What Happened in October 1866

Historical Events

  • Oct 1 Dutch Eindhoven-Venlo railway opens
  • Oct 2 J Osterhoudt patents tin can with key opener
  • Oct 6 1st train robbery in US (Reno Brothers take $13,000)
  • Oct 15 Great fire in Quebec destroys 2,500 houses

Lexington Bank Robbery

Oct 30 Jesse James' gang robs bank in Lexington, Missouri ($2000)


Famous Birthdays

  • Oct 2 Charles Ricketts, British artist and illustrator, born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1931)
  • Oct 3 Learmont Drysdale, Scottish composer, born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1909)
  • Oct 6 Reginald Fessenden, Canadian-American inventor and radio pioneer - reputedly broadcast 1st program of voice and music, born in East Bolton, Quebec (d. 1932)
  • Oct 7 Martha McChesney Berry, American educator who founded Berry School for Children, born near Rome, Georgia (d. 1942)
  • Oct 7 Wlodimir Ledochowski, Polish-Austrian director of the Society of Jesus (d. 1942)

Ramsay MacDonald (1866-1937)

Oct 12 British Prime Minister (Labour: 1924, 1929-35), born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland

  • Oct 19 Clarence Lucas, Canadian composer, librettist, conductor, and music professor, born in Six Nations Reserve, Ontario (d. 1947)
  • Oct 25 Georg Alfred Schumann, German composer, born in Königstein, Saxony, Germany (d. 1952)
  • Oct 26 William "Kid" Gleason, American baseball utility (St. Louis Browns, NY Giants, Philadelphia Phillies) and manager (Chicago White Sox, during "Black Sox" scandal), born in Camden, New Jersey (d. 1933)

Famous Deaths

  • Oct 26 John Kinder Labatt, Irish-Canadian brewer (Labatt Brewing Company) (b. 1803)