Famous People Who Died In 1879

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1879. This list includes people like Bernadette Soubirous, William Lloyd Garrison, Begum Hazrat Mahal, John Bell Hood, James Maxwell and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include military leaders, soldiers, mathematicians and political leaders who died in 1879. This list includes people from United States, France, Germany and many more countries.
Vote for Your Favourite People Who Died In 1879

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 
James Maxwell
(Scottish Mathematician and Scientist Who Gave the Classical Theory of Electromagnetic Radiation)
James Maxwell
15
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 13, 1831
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: November 5

Scottish physicist James Maxwell’s contributions included the formulation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation and the production of the first light-fast color photograph. His Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution explored the kinetic theory of gases. He has also written poems and was an Elder of the Church of Scotland.

 2 
William Lloyd Garrison
(Abolitionist, Journalist and Founder of the Anti-Slavery Newspaper ‘The Liberator’)
William Lloyd Garrison
9
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 10, 1805
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 24

William Lloyd Garrison was an American journalist, abolitionist, social reformer, and suffragist. He is best remembered for founding The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper, which was published from 1831 to 1865. He also co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society which helped fight slavery in the United States. In the 1870s, William Lloyd Garrison was an important figure in the women's suffrage movement.

 3 
John Bell Hood
(Confederate General)
John Bell Hood
7
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 1, 1831
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Owingsville, Kentucky, United States
Died: August 30
 4 
Angelina Grimke
(American Political Activist, Abolitionist, and Women's Rights Advocate)
Angelina Grimke
3
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: February 20, 1805
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Died: October 26

Angelina Grimke was an American political activist, abolitionist, women's rights advocate, and promoter of the women's suffrage movement. She is best remembered for the anti-slavery speech which she gave outside Pennsylvania Hall in May 1838. One of her letters regarding anti-slavery was published by William Lloyd Garrison in his newspaper The Liberator in 1835.

 5 
Begum Hazrat Mahal
(Wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah)
Begum Hazrat Mahal
8
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1820 AD
Birthplace: Faizabad
Died: April 7

Also known as Begum of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal was the second wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. She is remembered for rebelling against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Following her husband’s exile, she took over affairs in the state of Awadh. However, she was forced by the British to abandon Awadh.

 6 
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
(Architect)
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
3
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: January 27, 1814
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 17

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was a French architect and author. He is credited with restoring prominent medieval landmarks in France, including iconic buildings which had been damaged during the French Revolution. He restored Notre-Dame de Paris and the Basilica of Saint-Denis, among others. He is regarded as the first theorist of modern architecture and wrote extensively on the subject. 

 7 
Joseph Hooker
(Officer, Soldier)
Joseph Hooker
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 13, 1814
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Died: October 31
 8 
Bernadette Soubirous
(French Saint Who Received Visions from the Virgin Mary in a Cave Near Lourdes)
Bernadette Soubirous
6
Birthdate: January 7, 1844
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lourdes, France
Died: April 16
Bernadette Soubirous grew up amidst poverty, which contributed to her ill health and her stunted frame of just over 4 feet. At 14, she had visions of the Virgin Mary, which led to the formation of the Marian shrine of Lourdes. She was declared a saint by Pope Pius XI.
 9 
Julia Margaret Cameron
(Photographer)
Julia Margaret Cameron
3
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: June 11, 1815
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kolkata
Died: January 26

Julia Margaret Cameron was a British photographer best remembered for her close-up portraits of popular Victorian men. Widely regarded as one of the 19th century's most important portraitists, Cameron is credited with capturing the beauty and innocence of children, women, and men. Julia Margaret Cameron is also credited with popularizing the close-ups in photography.

