Famous People Who Died In 1870

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1870. This list includes people like Charles Dickens, Robert E. Lee, Alexandre Dumas, Francisco Solano López, Alexander Herzen and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include soldiers, playwrights, novelists and poets who died in 1870. This list includes people from France, United States and many more countries.
Vote for Your Favourite People Who Died In 1870

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Charles Dickens
(The Greatest Novelist of the Victorian Era)
Charles Dickens
32
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 7, 1812
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Landport, Hampshire, England
Died: June 9

Widely considered the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens was an English writer famous for creating world-renowned fictional characters. Regarded by critics and scholars as a literary genius, most of his short stories and novels are read around the world even today. His distinctive style of writing is referred to as Dickensian.

 2 
Robert E. Lee
(Confederate General in the American Civil War)
Robert E. Lee
128
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 19, 1807
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Stratford, Virginia, United States
Died: October 12

A commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. He was a skilled tactician who served in the US Army for 32 years. Brilliant from a young age, he was a top graduate of the US Military Academy. In his later years, he became president of Washington College.

 3 
Alexandre Dumas
(One of the Most Popular and Widely Read French Authors of the 19th Century)
Alexandre Dumas
14
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 24, 1802
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Villers-Cotterêts, France
Died: December 5

One of the most widely read French authors of all time, Alexandre Dumas was prolific in several genres. He joined the army as a young man and later became a full-time writer. Starting his writing career as a playwright, he moved on to writing novels. His novels have been adapted into nearly 200 films in the past century.

 4 
David Farragut
(Military officer)
David Farragut
6
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 5, 1801
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Farragut, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 14
 5 
Francisco Solano López
(Former President of Paraguay)
Francisco Solano López
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 24, 1827
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Asunción
Died: March 1

Francisco Solano López was a Paraguayan politician who served as the president of Paraguay from 1862 to 1870. Before becoming a leader, López played an important role in the Platine Wars where he fought against Juan Manuel de Rosas, serving in the Paraguayan Army. A controversial figure, Solano López is sometimes held responsible for the outbreak of the Paraguayan War. 

 6 
Frédéric Bazille
(French Painter)
Frédéric Bazille
0
Birthdate: December 6, 1841
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Montpellier, France
Died: November 28
 7 
Victor Noir
(French Journalist)
Victor Noir
2
Birthdate: July 27, 1848
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Attigny, France
Died: January 11
 8 
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
(One of the Most Important Figures in Spanish Literature and Most Read Writer After 'Miguel de Cervantes')
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 17, 1836
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Seville, Spain
Died: December 22

Spanish Romantic poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer was orphaned at age 11. Inspired by his painter brother Valeriano, he embarked on a literary career, writing for El Contemporáneo in Madrid. His Rimas (Rhymes) and Leyendas (Legends) gained popularity only after his death at 34 due to tuberculosis.

 9 
George H. Thomas
(Army Officer)
George H. Thomas
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 31, 1816
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newsoms, Virginia, United States
Died: March 28
 10 
Josef Strauss
(Composer)
Josef Strauss
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: August 20, 1827
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: July 22
 11 
Prosper Mérimée
(French Writer and One of the Pioneers of the 'Novella')
Prosper Mérimée
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 28, 1803
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 23

Prosper Mérimée was a French writer and one of the pioneers of narrative prose, which came to be known as a novella. A multi-talented personality, Mérimée was also a historian and archaeologist; he played a key role in the development of the process of architectural preservation. He was responsible for safeguarding several historic sites, such as the Cité de Carcassonne. 

 12 
Alexander Herzen
(Russian Writer and Thinker Known as the ‘Father of Russian Socialism’)
Alexander Herzen
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 6, 1812
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: January 21

Alexander Herzen was a Russian thinker and writer. Regarded as the father of Russian socialism, Herzen played an influential role in the political set up of the 19th and 20th century. He also influenced personalities like Isaiah Berlin, who regarded Herzen as his hero. Herzen's book My Past and Thoughts is considered one of the best autobiographies in Russian literature.

