Famous People Who Died In 1789

As a child, Ethan Allen was fond of deciphering passages from the Bible. He grew up to co-establish Vermont and led the Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolutionary War. After failing to achieve Vermont’s separation from New York, he tried to unite Vermont with Canada.

Eighteenth-century philanthropic educator Charles-Michel de l'Épée is regarded as the Father of the Deaf for pioneering the education of the deaf and dumb. He laid down the Signed French system, which enabled the deaf to participate in legal proceedings. His French Sign Language laid the path to the American Sign Language.

Irish woman Lydia Darragh is said to have saved George Washington’s Continental Army from a British attack during American Revolutionary War. She eavesdropped on a secret conference of British officers quartered in her house and after learning about the impending attack on the Continental army camped at White Marsh, she delivered the information and saved Washington's army from an ambush.  

Pierre Lyonnet was a Dutch cryptologist, zoologist, and illustrator. As a cryptologist, he broke the encryption of the Prussian deputies as well as the French deputy in The Hague. As an illustrator, Pieter Lyonet illustrated anatomical works of other writers like Abraham Trembley.

French political economist Victor de Riqueti, marquis de Mirabeau belonged to the Physiocratic school. He is also remembered as the father of economist and French Revolution leader Comte de Mirabeau. He penned books such as Theory of Taxation. Going against tax farmers, he suggested direct tax collection on income and land.

Swiss-born French-origin painter is best remembered for his pastel portraits. Having spent a considerable part of his career in Constantinople, he adopted Turkish costumes and sported a beard, thus earning the nickname the Turkish painter when he traveled to Vienna. His portraits include those of Empress Maria Theresa and the Princess of Wales.