 10 
Sarah Josepha Hale
(American author)
Sarah Josepha Hale
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 24, 1788
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Newport, New Hampshire, United States
Died: April 30
 11 
Peggy Eaton
(Socialite)
Peggy Eaton
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 3, 1799
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: November 8
 12 
Camille Doncieux
(French Painter, Model and First Wife of Painter Claude Monet)
Camille Doncieux
0
Birthdate: January 15, 1847
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lyon, France
Died: September 5
 13 
Napoleon, Prince Imperial
(Prince)
Napoleon, Prince Imperial
1
Birthdate: March 16, 1856
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris, French Empire
Died: June 1
 14 
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
(French Bookseller, Printer, and Inventor)
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
1
Birthdate: April 25, 1817
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Paris
Died: April 26
 15 
Miguel Grau Seminario
(Peruvian Naval Officer Who Played an Important Role in the Battle of Angamos)
Miguel Grau Seminario
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 27, 1834
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paita, Peru
Died: October 8

Miguel Grau Seminario was a Peruvian naval officer best remembered for his role in the Battle of Angamos, which was part of the War of the Pacific. Nicknamed Gentleman of the Seas, Miguel Grau Seminario is also remembered for his chivalrous and kind treatment of defeated enemies.

 16 
Daniel Drew
(Businessman)
Daniel Drew
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: July 29, 1797
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Carmel Hamlet, New York, United States
Died: September 18
 17 
William Kingdon Clifford
(Mathematician)
William Kingdon Clifford
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: May 4, 1845
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Exeter, England
Died: March 3
 18 
August Bournonville
(Ballet Master)
August Bournonville
1
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: August 21, 1805
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark
Died: November 30
 19 
Thomas Couture
(Fine art artist)
Thomas Couture
0
Birthdate: December 21, 1815
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Senlis, France
Died: March 30
 20 
Zachariah Chandler
(Politician)
Zachariah Chandler
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 10, 1813
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bedford, New Hampshire, United States
Died: November 1
 21 
Gottfried Semper
(Architect)
Gottfried Semper
0
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: November 29, 1803
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Altona, Hamburg, Germany
Died: May 15
 22 
Isaac Butt
(Barrister)
Isaac Butt
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 6, 1813
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: County Donegal, Ireland
Died: May 5
 23 
Jón Sigurdsson
(Political Leader)
Jón Sigurdsson
0
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: June 17, 1811
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Iceland
Died: December 7
 24 
Prince Waldemar of Prussia
(Prince)
Prince Waldemar of Prussia
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 10, 1868
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: March 27
 25 
William Fothergill Cooke
(Inventor)
William Fothergill Cooke
1
Birthdate: May 4, 1806
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Ealing,London, England
Died: June 25
 26 
Henry Charles Carey
(Economist)
Henry Charles Carey
1
Birthdate: December 15, 1793
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: October 13
 27 
Claude-Étienne Minié
(Military Officer)
Claude-Étienne Minié
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 13, 1804
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: December 14
 28 
Baldomero Espartero, prince de Vergara
(Spanish Statesman and Marshal)
Baldomero Espartero, prince de Vergara
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 27, 1793
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Granátula, Spain
Died: January 8
 29 
Joseph Cinqué
(Slave)
Joseph Cinqué
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 3, 1814
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone
Died: May 3
 30 
Henry Sewell
(Former Prime Minister of New Zealand (7 May 1856 – 20 May 1856))
Henry Sewell
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 7, 1807
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Newport, England
Died: May 14

British colonizer Henry Sewell initially followed in his father’s footsteps to become a solicitor and joined his father’s law firm. He later joined the Canterbury Association and participated in the colonization of New Zealand, becoming the country’s first premier. He had also been an attorney general and a minister of justice.

