Famous People Who Died In 1847

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1847. This list includes people like Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, Mary Anning, John Franklin, Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Robert Liston and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include journalists, composers, pianists and political leaders who died in 1847. This list includes people from United States, Germany, England and many more countries.
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 1 
Felix Mendelssohn
(Best Known for His Solo Piano Composition 'Songs Without Words' and Founder of 'Leipzig Conservatory')
Felix Mendelssohn
5
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: February 3, 1809
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: November 4

Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer of the early Romantic period. He was also a skilled organist, pianist, and conductor. He composed symphonies, concertos, chamber music, and organ music. His collection of lyrical piano songs Songs Without Words is among his best-known works. He was the founder of the public university The Leipzig Conservatory. He died aged just 38. 

 2 
John Franklin
(Explorer, Royal Navy officer)
John Franklin
8
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 16, 1786
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Spilsby, England
Died: June 11
 3 
Robert Liston
(Surgeon)
Robert Liston
3
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: October 28, 1794
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ecclesmachan, West Lothian, Scotland
Died: December 7

Scottish surgeon Robert Liston worked in an era when anesthesia wasn’t invented. He could complete amputations within minutes, thus saving the lives of many when the speed of the surgery made the difference between life and death. Later, he became the first European surgeon to operate under anesthesia.

 4 
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma
(Former Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla (1814 - 1847))
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma
2
Birthdate: December 12, 1791
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: December 17

Marie Louise was an Austrian archduchess who reigned as Duchess of Parma from 1814 until her death. The eldest child of Emperor Francis II of Austria and his second wife, Maria Theresa, she grew up during a tumultuous period in the history of Austria. She was married to Napoleon I from 1810 to 1821. She died of pleurisy in 1847.  

 5 
Mary Anning
(Paleontologist)
Mary Anning
17
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 21, 1799
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Died: March 9

English paleontologist Mary Anning is best known for the fossil collections she made in Jurassic marine fossil beds. She made major contributions to studies related to prehistoric life and the history of the Earth. As a woman in 19th-century Britain, she could not fully participate in the scientific community despite her brilliance. She gained fame after her death.

 6 
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
(Austrian Field-Marshal and Third Son of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II)
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 5, 1771
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Died: April 30

Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen, son of Emperor Leopold II, was a major force behind strengthening the Austrian army in early 19th century. He is remembered for his exploits in the French Revolutionary Wars. Though initially successful in the Napoleonic Wars, he was defeated in the Battle of Wagram.

 7 
Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe
(Edgar Allan Poe's Wife)
Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1822 AD
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
Died: January 30
 8 
James Kent
(Jurist)
James Kent
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 31, 1763
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Died: December 12
 9 
Mary Lamb
(Author)
Mary Lamb
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 3, 1764
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: May 20
 10 
Marcus Whitman
(Physician)
Marcus Whitman
1
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: September 4, 1802
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rushville, New York, United States
Died: November 29
 11 
Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio
(General)
Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 25, 1767
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bar-le-Duc, France
Died: September 13
 12 
Sahle Selassie
(Negus of Shewa (1813 - 1847))
Sahle Selassie
1
Birthdate: 1795 AD
Birthplace: Shewa, Ethiopia
Died: October 22

Sahle Selassie, a noted Amhara noble of Ethiopia, was proclaimed Ras and Meridazmach of Shewa in a turn-of-events following murder of his father Wossen Seged, a Meridazmach of Shewa. A strong, progressive and kind hearted ruler, Sahle ruled for over three-decades (1813 to 1847) and made several reforms including in criminal law and administration, and worked on modernizing his country.   

 13 
Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard Grandville
(French cartoonist)
Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard Grandville
0
Birthdate: September 13, 1803
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nancy, France
Died: March 17
 14 
Prince Achille Murat
(Prince)
Prince Achille Murat
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 21, 1801
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 15
 15 
Cyrill Demian
(Armenian Inventor and Musical Instrument Maker)
Cyrill Demian
0
Birthdate: 1772 AD
Birthplace: Austria
Died: November 1
 16 
William Christopher Zeise
(Danish Organic Chemist Known for Synthesising 'Zeise's Salt' and Discovering 'Xanthates')
William Christopher Zeise
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 15, 1789
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Slagelse, Denmark
Died: November 12

Danish organic chemist William Christopher Zeise initially aspired to study medicine but later switched to chemistry. He prepared one of the world’s first organometallic compounds, Zeise’s salt, and conducted pathbreaking research in the field of organosulfur chemistry. His achievements got him knighted by the Danish monarch.

