What Happened in August 1891

Historical Events

  • Aug 5 World's 1st traveler's cheques issued by American Express
  • Aug 15 San Sebastian Church in Manila, the first all-steel church in Asia, is officially inaugurated and blessed

Battle of Interest

Aug 16 President Benjamin Harrison attends the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington, Vermont

  • Aug 17 1st public bathhouse with showers opens in NYC (People's Bath)
  • Aug 17 Electric self-starter for automobile patented
  • Aug 18 Hurricane hits Martinique, about 700 die
  • Aug 19 William Huggins describes astronomical application of spectrum
  • Aug 21 Dutch Mackay government resigns

Motion Picture Camera

Aug 24 Thomas Edison patents motion picture camera

  • Aug 31 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport R.I.: Defending champion Oliver Campbell beats Clarence Hobart 2-6, 7-5, 7-9, 6-1, 6-2; second of 3 straight titles
1891 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Aug 2 Arthur Bliss, English composer (Olympians), born in London, England (d. 1975)
  • Aug 2 Mihail Jora, Romanian composer, born in Roman, Romania (d. 1971)
  • Aug 2 Viktor Maksimovich Zhirmunsky, Russian literary historian and linguist, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1971)
  • Aug 3 Leslie Henson, English comedian and actor (Lady Luck, Funny Face, Harvey), born in Notting Hill, London (d. 1957)
  • Aug 5 Donald Kerr, American actor (Carnival Lady, Devil Bat), born in Eagle Grove, Iowa (d. 1977)
  • Aug 6 William Slim, British general (d. 1970)
  • Aug 8 Adolf Busch, German violinist (d. 1952)
  • Aug 9 (Marcus) "Max" Tak, Dutch violinist and radio commentator, born in Amsterdam (d. 1967)
  • Aug 10 Henry O'Neill, American actor ("Lady Killer"; "Nothing But Trouble"), born in Orange, New Jersey (d. 1961)
  • Aug 12 John McDermott, American golfer (US Open 1911, 12), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1971)
  • Aug 14 Marinus de Jong, Dutch composer, born in Oosterhout, Netherlands (d. 1984)

Bugs Moran (1891-1957)

Aug 21 American gangster of the Prohibition-era, born in St. Paul, Minnesota

  • Aug 21 Emiliano Mercado del Toro, World's oldest living man 2004-2007, born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico (d. 2007)
  • Aug 22 Francis McDonald, American actor (Will-Adv of Champion), born in Bowling Green, Kentucky (d. 1968)
  • Aug 22 Jacques Lipchitz, Polish-French-American painter and cubist sculptor, born in Druskininkai, Lithuania (d. 1973)
  • Aug 24 Alexander Mikhaylovich Dzegelyonok, Russian composer, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1969)
  • Aug 24 Germaine Loosveldt, Flemish actress (Kniertje in On hope), born in Halluin, France (d. 1960)
  • Aug 25 Alberto Savinio [Andrea Francesco Alberto de Chirico], Italian composer (Capitano Ulisse), born in Athens (d. 1952)
  • Aug 25 Luis Iruarrizaga Aguirre, Basque priest, organist and religious music composer, born in Yurre, Viscaya, Spain (d. 1928)
  • Aug 25 Samuel Gardner, American composer, born in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine (d. 1984)
  • Aug 26 Emmy van Lokhorst, Dutch writer and literary critic, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1970)
  • Aug 26 Ferdinand Bruckner [Theodor Tagger], Austrian-German playwright (Races), born in Sofia, Bulgaria (d. 1958)
  • Aug 28 Stanley Andrews, American actor (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1969)
  • Aug 29 Michael Chekhov, Russian-American actor (Abie's Irish Rose, Rhapsody), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1955)
Born in 1891

Famous Deaths

  • Aug 2 George Washington Williams, American historian (History of the Negro Race in America), dies from tuberculosis and pleurisy at 41
  • Aug 5 Henry Litolff, French composer and pianist, dies at 73
  • Aug 12 James Russell Lowell, American poet, critic and diplomat (Biglow Papers), dies at 72
  • Aug 14 Johnny Mullagh, Australian cricket all-rounder (Aboriginal tour of England 1868), dies at 50
  • Aug 14 Sarah Childress Polk, Wife of the 11th President of the United States, James K. Polk (1845-1849), dies at 87
  • Aug 22 Jan Neruda, Czech author (b. 1834)
  • Aug 29 Pierre Lallement, inventor of the bicycle (b. 1843 or 1844)