 31 
Karl Friedrich Mohr
(Chemist)
Karl Friedrich Mohr
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 4, 1806
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Koblenz, Germany
Died: September 28
 32 
William, Prince of Orange
(Prince)
William, Prince of Orange
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 4, 1840
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Noordeinde Palace, The Hague, Netherlands
Died: June 11
 33 
Pancho Fierro
(Artist)
Pancho Fierro
0
Birthdate: October 5, 1807
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lima, Peru
Died: July 28
 34 
Marguerite Bays
(Saint)
Marguerite Bays
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 8, 1815
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chavannes-les-Forts, Switzerland
Died: June 27
 35 
Cornelia Connelly
(Religious Leader)
Cornelia Connelly
1
Birthdate: January 15, 1809
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: April 18
 36 
Jakob Stämpfli
(Swiss Politician)
Jakob Stämpfli
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 23, 1820
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wengi, Switzerland
Died: May 15
 37 
Octave Crémazie
(Canadian Poet Known for Patriotic Poetic Works Such as Le Vieux Soldat Canadien and Le Drapeau de Carillon)
Octave Crémazie
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 16, 1827
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Quebec City, Canada
Died: January 16

Octave Crémazie was a French-Canadian bookseller and poet who played a major role in Quebec's cultural development. Often referred to as the father of French Canadian poetry, Crémazie is best remembered for his patriotic verse. Octave Crémazie is credited with founding an organization called Institut canadien, which aimed at promoting French-Canadian culture.

 38 
Charley Parkhurst
(Stagecoach driver)
Charley Parkhurst
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1812 AD
Birthplace: Sharon, Vermont, United States
Died: December 18
 39 
John Thadeus Delane
(Journalist)
John Thadeus Delane
0
Birthdate: October 11, 1817
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England
Died: November 22
 40 
Johann von Lamont
(German Astronomer Known for Discovering Magnetism of the Earth)
Johann von Lamont
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 13, 1805
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Corriemulzie, Scotland
Died: August 6

Although Johann von Lamont is best known for discovering that the Earth’s magnetic field fluctuates with a period of around 10 years, his contributions towards astronomy is not limited to that. Known to catalogue more than 34,000 stars, he also determined the mass of Uranus, orbits of Saturn’s satellites Enceladus and Tethys and periods of Uranus’ satellites, Ariel and Titan.

 41 
Marija Obrenović
(Former Moldavian and Romanian boyaress)
Marija Obrenović
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1831 AD
Birthplace: Iași, Romania
Died: 1879 AD
 42 
Charles Jeremiah Wells
(Poet)
Charles Jeremiah Wells
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 25, 1799
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 17
 43 
Ryszard Wincenty Berwiński
(Polish Poet)
Ryszard Wincenty Berwiński
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1817 AD
Birthplace: Poznań, Poland
Died: October 31

Polish poet and folklorist Ryszard Wincenty Berwiński is best known for his iconic works such as Studies in Folk Literature and the socially relevant volume Poezje. He was a Prussian parliament delegate. Part of the Polish forces in Crimean War, he later also served the Turkish military.

 44 
Tēvita ʻUnga
(1st Prime Minister of Tonga)
Tēvita ʻUnga
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1824 AD
Birthplace: Tonga
Died: December 18
 45 
Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
(Actress, Princess)
Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz
1
Birthdate: July 18, 1793
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Coulommiers, France
Died: November 25
 46 
Caleb Mills
(Educator)
Caleb Mills
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 29, 1806
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dunbarton, New Hampshire, United States
Died: October 17
 47 
Honoré Daumier
(French Painter and Sculptor Known for His Cartoons and Drawings Satirizing 19th-Century French Politics and Society)
Honoré Daumier
2
Birthdate: February 26, 1808
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Marseille, France
Died: February 10

Honoré Daumier is best remembered for his satirical cartoons on the French society and politics. Born to a glazier father in Marseille, he later began studying art under Alexandre Lenoir and developed a love for sculptures, too. He later made a fortune, working on commissions of lithographs.

 48 
Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte
(Socialite)
Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 6, 1785
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: April 4
 49 
George Caleb Bingham
(Artist)
George Caleb Bingham
1
Birthdate: March 20, 1811
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Augusta County, Virginia, United States
Died: July 7
 50 
Buffalo Calf Road Woman
(Rescuing her wounded brother)
Buffalo Calf Road Woman
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1844 AD
Birthplace: Interior Plains
Died: April 30