 17 
Henri Dutrochet
(French Physician, Physiologist, and Botanist Who is Best Known for His Investigation into Osmosis)
Henri Dutrochet
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 14, 1776
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Néon, France
Died: February 4

Henri Dutrochet was a French physician, physiologist, and botanist. Dutrochet is best remembered for his investigation into osmosis. He is also credited with discovering cells in plants and cell biology. Henri Dutrochet’s works earned him several awards including the Académie Française's prize for experimental physiology.

 18 
Thomas Frognall Dibdin
(Bibliographer)
Thomas Frognall Dibdin
0
Birthdate: August 31, 1776
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: November 18
 19 
Miguel Larreynaga
(Philosopher)
Miguel Larreynaga
0
Birthdate: April 29, 1771
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Nicaragua
Died: April 28
 20 
Alexandre Brongniart
(French Mineralogist and Geologist Who First Arranged the Geologic Formations of the Tertiary Period in Chronological Order)
Alexandre Brongniart
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: February 5, 1770
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 7

Best known for exploring the geology of the Tertiary Period, Alexandre Brongniart initially taught natural history and then became a professor of mineralogy. He also worked for the development of porcelain enameling in France. His other works include a classification of reptiles and the introduction of geologic dating.

 21 
Grace Aguilar
(British Novelist, Poet and Writer Best Known for Her Numerous Sentimental Novels of Domestic Life)
Grace Aguilar
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 2, 1816
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England
Died: September 16

Grace Aguilar was raised in a closed Jewish circle and wasn’t allowed to mingle much outside her family. In spite of the regulations, she grew up to educate people about Jewish culture and history and later penned the iconic domestic novels Home Influence and its sequel, The Mother's Recompense.

 22 
Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy
(Revolutionary)
Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 24, 1806
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died: February 22
 23 
Moritz von Strachwitz
(Poet)
Moritz von Strachwitz
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 13, 1822
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Peterwitz, Germany
Died: December 11
 24 
Thomas Chalmers
(Vice-President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh From 1835 to 1842)
Thomas Chalmers
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 17, 1780
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Anstruther, Fife, Scotland
Died: May 31

Scottish Presbyterian minister and political economist Thomas Chalmers has been immortalized by the town of Port Chalmers in New Zealand, named after him. An ordained minister, he was initially a math lecturer. He later became the Free Church of Scotland’s first moderator. He tried applying Christian ethics to economic problems.

 25 
Charles Hatchett
(Chemist)
Charles Hatchett
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: January 2, 1765
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Died: February 10
 26 
George Maclean
(Governor)
George Maclean
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 2, 1801
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Keith, Scotland
Died: May 22
 27 
Daniel O'Connell
(Former Irish Member of Parliament for Clare (1828 - 1830))
Daniel O'Connell
3
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: August 6, 1775
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland
Died: May 15

Daniel O'Connell, also known as The Liberator, was an Irish lawyer who later became a leader of Irish Catholics and was eventually elected to the UK Parliament. He was one of the first Catholics to become Lord Mayor of Dublin and one of the first great nationalist leaders of Ireland.

 28 
John Walter
(Politician)
John Walter
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 23, 1776
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Battersea, England
Died: July 28
 29 
Maria Schicklgruber
Maria Schicklgruber
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 15, 1795
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Q22121897
Died: January 7
 30 
Fanny Mendelssohn
(Musician and Composer)
Fanny Mendelssohn
111
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 14, 1805
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: May 14

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was a German pianist and composer of the early Romantic era. Many of her works were published under her younger brother Felix Mendelssohn's name due to the social conventions about the roles of women at that time and the reservations of her family. However, she has been getting the recognition that she deserves since the 1990s.

