Historical Events
The Poor of New York
Dec 8 Dion Boucicault's stage drama "The Poor of New York" opens at Wallack's Lyceum Theatre, NYC
- Dec 16 Earthquake in Naples, Italy
"The Battle of the Huns"
Dec 29 Franz Liszt's symphonic poem "Hunnenschlacht (The Battle of the Huns)" premieres in Weimar
Ottawa Becomes Capital
Dec 31 Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa as new capital of Canada
Famous Birthdays
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)
Dec 3 Polish-English novelist (Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness), born in Berdychiv, Poland
- Dec 7 Niccolò van Westerhout, Italian composer, born in Mola di Bari, Italy (d. 1898)
- Dec 15 Eugeniusz Pankiewicz, Polish composer, born in Siedlce, Poland (d. 1898)
- Dec 16 Edward Emerson Barnard, American astronomer (Jupiter's 5th satellite), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1923)
- Dec 31 Michael "King" Kelly, American Baseball HOF utility (NL batting champion 1884, 86; NL runs scored 1884–86, Chicago White Sox) and manager (Boston Beaneaters, Reds; Cincinnati KKs), born in Troy, NY (d. 1894)
Famous Weddings
John Singleton Mosby
Dec 30 Confederate army cavalry battalion commander John S. Mosby (24) weds Pauline Clarke in Nashville
