Famous People Born In 1797

Sojourner Truth was an American women's rights activist and abolitionist. Born into slavery, Truth escaped to freedom in 1826. She then approached the court to recover her son, subsequently becoming the first black woman to emerge successful against a white man in such a case. In 2014, she was named in Smithsonian's 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time list.

Austrian composer Franz Peter Schubert was one of the most prominent figures of the Viennese Classical and Romantic periods. He initially performed at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. His compositions include over 600 vocal works and several symphonies, operas, and piano sonatas. One of his most-talked-about works is the Unfinished Symphony.

Mirza Ghalib was an Indian poet whose works give a detailed description of the beginning of British rule and the subsequent events in India. A respected poet, who wrote in Urdu and Persian languages, Ghalib remains popular among the Hindustani diaspora across the world. Several films and TV shows have been made in his honor.

Heinrich Heine was a German poet, literary critic, and writer. He is known internationally for his lyric poetry, which was popularized by composers like Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann who adapted Heine's lyric poetry into art songs. Heinrich Heine's radical political views forced the German authorities to ban his works, which only added to his popularity.

Charles Lyell was a Scottish geologist best remembered for his work Principles of Geology, which explains the origin of the earth. He is also remembered for his pioneering explanation of climate change. A close friend of Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell is also credited with influencing many of Darwin's works pertaining to the theories of evolution.  

Alfred de Vigny was a French poet whose poem La Maison du berger is regarded by some as the greatest 19th-century French poem. One of the leaders of French Romanticism, Vigny also wrote philosophical novels. Also regarded as a thinker, Alfred de Vigny was one of the first French poets to develop a serious interest in Buddhism.

Best known for his landscape series like The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō and One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, Hiroshige was a well-known ukiyo-e master, whose death marked the decline of this genre of art.  His works, which were generally characterized by subtle use of graded colors and multiple impressions, were source of inspiration to many 19-century European painters.

Russian explorer and naval minister Ferdinand von Wrangel also served as the 6th governor of Russian America. He co-founded the Russian Geographic Society. His explorations helped in the mapping of the northeastern Siberian coast. Wrangel Island, an island north of Chukotka, bears his name.

Gerrit Smith was an American social reformer, politician, abolitionist, and philanthropist. Although he was a prominent candidate for President of the USA in 1848, 1856, and 1860, Smith served only 18 months in the federal government. Throughout his life, he was a major financial contributor to the Republican Party and the Liberty Party.

One of the pioneers of Hellenic studies, German scholar Karl Otfried Müller began his academic career at the University of Göttingen. While he initially taught art history and archaeology, he later explored Greek art and myths and their relationship with culture and history. He died of a fever during an expedition in Greece.

Carl Gustaf Mannerheim was a Finnish entomologist who devoted much of his time to acquire a large scientific collection of Coleoptera. He is also remembered for his service as the chief judge of the Imperial Court of Appeals from 1839 until his death in 1854.

Antonio Rosmini was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and philosopher who founded the Rosminians, officially known as the Institute of Charity. A key figure in Italian Liberal Catholicism, he pioneered the concept of social justice. He had a doctorate in theology and canon law and was appointed as a political advisor to the government of Piedmont. 

William I, German Emperor reigned as the king of Prussia from 1861 until his death in 1888. He also reigned as the first German emperor from 1871 to 1888. He is credited with overseeing the unification of Germany and establishing the German Empire. William's reign also witnessed the brilliance of Otto von Bismarck, who served as the former's minister president.

Giuditta Pasta was an Italian opera singer. Such was her popularity that several roles were written specifically for her. Pasta is credited with originating iconic roles, such as Donizetti's Anna Bolena, Bellini's Amina in La sonnambula, and the title role in Norma. Giuditta Pasta also worked as a teacher and among her well-known pupils are Emma Albertazzi and Adelaide Kemble.

Hamilton Hume was an Australian explorer of the present-day Victoria and New South Wales. He is best remembered for his early exploration and expedition to find the Darling River, the third-longest river in Australia. Hamilton Hume is also remembered for his expedition along with William Hovell in 1824.

Bakht Khan is best remembered for his service as the commander-in-chief of the 1857 Indian Rebellion against the British. Initially part of the East India Company army, he served the Bengal horse artillery and gained 40 years of military experience. He eventually died fighting at the age of around 61.

Swiss author Albert Bitzius, best known by his pseudonym, Jeremias Gotthelf, initially followed in his father’s footsteps to become a pastor. He later came to be known for his semi-allegorical short novel The Black Spider and for his depictions of the poor rural masses of his country.

Adolphe Thiers was a French historian and statesman who served as the French Third Republic's first President. He also served as the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of France in 1840. Apart from playing a major role in the French Revolution of 1830, which ended the Bourbon monarchy, Thiers also played a key role in the French Revolution of 1848.

A Swedish chemist, Carl Gustaf Mosander is recognised for discovering rare earth element - lanthanum, erbium and terbium. He worked a lot with well-known Swedish chemist J. J. Berzelius as his assistant, became a curator of minerals at the Stockholm Academy of Sciences and later also worked as a professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy in the Karolinska Institute.

Reluctant to work at his father’s stockbroking firm, Samuel Lover fled to become a poet, novelist, songwriter, and painter. Known for his miniature portraits and his songs such as Rory O’More, he is also said to have introduced the precursor of the stage Irishman stock character in the novel Handy Andy.

Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg was the Duchess of Teschen from 1822 to 1829 through her marriage to Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen. The marriage, which was considered a happy one, produced seven children. Henrietta is credited with popularizing the Christmas tree in Vienna. She died at the age of 32 after contracting scarlet fever. 

Born the Archduchess of Austria, Maria Leopoldina was a great painter and also grew up studying subjects such as botany and mineralogy. By virtue of her marriage to Pedro I of Brazil and IV of Portugal, she became the queen of Portugal and the empress of Brazil.

Apart from being an astronomer, Wilhelm Beer was also a banker and the brother of legendary composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. His Mappa Selenographica, was the first lunar map that was classified into quadrants. Along with Johann Heinrich Mädler, he also created the first globe for Mars.

Better known by his pseudonym, Alun, Welsh bard John Blackwell is regarded as the pioneer of Welsh secular lyric. Initially a shoemaker, he later won many prizes in competitive art festivals. He also served as a rector and edited the Welsh illustrated magazine Y Cylchgrawn.