Events from the year 1844 in the United States.
Incumbents
State governments
Events
- January 15 – The University of Notre Dame receives its charter from Indiana.
- February 28 – The "Peacemaker", the largest naval gun in the world, explodes during a demonstration aboard the on the Potomac River, killing six, including Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur and Secretary of the Navy Thomas Walker Gilmer.
- March 12 – The Columbus and Xenia Railroad, the first railroad that is planned to be built in Ohio, is chartered.
- May 24 – The first electrical telegram is sent by Samuel F. B. Morse from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to the B&O Railroad "outer depot" in Baltimore, Maryland, saying "What hath God wrought".
- June–July – The Great Flood of 1844 hits the Missouri River and Mississippi River.
- June 15 – Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanization, a process to strengthen rubber.
- June 22 – Influential North American student fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon is founded at Yale College.
- June 27 – Killing of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum are killed in Carthage Jail, Carthage, Illinois by an armed mob, leading to a succession crisis in the movement. John Taylor, future president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is severely injured but survives; Willard Richards survives with a light wound.
- July 3 – The U.S. signs the Treaty of Wanghia with Qing dynasty China, the first diplomatic agreement between the two nations in history.
- July 25 – Exclusion Law in Oregon prohibits African Americans (including slaves) from entering or remaining in the territory
- August 8 – During a meeting held in Nauvoo, Illinois, the Quorum of the Twelve, headed by Brigham Young, is chosen as the leading body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- October 22 – The Great Disappointment: Millerites (including future members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church) find that the Second Coming of Jesus does not occur as predicted by preacher William Miller.
- December 4 – U.S. presidential election, 1844: James K. Polk of Tennessee defeats Henry Clay of Kentucky.
- Undated
- The first ever international cricket match is played in New York City between Canada and the United States.
- The United American Cemetery is founded in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Births
- March 12 – Patrick Collins, lawyer, 37th Mayor of Boston and U.S. Representatives from Massachusetts (died 1905)
- April 13 – John Surratt, suspected involvement in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, son of Mary Surratt (died 1916)
- April 22 – Lewis Powell, conspirator with John Wilkes Booth, attempted assassin of William H. Seward (died 1865)
- May 2 - Elijah McCoy, inventor of the automatic steam engine lubricator (died 1929)
- June 1 – John J. Toffey, Medal of Honor recipient (died 1911)
- June 3 – Garret Hobart, 24th vice president of the United States from 1897 till 1899. (died 1899)
- July 9 – Charles D. Barney, stockbroker (died 1945)
- August 1 – Levi Ankeny, United States Senator from Washington from 1903 till 1909. (died 1921)
- August 24 – Charles B. Clark, politician and entrepreneur (died 1891)
- October 11 – Henry J. Heinz, entrepreneur and founder of the H. J. Heinz Company (died 1919)
- Full date unknown:
- Edwin H. Tomlinson, world traveler and benefactor (died 1938)
Deaths
- January 13 – Alexander Porter, United States Senator from Louisiana from 1833 till 1837. (born 1785)
- January 25 – Horace H. Hayden, first licensed American dentist (born 1769)
- February 27 – Nicholas Biddle, financier, last president of the Second Bank of the United States (born 1786)
- February 28 –
- Abel P. Upshur, Secretary of State from 1843 to 1844 (born 1790)
- Thomas W. Gilmer, fifteenth Secretary of the Navy (born 1802)
- March 6 – Gabriel Duvall, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1811 to 1835 (born 1752)
- May 18 – Richard McCarty, politician (born 1780)
- April 4 – Charles Bulfinch, architect of the Massachusetts State House (born 1763)
- April 21 – Henry Baldwin, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, 1830âÂÂ1844 (born 1780)
- June 27 Joseph Smith Jr., religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement (born 1805)
- July 23 – Christian Gobrecht, third Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1840 to 1844 (born 1785)
- August 15 – William S. Fulton, United States Senator from Arkansas 1836 till 1844. (born 1795)
- September 14 – Oliver Holden, composer (born 1765)
See also
References
External links