What Happened in May 1872

Historical Events

1st Woman Nominated for US President

May 10 Victoria Woodhull becomes 1st woman nominated for US presidency by Equal Rights Party at Apollo Hall, NYC

  • May 16 Metropolitan Gas Company lamps lit for 1st time
  • May 17 Bohemian Club incorporated in San Francisco
  • May 22 Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners (except for 500)

Famous Birthdays

  • May 1 Sidónio Pais, Portuguese politician (4th President of Portugal, 66th Prime Minister of Portugal), born in Caminha, Portugal (d. 1918)
  • May 2 G. G. van der Hoeven, Dutch editor-in-chief (NRC newspaper), born in Brielle, Netherlands (d. 1955)
  • May 6 Willem de Sitter, Dutch scientist and cosmologist (developed theoretical models of the universe based on Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity), born in Sneek, Netherlands (d. 1934)
  • May 10 Marcel Mauss, French sociologist (d. 1950)
  • May 14 Elia Dalla Costa, Italian cardinals (d. 1961)

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

May 18 English mathematician and philosopher (Nobel 1950), born in Trellech, England

  • May 21 Henry E. Warren, American inventor (Telechon electric clock), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1957)
  • May 28 Marian Smoluchowski, Polish physicist (pioneer of statistical physics), born in Vorder-Brühl, Austria-Hungary (d. 1917)
  • May 31 Charles Greeley Abbot, American astronomer (Solar Constant), born in Wilton, New Hampshire (d. 1973)
  • May 31 W. Heath Robinson, English illustrator and cartoonist (Don Quixote), born in Islington, England (d. 1944)

Famous Deaths

  • May 1 Amalia of Saxen-Weimar-Eisenach, Dutch princess and wife of Prince Henry of the Netherlands, dies at 42
  • May 15 Thomas Hastings, American composer, dies at 87
  • May 17 Eduard Sobolewski, Polish-American violinist and composer, dies at 63
  • May 19 Johan Hendrik van Dale, Dutch schoolmaster and lexicographer(Van Dale's Great Dictionary of the Dutch Language), dies of smallpox at 44
  • May 24 Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, German painter and designer who figured importantly in the German Nazarene movement, dies at 78
  • May 29 John Gill Shorter, American politician (17th Governor of Alabama), dies at 54