What Happened in 1881

Douglass Publishes Third Autobiography - The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass

The 1892 Life and Times is divided into three sections, with the first devoted to "His Early Life as a Slave," the second to "His Escape from... Read more

Ulysses S. Grant Goes Bankrupt

In 1881, Grant purchased a house in New York City and placed almost all of his financial assets into an investment banking partnership with... Read more

Mohandes Gandhi Enters High School in Rajkot

Gandhi was a shy and fearful child. Short and spindly, he shied away from athletics, and his lack of physical prowess was matched by his... Read more

Metal Detector First Used By Alexander Graham Bell

Toward the end of the 19th century, many scientists and engineers used their growing knowledge of electrical theory in an attempt to devise a... Read more

Jane Addams graduates from Rockford College

Today, the spirit of Jane Addams (Rockford College alumna) lives on at Rockford College. As Jane Addams’ college in the 21st century, we seek to... Read more

James Garfield is inaugurated as the 20th president of the United States

Snow on the ground discouraged many spectators from attending the ceremony at the Capitol. Congressman Garfield had been nominated on his party's... Read more

Billy The Kid Escapes

Billy the Kid escaped from the Lincoln County, New Mexico jail house on April 28, 1881, killing two deputies on guard. He avoided capture until... Read more

Wreck of the SS Tararua

The second greatest loss of life in New Zealand waters came in 1881 when 131 people died in the wreck of the Tararua. On a voyage from Port... Read more

Louis Pasteur Demonstrates Anthrax Vaccine

In 1877, Louis Pasteur began his animal experiments with anthrax. After years of attempting to infect animals, he announced that he had developed a... Read more

Jefferson Davis Publishes "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government"

In 1876, he promoted a society for the stimulation of U.S. trade with South America. Davis visited England the next year, returning in 1878 to... Read more

President James A. Garfield Assassinated

Less than four months after his inauguration, President Garfield arrived at the Washington railroad depot on July 2, 1881, to catch a train for a... Read more

Great Thumb Forest Fire

In the Lower Peninsula of the state of Michigan, a widespread drought had begun to dry out pastures, crops, wells and, eventually, forests. The... Read more

President Chester A. Arthur Takes Oath of Office After the Assassination of James Garfield

On this day in 1881, Chester Arthur is inaugurated, becoming the third person to serve as president in that year. The year 1881 began with... Read more

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a gunfight that occurred at about 3 P.M. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory,... Read more

Henry James' "The Portrait of a Lady" Is Published

The Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880–1881 and... Read more

"Der Lustige Krieg" Is Released

Der lustige Krieg (The Merry War) is the name of a three-act operetta composed by Johann Strauss II. The work was first performed on 25 November... Read more

Ring Theatre Fire

A fire at the Ring Theater in Vienna, Austria, kills at least 620 people and injures hundreds more on this day in 1881. The luxurious, ornate... Read more

Charles Guiteau Writes A Letter To His Jailer

On December 31, 1881, Charles Guiteau, the assassin of President James Garfield, wrote a New Year's greeting to his jailer. Charles Julius... Read more