References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1885 January 4 Eduard Yosif Kotek composer, dies at age 29. [1] January 6 Peter C Asbjørnsen Norwegian fairy tale writer, dies at age 72. [1] January 19 Fred Burnaby English Colonel/balloon pioneer, dies in battle. [1] January 24 Martin R Delany politician and black nationalist, dies at age 72. [1] January 26 Charles George Gordon British Governor-General, executed (slain with troops by Sudanese in Khartoum) at age 51. [1] February 15 Leopold Damrosch composer, dies at age 52. [1] February 18 Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby composer, dies at age 61. [1] March 28 Fredrick Vilhelm Ludvig Norman composer, dies at age 53. [1] March 31 Franz Wilhelm Abt German composer/choir conductor, dies at age 65. [1] Philipp Fahrbach composer, dies at age 69. [1] April 10 John H Scholten theologist (Free Want), dies at age 73. [1] April 23 William Henry Holmes composer, dies at age 73. [1] May 4 Aleksandar I Karadjordjevic monarch of Serbia (1842-58), dies at age 78. [1] May 5 Lauro Rossi composer, dies at age 73. [1] May 8 Pavel Krizkovsky composer, dies at age 65. [1] May 10 Edward Stephen composer, dies at age 62. [1] Ferdinand Hiller composer, dies at age 73. [1] May 11 Ferdinand Hiller German pianist/composer/conductor, dies at age 73. [1] May 13 Juliana Horatia [Gatty] Ewing author (Lob Lie-by-the-Fire), dies. [1] May 21 Gavril Yakimovich Lomakin composer, dies at age 73. [1] May 22 Victor(-Marie) Hugo French writer (Les Misérables), dies at age 83. [1] May 29 Alfred von Meissner Austrian physician/writer (Ziska), dies at age 63. [1] July 23 Ulysses S Grant 18th US pres, dies in Mount McGregor, New York, at age 63. [1] September 15 Jumbo the elephant is struck by a freight train and killed, in Saint Thomas, Ontario. [66.18] October 29 George B McClellan Union army general, dies at age 58. [1] November 16 Louis Riel French rebel who fought against Canada, executed at age 41. [1] November 25 Thomas A Hendricks 21st Vice President, dies at age 66, 8 months after taking office. [1] December 24 Louis-Prosper Gachard Belgian historian, dies at age 85. [1] 1886 January 4 Ernest Panckoucke French publisher (Horace), dies at age 77. [1] January 9 Jakob Eduard Schmolzer composer, dies at age 73. [1] January 16 Amilcare Ponchielli Italian composer (La Gioconda), dies at age 51. [1] January 17 Amilcare Ponchielli Italian composer (La Gioconda), dies at age 51. [1] January 18 Michal Czajchovski [Sadik Pasja], writer, dies. [1] February 12 P J Edvard Backström Swedish writer, dies at age 44. [1] March 18 Leopold Zunz German intellect (Synagogue Poetry), dies at age 91. [1] March 31 Giovanni Rossi composer, dies at age 57. [1] April 9 Joseph V von Scheffel German writer (Ekkehard), dies at age 60. [1] April 13 Karoly Thern composer, dies at age 68. [1] May 1 Heinrich Franz Daniel Stiehl composer, dies at age 56. [1] May 5 Joseph Albert German photographer (Albertotype), dies at age 61. [1] May 15 Emily Dickinson US poet, dies at age 55. [1] June 13 King Ludwig II of Bavaria drowns. [1] October 10 David L Yule first Jewish US senator, dies. [1] November 18 Chester A Arthur (21st President), dies in New York at age 56. [1] December 5 Peter Hofstede de Groot Dutch reformed theologist, dies at age 84. [1] December 14 Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski composer, dies at age 27. [1] 1887 January 1 Johan Hendrik Koelman portrait painter, dies at age 66. [1] January 7 Abraham I van Lier Dutch actor/director (Gran Théâtre), dies at age 74. [1] January 14 Friedrich von Amerling Austrian painter, dies at age 83. [1] Peter "Peerke" Donders missionary (Father of Melaatsen), dies at age 77. [1] February 10 Ellen Wood English author (Pomeroy Abbey), dies at age 73. [1] Pieter van der Aa Dutch geographer, dies at age 54. [1] February 15 Alexander Borodin composer, dies. [1] February 19 Eduard Douwes Dekker Dutch writer (Max Havelaar), dies at age 66. [1] February 27 Alexander Porfir'yevich Borodin Russian composer, dies at age 53. [1] March 2 August W Eichler German botanist, dies at age 47. [1] Wilhelm Troszel composer, dies at age 63. [1] March 8 Pavel Annenkov Russian literature historian/critic, dies at age 73. [1] March 16 Emanuel Kania composer, dies at age 59. [1] March 20 Pavel Annenkov Russian literature historian, dies at age 73. [1] March 28 Ditler G Monrad Danish bishop/premier (1863-), dies at age 75. [1] April 11 Pyotr Petrovich Sokal'sky composer, dies at age 54. [1] April 28 Carl Ferdinand Pohl composer, dies at age 67. [1] April 30 Friedrich Wilhelm Markull composer, dies at age 71. [1] May 8 Alexander Ulyanov brother of Lenin/hanged for assassination of tsar. [1] May 19 Pieter Blussé van Alblas liberal minister of Finance, dies at age 75. [1] May 23 Ludwig Mathias Lindeman composer, dies at age 74. [1] May 27 Coenraad J van Houten Dutch cocoa manufacturer, dies at age 86. [1] October 17 Gustav Kirchoff discoverer of the laws of spectroscopy, dies. [1] November 19 Emma Lazarus US poet ("Give us your tired and poor"), dies in New York at age 38. [1] December 1 Albertus J Duymaer van Twist Governor-General of Dutch-Indies, dies at age 78. [1] December 26 Jules François Blasini Curaçao pianist/composer, dies at age 40. [1] 1888 January 5 Henri Herz composer, dies at a day before 85th birthday. [1] January 14 Stephen Heller composer, dies at age 74. [1] January 21 Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh composer, dies at age 83. [1] January 29 Edward Lear poet/author, dies at age 75. [1] January 30 Asa Gray US botanist (Flora of North America), dies at age 77. [1] February 5 Anton Mauve Dutch painter/cousin of Vincent Van Gogh, dies at age 49. [1] March 4 Amos Bronson Alcott US theory/poet (Table Talk), dies at age 88. [1] March 6 Louisa May Alcott US author (Old-fashioned Girl), dies at age 55. [1] March 10 Ciro Pinsuti Italian pianist/composer, dies at age 57. [1] March 12 Henry Bergh founder (ASPCA), dies at age 76. [1] March 29 Charles-Henri Valentin Alkan composer, dies at age 74. [1] April 14 William Fisk Sherwin composer, dies at age 62. [1] April 15 Matthew Arnold English poet, dies at age 65. [1] August 31 Mary Ann Nicholls a 42-year-old prostitute, is found stabbed to death. [1] December 2 Franz Xaver Witt composer, dies at age 54. [1] Mehmed N Kemal Bey Turkish writer/journalist (Vatan), dies at age 47. [1] December 10 Mariano Obiols composer, dies at age 79. [1] 1889 January 10 Martin Andreas Udbye composer, dies at age 68. [1] January 17 Juan Montalvo Ecuadorian author (Siete Tratados), dies at age 56. [1] January 27 Ivan S Aksakov Russian journalist, dies at age 65. [1] February 1 Joseph Gungl composer, dies at age 78. [1] February 3 Belle Starr US female gangster, murdered at age 40. [1] February 12 Andrew Greenwood cricketer (batted in England's first two Tests 1877), dies. [1] March 3 Edward Sydney Smith composer, dies at age 49. [1] March 8 Jens/John Ericsson Sweden/US, engineer (fire extinguisher), dies at age 85. [1] March 12 Yohannes IV [Kasa], Emperor of Ethiopia (1872-89), dies in battle. [1] March 17 Joseph A Alberdingk Thijm [Pauwels Foreestier], poet, dies at age 68. [1] March 18 William Henry Monk composer, dies at age 66. [1] March 27 Moritz Furstenau composer, dies at age 64. [1] March 28 Matilde "Tillie" Ziegler killed by husband William Kemmler. [1] April 4 Thomas T H Jorissen historian, dies at age 56. [1] April 8 Henry Jupp cricketer (scored 63 on Test debut for England in 1877), dies. [1] April 19 Warren De La Rue astronomer/chemist, dies. [1] May 15 Alfred Potocki premier Austrian/Governor/Viceroy of Galicia, dies. [1] May 17 William Roxby Beverly artist, dies. [1] May 28 Willem M d'Ablaing lawyer, dies at age 37. [1] June 28 Maria Mitchell first US woman astronomer, dies at age 71. [1] December 3 Baltasar Saldoni composer, dies at age 82. [1] December 6 Jefferson Davis President of Confederate States of America (1861-5), dies at age 81. [1] Joseph H "Jozef" Neuhuys painter, dies at age 48. [1] December 10 Ludwig Anzengruber Austrian playwright, dies at age 50. [1] December 12 Robert Browning English poet (Ring and Book), dies at age 77. [1] December 15 Ferdinand II king of Portugal, dies at age 73. [1] December 21 Joseph B Lightfoot English theologist/bishop of Durham, dies at age 61. [1] December 31 Ion Creanga Romanian (fairy tales) author, dies at age 52. [1]