 13 
Jérôme Napoléon Bonaparte
(Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte's son)
Jérôme Napoléon Bonaparte
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 5, 1805
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Camberwell, London, England
Died: June 17
 14 
Emma Willard
(American Women's Rights Activist)
Emma Willard
1
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: February 23, 1787
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Berlin, Connecticut, United States
Died: April 15
 15 
Anthony Mary Claret
(Spanish Archbishop)
Anthony Mary Claret
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 23, 1807
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sallent, Barcelona, Spain
Died: October 24
 16 
Ignaz Moscheles
(Bohemian Composer and Piano Virtuoso Who Worked on Beethoven's Only Opera, 'Fidelio')
Ignaz Moscheles
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: May 23, 1794
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Prague, Czechia
Died: March 10

Ignaz Moscheles was a Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso. Such was his talent and skills that Beethoven himself entrusted him with the preparation of his only opera Fidelio's piano score. Moscheles considered Beethoven as his idol and cherished the opportunity to work with him. Ignaz Moscheles is also credited with teaching fellow composer and pianist Felix Mendelssohn. 

 17 
Albrecht von Graefe
(German Ophthalmologist Known for Discovering a Method of Treating 'Glaucoma')
Albrecht von Graefe
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: May 22, 1828
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: July 20

Regarded as the pioneer of modern ophthalmology, Albrecht von Gräfe was born to German surgeon Karl Ferdinand von Graefe, known for his pathbreaking research on plastic surgery. He explained Gräfe’s sign, made the first legitimate use of the ophthalmoscope, and also launched an eye clinic deemed one of Europe’s best.

 18 
Majid bin Said of Zanzibar
(Politician)
Majid bin Said of Zanzibar
0
Birthdate: 1834 AD
Birthplace: Unguja, Tanzania
Died: October 7
 19 
Comte de Lautréamont
(Poet)
Comte de Lautréamont
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 4, 1846
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay
Died: November 24
 20 
George Pollard, Jr.
(Sailor)
George Pollard, Jr.
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 18, 1791
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
Died: January 7
 21 
Charles Auguste de Bériot
(Belgian Violinist and Composer Known for Establishing a Particular Performance Style That Combined Classical Elegance with Technical Virtuosity)
Charles Auguste de Bériot
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: February 20, 1802
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Leuven, Belgium
Died: April 8

Charles Auguste de Bériot was a Belgian artist, violinist, and composer. De Bériot composed a significant volume of violin music which includes 10 concertos. His Romantic style of composition and pioneering violin technique make him an ideal teacher for any violin student. His pedagogical compositions are still being taught to violin students all over the world. 

 22 
Ferdinand von Wrangel
(Russian Explorer and Minister of the Navy Known for His Explorations in Siberia)
Ferdinand von Wrangel
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 9, 1797
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pskov, Russia
Died: June 6

Russian explorer and naval minister Ferdinand von Wrangel also served as the 6th governor of Russian America. He co-founded the Russian Geographic Society. His explorations helped in the mapping of the northeastern Siberian coast. Wrangel Island, an island north of Chukotka, bears his name.

 23 
Arthur Saint-Léon
(French Ballet Dancer Who Is Famous for Creating the Choreography of the Ballet 'Coppélia')
Arthur Saint-Léon
0
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: September 17, 1821
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 2

Arthur Saint-Léon was a ballet master who worked with the Imperial Russian Ballet from 1859 to 1869. He is remembered for choreographing a popular ballet named Coppélia. He is also remembered for inventing a method of choreographic notation, which was the first notation to document the movements of the torso, head, and arms apart from the movements of the feet.  

 24 
George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon
(Diplomat)
George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 12, 1800
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England
Died: June 27

George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon had earned the nickname The Great Lord Clarendon. A Liberal Party politician, he had been the foreign secretary of Britain under 4 prime ministers. He was also a significant member of the Congress of Paris, which put an end to the Crimean War.

 25 
David Drake
(Potter and poet)
David Drake
0
Birthdate: 1800 AD
Birthplace: United States
Died: 1870 AD
 26 
Saverio Mercadante
(Composer)
Saverio Mercadante
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 16, 1795
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Altamura, Italy
Died: December 17
 27 
Moshoeshoe I
(King)
Moshoeshoe I
0
Birthdate: 1786 AD
Birthplace: Lesotho
Died: March 11
 28 
Princess Louise of Prussia
(Princess)
Princess Louise of Prussia
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 1, 1808
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Königsberg, Prussian
Died: December 6
 29 
James Young Simpson
(Scottish Obstetrician Famous for His Discovery of the Anaesthetic Qualities of Chloroform)
James Young Simpson
1
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: June 7, 1811
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland
Died: May 6

Scottish obstetrician James Young Simpson is remembered as the first to use chloroform as an anesthetic in medicine. A University of Edinburgh professor, he was later made a queen’s physician in Scotland. He also received the title of a baronet. His research also included leprosy and fetal pathology.

