What Happened in 1884

Fedor Jeftichew, aka Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy, Begins Performing With P. T. Barnum

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1868, Fedor Jeftichew suffered from the medical condition hypertrichosis. He toured with his father, Adrian, who... Read more

Theodore Roosevelt Ranches the Badlands

Roosevelt built a second ranch, which he named Elk Horn, thirty-five miles (56 km) north of the boomtown of Medora, North Dakota. On the banks of... Read more

Mohandes Gandhi Enters Rebellious Adolescent Phase, Engaging in Activities He Will Soon Reject

Like most growing children he passed through a rebellious phase, but contrary to the impression fostered by his autobiography, Gandhi’s adolescence... Read more

Sophie Tucker Is Born

Sophie Tucker was born Sonya Kalish to a Russian-Jewish family on January 13. The year was either 1884 or 1886. Family legend has it that baby... Read more

Frederick Douglass Marries Helen Pitts

Douglass marries Helen Pitts, a white woman who had been his secretary when he was recorder of deeds. The interracial marriage causes controversy... Read more

Alice Lee Roosevelt is Born

Alice Lee Roosevelt was born at the Roosevelt family home on 6 West 57th St. in New York City. Her mother, Alice, was a Boston banking heiress. Her... Read more

Enigma Tornado Outbreak

The 1884 Enigma outbreak is thought to be among the largest and most widespread tornado outbreaks in American history, striking on February 19–20,... Read more

Susan B. Anthony Begins Her Address Before The Judiciary Committee Of The House Of Representatives

Thus Susan B. Anthony began her address before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives on March 8, 1884. In her statement printed... Read more

Henry Reed Is Born

Henry Reed, age 19, plays banjo; his older brother Josh plays fiddle. From the collection of James Reed, with permission. Fiddle Tunes of the Old... Read more

Oscar Wilde Marries Constance Lloyd

On May 29, 1884, Oscar married Constance Lloyd. Constance was four years younger than Oscar and the daughter of a prominent barrister who died when... Read more

Theodore Roosevelt Attends Republican National Convention

Roosevelt was a Republican activist during his years in the Assembly, writing more bills than any other New York state legislator. Already a major... Read more

Tesla arrives in the United States

On 6 June 1884, Tesla first arrived in the United States, in New York City with little besides a letter of recommendation from Charles Batchelor, a... Read more

Mary Edison Dies

On December 25, 1871, Edison married 16-year-old Mary Stilwell. They had three children: * Marion Estelle Edison (1873–1965), nicknamed... Read more

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Is Born

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 11, 1884. Orphaned by the time she was ten, the young niece of President Theodore... Read more

Grover Cleveland is Elected US President

On November 4, 1884, Democrat Grover Cleveland defeated Republican James G. Blaine ending a particularly acrimonious campaign. The outcome of the... Read more

Mark Twain Publishes "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (often referred to as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or shortened to Huckleberry Finn or simply Huck Finn) is a... Read more

Washington Monument Is Completed

On December 6, 1884, workers placed the 3,300 pound marble capstone on the Washington Monument, and topped it with a nine-inch pyramid of cast... Read more