Historical Events
Crédit Mobilier Scandal
Jan 6 US Congress begins investigating the Crédit Mobilier scandal, a fraud by the Union Pacific Railroad and Crédit Mobilier of America in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad
Celluloid Trademarked
Jan 14 "Celluloid" registered as a trademark by its inventor John Wesley Hyatt
- Jan 14 Prominent African American Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback elected to US Senate (though never seated due to state elections controversy)
- Jan 17 Modoc warriors defeats the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, a part of the Modoc War
- Jan 22 British SS Northfleet sinks at Dungeness, England, 300 die
"Around the World in 80 Days"
Jan 30 "Around the World in 80 Days" by Jules Verne is published in France by Pierre-Jules Hetzel
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Mariano Azuela, Mexican novelist (The Flies, The Bosses), born in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco (d. 1952)
- Jan 2 Anton Pannekoek, Dutch astronomer/marxist theorist (Communist Tactics), born in Vaassen, Netherlands (d. 1960)
- Jan 2 Moisei Uritsky, Russian Bolshevik revolutionary (leader of Petrogradse Cheka), born in Cherkasy, Kiev Governorate (d. 1918)
- Jan 2 Thérèse de Lisieux, French Roman-Catholic nun (d. 1897)
- Jan 3 Ichizo Kobayashi, Japanese businessman (d. 1957)
- Jan 6 Karl Straube, German organist and conductor, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1950)
- Jan 7 Adolph Zukor, Hungarian-American movie producer, director and executive (Paramount), born in Ricse, Hungary (d. 1976)
- Jan 8 Elena of Montenegro, queen of Italy (d. 1956)
- Jan 8 Iuliu Maniu, Romanian politician (d. 1953)
- Jan 8 Lucien Capet, French composer and violinist, born in Paris, France (d. 1928)
- Jan 9 Hayyim Nahman Bialik, Jewish poet, born in Radi, Volhynia, (d. 1934)
- Jan 10 George Orton, Canadian athlete, born in Strathroy-Caradoc, Canada (d. 1958)
- Jan 10 Jack O'Neill, Irish-born baseball player, born in Tawnaleen, Ireland (d. 1935)
- Jan 11 John Callan O'Laughlin, American political and military figure and journalist (d. 1949)
- Jan 12 Spyridon Louis, Greek athlete who won the 1st modern Olympics marathon in 1896, born in Marousi, Greece (d. 1940)
- Jan 15 Max Adler, Austria jurist & social philosopher (Austromarxism), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1937)
- Jan 16 Boyd Alexander, English explorer and ornithologist (Niger to the Nile), born in Cranbrook, England (d. 1910)
- Jan 17 Francois Rasse, Belgian composer, born in Helchin, Belgium (d. 1955)
- Jan 19 Hans Erich Blaich [Dr. Owlglass], German writer (Simplicissimus), born in Leutkirch im Allgäu (d. 1945)
- Jan 20 Charles A. Ellwood, American sociologist and psychologist, born near Ogdensburg, New York (d. 1946)
- Jan 20 Johannes V. Jensen, Danish novelist and poet (The Fall of the King; Nobel Prize for Literature, 1944), born in Farsø, North Jutland, Denmark (d. 1950)
Colette (1873-1954)
Jan 28 French author, novelist (Gigi, La Vagabonde) and actress, born in Paris, France
- Jan 28 Monty Noble, Australian cricket all-rounder (42 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 133, 121 wickets, BB 7/17; NSW), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1940)
- Jan 29 Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, Italian navy officer, explorer and mountaineer (Ruwenzori Range, Uganda; Mount Saint Alias, Yukon), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1933)
- Jan 30 Georges Ricard-Cordingley, French painter, born in Lyon, France (d. 1939)
- Jan 30 Rose Melville, American stage actress (A Baby Grand, Her Great Invention), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 1946)
Famous Deaths
- Jan 3 John Lodge Ellerton, British classical composer (The Bridal of Triermain, Domenica), dies at 71
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions