Historical Events In 1856

May 19 Senator Charles Sumner, Massachusetts, spoke out against slavery

May 22 Violence in Senate, South Carolina Representative Brooks used a cane on Massachusetts Senator Sumner

May 24 Pottawatomie Massacre took place in Kansas

May 21 Lawrence KS captured, sacked by pro-slavery forces

May 07 Argentine & Brazilian sign a navigation pact

May 06 The birth of Robert Peary, American Artic explorer

May 06 The birth of Sigmund Freud, Austrian psychologist

May 27 Doctor William Palmer found guilty of poisoning

Jan 23 Steamer Pacific lost

Jan 08 Dr John A Veatch discovers borax, Tuscan Springs CA

Jan 25 Battle of Seattle; skirmish between settlers &Indians

Jan 29 Victoria Cross established to acknowledge bravery by the British Government

Jan 12 The birth of John Singer Sargent, American painter

Jan 08 Dr. John Veatch discovers Borax (hydrated sodium borate), still popular as a hand and laundry cleaner in the 1950s and 1960s.

Feb 20 John Rutledge, Liverpool-New York steamer, hits iceberg; many die

Feb 19 Tin-type camera patented by Hamilton Smith, Gambier OH

Feb 22 First national meeting of the Republican Party (Pittsburgh)

Feb 29 Hostilities in Russo-Turkish War cease

Apr 03 Gunpowder in church explodes killing 4,000 in Rhodos

Apr 11 Battle of Rivas; Costa Rica beats Wm Walker's invading Nicaraguans

Apr 21 The first railroad bridge across Mississippi completed

Apr 21 The first rail train to pass over the mighty Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, IL made its journey across a newly completed bridge between the two rail centers.

Apr 29 Peace between England & Russia

Nov 20 CDR Andrew H. Foote lands at Canton, China, with 287 Sailors and Marines to stop attacks by Chinese on U.S. military and civilians.

Sep 14 Battle of San Jacinto, Nicaragua defeats invaders

Jun 03 Opening of Windsor Branch Railway from Windsor to Windsor Jc., N.S. by Nova Scotia government. This was the oldest constituent of the Dominion Atlantic Railway.

Jun 17 Republican Party opens its first national convention in Philadelphia

Dec 28 The birth of Woodrow Wilson, Former (28th) US President

Aug 10 Hurricane washes away 300 in Louisiana

Oct 24 Constitution of South Australia adopted

Oct 27 The Grand Trunk Railway opens its broad gauge line throughout between Montreal and Toronto. It was opened in sections as follows Montreal to Brockville - November 19, 1855. Oshawa to Toronto - August 11, 1856. Brockville to Oshawa - October 27, 1856. The first through train, consisting of 3 first class and 3 second class coaches, ran from Montreal (Point St. Charles) to Toronto (Don Station) and a similar train made the journey in the opposite direction.Departure was at 07 00 from Montreal and 07 30 from Toronto. The trains passed in the vicinity of Kingston Junction where a stop of 30 minutes occurred for lunch.

Oct 19 James Kelly & Jack Smith fight bareknuckle for 6h15m in Melbourne

Oct 27 The Grand Trunk Railway opens its broad gauge line throughout between Montreal and Toronto. It was opened in sections as follows: Montreal to Brockville - November 19, 1855. Oshawa to Toronto - August 11, 1856. Brockville to Oshawa - October 27, 1856. The first through train, consisting of 3 first class and 3 second class coaches, ran from Montreal (Point St. Charles) to Toronto (Don Station) and a similar train made the journey in the opposite direction.Departure was at 07:00 from Montreal and 07:30 from Toronto. The trains passed in the vicinity of Kingston Junction where a stop of 30 minutes occurred for lunch.

Jul 15 Natal established as a British colony separate from Cape Colony

Jul 26 The birth of George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright

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