 30 
John Pendleton Kennedy
(Novelist)
John Pendleton Kennedy
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 25, 1795
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: August 18
 31 
Albert Barnes
(Theologian)
Albert Barnes
1
Birthdate: December 1, 1798
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rome, New York, United States
Died: December 24
 32 
Thomas Brassey
(Civil Engineer)
Thomas Brassey
2
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: November 7, 1805
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Buerton
Died: December 8

Initially a surveyor, Thomas Brassey later built some of the most well-known railway lines of the world. The British contractor contributed to the Grand Junction Railway, Canada’s Grand Trunk Railway, and the Crimean Railway. He later also became a Liberal MP and a governor of Victoria, Australia.

 33 
Paul-Émile Botta
(Italian-Born French Archaeologist Who Discovered the Ruins of the Assyrian Capital of 'Dur-Sharrukin')
Paul-Émile Botta
0
Birthdate: December 6, 1802
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Turin, Italy
Died: March 29

The son of a renowned Italian historian, Italian-born French archaeologist Paul-Émile Botta was chosen as a consul at Mosul, modern-day Iraq. While he initially excavated relics of Assyrian king Sargon II's palace, he later mistakenly believed he had discovered Nineveh. One shipment of the antiquities he unearthed was sunk in transit.

 34 
Anson Burlingame
(Lawyer)
Anson Burlingame
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: November 14, 1820
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New Berlin, New York, United States
Died: February 23
 35 
Adam Lindsay Gordon
(British-Australian Poet, Horseman, Police Officer and Politician)
Adam Lindsay Gordon
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 19, 1833
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Charlton Kings, England
Died: June 24

Adam Lindsay Gordon was a British-Australian poet, police officer, and politician. He attended the Royal Grammar School Worcester as a boy. At the behest of his father, he became a police officer, also dabbling in politics later on. He gained a reputation as a poet as well. His personal life was deeply troubled and he shot himself in 1870. 

 36 
Daniel Maclise
(Painter)
Daniel Maclise
0
Birthdate: January 25, 1806
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cork, Ireland
Died: April 25
 37 
Louise Lehzen
(Governess)
Louise Lehzen
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 3, 1784
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kingdom of Hanover
Died: September 9
 38 
William Gilmore Simms
(Writer)
William Gilmore Simms
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 17, 1806
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Died: June 11
 39 
Robert Cooper Grier
(Judge)
Robert Cooper Grier
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: March 5, 1794
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 25
 40 
Michael William Balfe
(Irish Composer)
Michael William Balfe
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: May 15, 1808
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: October 20
 41 
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia
(Aristocrat)
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: June 7, 1869
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: May 2
 42 
John Rolph
(Physician)
John Rolph
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: March 4, 1793
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Thornbury
Died: October 19
 43 
Christen Mikkelsen Kold
(Educator)
Christen Mikkelsen Kold
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 29, 1816
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Jutland, Denmark
Died: April 6
 44 
Juan Prim, 1st Count of Reus
(Statesman)
Juan Prim, 1st Count of Reus
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 6, 1814
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Reus, Spain
Died: December 30
 45 
Ole Gabriel Ueland
(Politician)
Ole Gabriel Ueland
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 28, 1799
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lund, Norway
Died: January 9
 46 
David Wilson
(Politician)
David Wilson
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: September 17, 1818
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hebron, New York, United States
Died: June 9
 47 
Henry John Boulton
(lawyer, judge)
Henry John Boulton
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 1790 AD
Birthplace: Kensington
Died: June 18
 48 
Charles Joseph, comte de Flahaut
(Military general)
Charles Joseph, comte de Flahaut
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 21, 1785
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 1
 49 
Jules de Goncourt
(Novelist)
Jules de Goncourt
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 17, 1830
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Nancy, France
Died: June 20
 50 
Anna Cora Mowatt
(Author)
Anna Cora Mowatt
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 5, 1819
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bordeaux, France
Died: July 21