to a German merchant, Carl Wilhelm Scheele was initially trained as a pharmacist but later switched to chemistry. He began his academic career in Sweden. He is best known for discovering oxygen, apart from countless chemical elements such as barium and chlorine and many organic acids.
19
Franz Benda
(Outstanding 18th Century German Violinist and Composer)
Birthdate: November 22, 1709
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Benátky nad Jizerou, Czechia
Died: March 7
One of the finest violinists of 18th-century Germany, František Benda was born to musician parents and began his music career accompanying strolling musicians. He later served as King Frederick the Great’s concertmaster. His music includes symphonies, sonatas, and chamber works. His memoir is an accurate account of the music scene of his time.
20
Maurice Benyovszky
(Explorer and Military personnel)
Birthdate: September 20, 1746
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Vrbové, Slovakia
Died: May 24
21
Marie-Cessette Dumas
(Enslaved woman)
Birthdate: 1714 AD
Birthplace: Hait
Died: 1786 AD
22
Alexander Cozens
(British Landscape Painter)
Birthdate: 1717 AD
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: April 23
Landscape painter Alexander Cozens was the godchild of Russian Emperor Peter I but was often mistaken as his child. Born in Russia, he later moved too England, where he taught painting at Eton and trained luminaries such as the Prince of Wales. He introduced a style of painting landscapes from abstract blots.
23
John Goodricke
(Amateur astronomer)
Birthdate: September 17, 1764
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Groningen, Netherlands
Died: April 20
John Goodricke was an English astronomer best remembered for his observations of the Demon Star in 1782. The following year, he was honored with the prestigious Copley Medal for his work. In 1786, John Goodricke was made a member of the Royal Society.
24
Thomas Tyrwhitt
(Literary Critic)
Birthdate: March 27, 1730
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Died: August 15
25
Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten
(Politician)
Birthdate: November 10, 1727
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Porvoo, Finland
Died: April 2
Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten was a Swedish-Finnish politician and army officer. He is best remembered for his role in the Revolution of 1772, which ended the age of democratic monarchy in Sweden and ushered in the age of absolute monarchy.
Birthdate: February 16, 1736
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Unknown
Died: March 2
27
Alexander Wilson
(Astronomer)
Birthdate: 1714 AD
Died: October 16
Apart from being a renowned astronomer, Alexander Wilson was also a qualified surgeon and once co-owned a type-founding business, too. He pioneered the use of kites in meteorological research and also co-founded the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He has a lunar crater named after him.
28
Antonio Sacchini
(Composer)
Birthdate: June 14, 1730
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Died: October 6