Famous People Born In 1734

Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, woodsman, explorer, and frontiersman. His exploits as an American frontier made him one of the earliest folk heroes of the US. Widely regarded as the founder of Kentucky, Daniel Boone is popular for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky. His life and work have inspired several movies, such as the 1936 movie Daniel Boone.

Robert Morris was an English-born merchant best remembered as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was also one of the signers of the United States Constitution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Declaration of Independence. From 1789 to 1795, Robert Morris served as the United States Senator from Pennsylvania.

Though a doctor, Franz Mesmer studied the influence of astronomical bodies on the human body and on an invisible fluid inside it. He was a pioneer of animal magnetism, or mesmerism, which paved the path for modern-day hypnotism. Critics slammed his ideas and called him a fraud, too.

One of the Founding Fathers of the US, Thomas McKean was the son of a tavern keeper and later became a successful barrister and politician. He simultaneously served in the Continental Congress of Delaware while he was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Known as an eccentric thinker, Wolfgang von Kempelen is best remembered for his automatic chess-playing machine The Turk and his speaking machine. The Turk eventually turned out to be a hoax, designed by Kempelen to impress Maria Theresa, the Austrian Empress, and had human chess players operating it.

Regarded as one of the most significant composers of eighteenth century France, François-Joseph Gossec began his career under Jean-Philippe Rameau, determined to revive the study of instrumental music in France. Although he is mainly remembered for his experiments in symphonies and chamber works, he also wrote numerous operas, string quartets and choral works, successfully leaving his influence on French music.

Francisco Bayeu was an 18th-century Spanish painter. He worked in the Neoclassic style and his main subjects were religious and historical themes. He was very famous for his frescoes. He was given a position at the Royal Tapestry Factory by King Charles III and was later appointed a court painter. His brothers Ramón and Manuel were also famous painters. 

Jean-André van der Mersch was a Belgian military leader who played a major role in the Brabant Revolution. He is remembered for his victory against the formidable forces of Joseph II in 1789 at the Battle of Turnhout. He also played an important role during the Seven Years' War, participating in the Battle of Rossbach and the Battle of Hochkirch.          

Born to a magistrate, Charles Alexandre de Calonne initially followed in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer and gradually rose to be the controller-general of finance when the French government was sinking in debt. His suggestion of taxing the rich was rejected, paving the path for the French Revolution.