Historical Events
- Jan 1 Building of Panama Canal begins
- Jan 6 Record snow cover in Seattle - 120 cm
- Jan 9 6' (1.83 metres) of snow falls in Seattle in 5 days
- Jan 9 The Great Gale of 1880 devastates parts of Oregon and Washington with high wind and heavy snow
- Jan 21 1st US sewage disposal system separate from storm drains in Memphis, Tennessee
Edison Patents Electric Lamp
Jan 27 Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Edie Martin, British actress (Titfield Thunderbolt), born in London, England (d. 1964)
- Jan 2 Louis Charles Breguet, French aviation pioneer (founded the Compagnie des messageries aérienne which became Air France), born in Paris (d. 1955)
- Jan 3 Donat Raymond, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame builder (head Canadian Arena Company, Montreal Forum rebuilt in 1968) and politician, born in St. Stanislas de Kostka, Quebec (d. 1963)
- Jan 5 Nikolai Medtner, Russian pianist and composer (Skazi), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1951)
- Jan 6 Tom Mix [Thomas Hezikiah Mix], American silent screen cowboy actor (Dick Turpin), born in Mix Run, Pennsylvania (d. 1940)
- Jan 6 Yuliya Veysberg, Russian music critic and composer, born in Orenburg, Russia (d. 1942)
- Jan 10 Eduard Meijers, Dutch lawyer (Short Cause), born in Den Helder, Netherlands (d. 1954)
- Jan 10 Frans van Cauwelaert, Flemish minister and Mayor of Antwerp, born in Roosdaal, Belgium (d. 1961)
- Jan 10 Grock [Adrien Wettach], Swiss clown and circus director, born in Loveresse, Canton of Bern (d. 1959)
Manuel Azaña (1880-1940)
Jan 10 Prime Minister of Spain (1931-33) and 2nd President of the Spanish Republic (1936-39), born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Jan 11 Elisabeth Achelis, American heiress, writer, and proponent of the 13-month World Calendar, born in Brooklyn, NYC (d. 1973)
- Jan 11 Rudolf Palm, Curaçaoan pianist and composer, born in Curaçao (d. 1950)
Mack Sennett (1880-1960)
Jan 17 Canadian-American film director and producer (Keystone Kops), born in Richmond, Quebec
- Jan 18 Paul Ehrenfest, Austrian-Dutch theoretical physicist (phase transition, Ehrenfest theorem), born in Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1933)
- Jan 20 Walter W. Bacon, American politician (d. 1962)
- Jan 25 Francis George Scott, Scottish composer (Intuitions), born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland (d. 1958)
Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)
Jan 26 American general in World War II (Pacific theater, Philippines) and Korea, born in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Jan 28 Herbert Strudwick, English cricket wicketkeeper (28 Tests, 73 dismissals; Surrey CCC), born in Mitcham, England (d. 1970)
- Jan 28 Mary Boland, American comedienne and actress (Ruggles of Red Gap), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1965)
- Jan 29 W. C. Fields [William Claude Dukenfield], American actor (Bank Dick), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1946)
Famous Weddings
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Jan 7 Polish pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski (19) weds Polish musician Antonina Korsak, until she dies from complications of childbirth later that year
Famous Deaths
Emperor Norton (1819-1880)
Jan 8 British born self proclaimed "Norton I, Emperor of the United States", dies at 60
