Famous People Who Died In 1891

P. T. Barnum was an American politician, showman, and businessman. He is credited with founding the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus, which ran for 146 years. He is also credited with co-founding the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, which is one of the oldest American ferry companies. His life and work have inspired many films, including The Greatest Showman.

French poet Arthur Rimbaud is remembered for his influence on Dadaism, surrealism, and symbolism. Known for works such as Le Soleil Etait Encore Chaud and Voyelles, he later got involved in a relationship with poet Paul Verlaine. He also traveled as a merchant and explorer, before dying of cancer.

Herman Melville was an American short story writer, novelist, and poet. One of his best-known works, Moby-Dick is widely regarded as one of the great American novels, although it did not garner much attention during his lifetime. Livyatan melvillei, a species of an extinct sperm whale, which was discovered in 2010, was named in his honor.  

A significant figure of the Post-Impressionist era, Georges Seurat depicted structured art, far removed from the free-flowing Impressionist art. Best known for techniques such as pointillism, he created masterpieces such as Bathers at Asnières. He died before his last exhibition ended, and eerily displayed an unfinished painting, Cirque.

Russian philosopher Helena Blavatsky, or Madame Blavatsky, was one of the co-founders of the Theosophical Society. She popularized the slogan “There is no religion higher than truth.” She was inspired by the Arya Samaj and later converted to Buddhism. She also wrote books such as The Secret Doctrine.

John A. Macdonald was the first prime minister of Canada. A dominant figure in Canadian politics for half a century, he was a lawyer by profession before venturing into politics. As a politician, he was influential in building Canada’s new government. To date, he remains one of the highest-rated prime ministers in Canadian history. 

Hannibal Hamlin was an American politician and attorney whose public service career spanned more than five decades. The 15th vice president of the US, Hamlin is often counted among the most influential politicians from the state of Maine. Several places in the US, especially in Maine, have been named in his honor. There are also statues in Hannibal Hamlin's likeness.  

Pedro II, son of the first Brazilian emperor, Dom Pedro I, is also remembered by his countrymen as the Magnanimous. He made Brazil prosper while other South American nations were torn apart by strife and clashes. Following his deposition, by a coup to overthrow the monarchy, he sailed to Europe.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an Indian social reformer and educator. He is best remembered for his efforts to modernize and simplify Bengali prose for which he is widely regarded as the father of Bengali prose. As a social reformer, Vidyasagar played a crucial role in enacting the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, which legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows in India. 

Charles Stewart Parnell led both the Irish Parliamentary Party and the Home Rule League. A nationalist, he is remembered as one of the pioneering political leaders of Europe. However, his political image suffered a huge blow after he was dragged into an adultery scandal with Katherine O’Shea.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder was a Prussian field marshal who served as the chief of staff in the Royal Prussian Army for 30 years. Moltke, who commanded troops during Austro-Prussian War, Second Schleswig War, and the Franco-Prussian War, is credited with creating a new method of directing armies. He is also credited with pioneering the military usage of railways. 

Nigerian linguist and clergyman Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa. Sold into slavery during childhood, Crowther was eventually freed by West Africa Squadron of Royal Navy. He resettled in Sierra Leone, received his education in English, adopted Christianity and was ordained as a minister in England, being consecrated a bishop on St Peter's day. 

German physicist Wilhelm Weber is remembered for inventing the first electromagnetic telegraph, along with Carl Friedrich Gauss. The Copley Medal-winning scientist had also taught at the universities of Göttingen and Leipzig. The SI unit of magnetic flux, formerly known as the coulomb, was later named the weber in his honor.

Prince Baudouin of Belgium was the son of Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders. He is also known as the older brother of Albert I of Belgium, who went on to become King of the Belgians in 1909. Albert I became heir presumptive after the untimely death of Prince Baudouin of Belgium at the age of 21.

British civil engineer Joseph Bazalgette was the man behind the development of the sewage system of London. He was later knighted for his achievements and had also served as the president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Another notable work of his was the Hammersmith Bridge.

Mihail Kogălniceanu was a Romanian statesman, historian, lawyer, and publicist. He is best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Romania from 11 October 1863 to 26 January 1865. He was also a two-time Foreign Affairs Minister and four-time Internal Affairs Minister of Romania. Mihail Kogălniceanu was also one of the most influential intellectuals of his generation.

German mathematician Leopold Kronecker is best remembered for his pioneering work on the theory of equations and algebra. Interestingly, he wasn’t too keen on academic research initially and focused on his land business, while simultaneously pursuing math as a hobby. He could only focus on math after retiring at 30.

Russian novelist and travel writer Ivan Goncharov is best remembered for his novel Oblomov. Born into an affluent merchant family, he later had a 30-year stint as an official, working for the ministries of finance and censorship. In his memoir, An Uncommon Story, he accused many authors of plagiarizing his works.

Son of a French army man, Jules Grévy was a lawyer before he joined politics. He later became the president of France and pushed for a strong legislature. He adopted moderate foreign policies and was against colonial expansion. He resigned in the wake of a corruption scandal involving his son-in-law.

Recipient of the Victoria Cross, Gonville Bromhead was a British army officer, hailed for his role in the defence of Rorke's Drift during 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. He not only played an important part in repulsing the Zulu assault, but also stayed back to defend the area from future attacks until he was sent back to England to receive his award.  

Joseph Leidy was an American parasitologist, paleontologist, and anatomist. He is credited with writing an influential and important book titled Extinct Fauna of Dakota and Nebraska which housed several previously unknown and not described species. He also served as a professor at many educational institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College.

Known for constructions such as the Severn Tunnel and the Charing Cross and Cannon Street railways, John Hawkshaw was initially employed with the Manchester and Leeds Railway. His work was spread across Egypt, India, and the Netherlands. He was eventually knighted and made a fellow of the Royal Society.

German-Finnish composer- conductor Fredrik Pacius, reputed as "Father of Finnish music" is best-known for composing music of Maamme, the de facto national anthem of Finland, with lyrics written by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Melody of the piece was used for national anthem of Estonia, Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm; as also for the Livonian ethnic anthem Min izāmō, min sindimō.

French painter and illustrator Ernest Meissonier, part of the Academic art movement, is best remembered for his paintings of Napoleonic battles and other historical events. Though expected to join his family dye business, he left home to become an artist. His works showcase a prominent influence of 17th-century Dutch painters.

Russian-Polish physician Leon Pinsker didn’t just practice medicine in Odessa but also pioneered the Zionist movement, setting the stage for activists such as Theodor Herzl. His enthusiasm to get equal rights for Jews was cut short by the Odessa Pogroms. He established the Hovevei Zion in response to such pogroms.

Sanjō Sanetomi was a 19th-century Japanese Imperial court noble. He served as a statesman during the time of the Meiji Restoration and held many high-ranking offices in the Meiji government.  He became Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan after the dajōkan system was abolished and the cabinet system was established.   

Born to Swiss parents in Italy, Giovanni Morelli later studied medicine in Switzerland and Germany, but never practiced. A connoisseur of arts, he established himself as an art historian and collector. He also dabbled in politics and passed an act forbidding the sale of artwork from public or religious institutions.