 31 
Pierre-Simon Ballanche
(Writer)
Pierre-Simon Ballanche
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 4, 1776
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lyon, France
Died: June 12
 32 
Marie Duplessis
(Courtesan)
Marie Duplessis
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 15, 1824
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Nonant-le-Pin, France
Died: February 3
 33 
Erik Gustaf Geijer
(Swedish Writer, Philosopher and Composer)
Erik Gustaf Geijer
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 12, 1783
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ransäter, Sweden
Died: April 23

One of the founding members of the Swedish Geatish Society, which tried to arouse nationalism through historical study, Erik Gustaf Geijer was a historian, philosopher, poet, political and social theorist all rolled into one. A professor of history at the Uppsala University, he had authored number of books and wrote music for many of his poems, chamber works, choirs etc.

 34 
Hans Järta
(Swedish Politician, Administrator and Revolutionary)
Hans Järta
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 11, 1774
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sweden
Died: April 6

Hans Järta was a Swedish revolutionary and administrator. He played a major role in the Coup of 1809 which dethroned Gustavus IV Adolphus. Hans Järta was also one of the most important drafters of Sweden's 1809 constitution. He also served as the Governor of Kopparberg County from 1812 to 1822.

 35 
Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil
(Eldest child of Emperor Dom Pedro II and Dona Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies)
Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 23, 1845
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil
Died: June 11
 36 
James MacCullagh
(Mathematician)
James MacCullagh
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 1809 AD
Birthplace: Landahaussy, Northern Ireland
Died: October 24
 37 
George Rapp
(Religious leader)
George Rapp
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 1, 1757
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Iptingen, Wiernsheim, Germany
Died: August 7

Eighteenth-century mystic George Rapp is best remembered as the founder of the religious sect of Rappites, or Harmonists. Initially a weaver in Germany, he later moved to the U.S. to escape persecution. Following his death, his followers decreased, due to the Harmonists’ vow of celibacy and little or no conversion.

 38 
Alexandre Vinet
(Swiss Literary Critic and Theologian)
Alexandre Vinet
0
Birthdate: June 17, 1797
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ouchy, Lausanne, Switzerland
Died: May 4

French-Swiss theologian Alexandre Vinet was a major figure of the Protestant Reformation in the French-speaking regions of Switzerland. While he initially taught French and theology at the universities of Basel and Lausanne, he later spoke against religious dogma and supported the separation of church and the state.

 39 
Tyāgarāja
Tyāgarāja
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: May 4, 1767
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Thiruvarur
Died: January 6
 40 
Charles Bent
(First Civilian United States Governor of the New Mexico Territory)
Charles Bent
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 11, 1799
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Charleston, West Virginia, United States
Died: January 19
 41 
Jeanne Genevieve Garnerin
(Skydiver, Stunt performer)
Jeanne Genevieve Garnerin
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 7, 1775
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris,France
Died: 1847 AD
 42 
Jules de Polignac
(Statesman)
Jules de Polignac
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 14, 1780
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Versailles, France
Died: March 2
 43 
José Joaquín de Olmedo
(Former President of Ecuador)
José Joaquín de Olmedo
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 20, 1780
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Died: February 19

José Joaquín de Olmedo was an Ecuadorian political leader best remembered for his service as the President of Ecuador from March 1845 to December 1845. A prominent politician, José Joaquín de Olmedo also served as the Vice President of Ecuador from 12 September 1830 to 15 September 1831.

 44 
Joakim Vujić
(Writer, Playwright and Actor)
Joakim Vujić
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 9, 1772
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Baja, Hungary
Died: November 20
 45 
Frans Mikael Franzén
(Finnish-Swedish Poet and Bishop of the Diocese of Härnösand)
Frans Mikael Franzén
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 9, 1772
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oulu, Finland
Died: August 14

Finnish-Swedish poet Frans Mikael Franzén, who had been the Bishop of the Diocese of Härnösand, was also one of the pioneers of the Romantic movement in Sweden. Initially a professor of philosophy, he later reformed Swedish poetry, inspired by the likes of Shakespeare and Milton.

 46 
Macvey Napier
(Solicitor)
Macvey Napier
1
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: April 11, 1776
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kirkintilloch, Scotland
Died: February 11
 47 
William Richards
(Missionary)
William Richards
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 22, 1793
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Plainfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: November 7

William Richards was a politician and missionary whose work on a formal land title system gave rise to the Great Mahele in 1848. He also helped popularize a liberal constitutional monarchy in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He also served as a translator to King Kamehameha III and later helped translate much of the Bible into Hawaiian.