Famous People Who Died In 1856

Son of a reputed senator and lawyer in Italy, Amedeo Avogadro was himself a qualified lawyer. However, he later delved into research as a mathematical physicist and is best remembered for laying down the Avogadro’s law, contributing to the molecular theory of gases. The Avogadro constant is named after him.

Manuela Sáenz was an Ecuadorian revolutionary who supported women's rights. She received the Order of the Sun, honoring her services in the revolution. Today, she is widely regarded as a feminist symbol of the 19th century. In 2007, the Ecuadorian government honored her with the rank of General.

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.

Adolphe Adam was a French music critic, teacher, and composer. Best remembered for his ballets, Le corsaire and Giselle, Adam was a prolific composer for the theatre. Adolphe Adam is credited with developing the French form of opera along with his teacher Adrien Boieldieu and his older contemporary Daniel Auber.

William Buckland was an English theologian, palaeontologist, and geologist. He is best remembered for his service as the Dean of Westminster. He is credited with writing the first full account of a dinosaur fossil, which he named Megalosaurus. William Buckland pioneered the usage of fossilized faeces to reconstruct ecosystems. Buckland was the recipient of the prestigious Copley Medal.

Charles Frédéric Gerhardt was a French chemist. He developed an early interest in chemistry and studied the subject under German chemist Otto Linné Erdmann. He later went to Paris and attended Jean Baptiste Dumas’ lectures before embarking on an academic career. He is best known for his work on reforming the notation for chemical formulas. 

Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet, was a Scottish metaphysician and educator best remembered for his work in the field of logic. Hamilton, who made attempts to combine the views held by German philosopher Immanuel Kant with the Scottish philosophy of common sense, is credited with popularizing the works of Kant in the United Kingdom.

British banker, economist, political-campaigner Thomas Attwood is best-remembered as a leader in the electoral reform movement. He founded the Birmingham Political Union and emerged as a prominent figure of the underconsumptionist Birmingham School and during the public campaign for Great Reform Act of 1832. After the act was passed, Attwood and Joshua Scholefield became the first two Members of Parliament for Birmingham.

Karel Havlíček Borovský was a Czech writer, politician, publisher, critic, poet, and journalist. He is credited with popularizing a newspaper called National News, which became one of the most popular and influential publications of the late 1840s under his guidance. Karel Havlíček Borovský's life and career inspired a biographical film which released in 1925. 

American reformer and trade unionist George Henry Evans is best remembered for his involvement in the 1829 Working Men's movement. He was also instrumental in the passage of the 1862 Homestead Act, was an abolitionist, and was a champion for women’s rights, too. He also owned the newspaper Working Man’s Advocate.

One of the most outstanding Romantic historians of his era, Augustin Thierry is especially known for his discursive style of presenting history.  An ardent supporter of the French Revolution, he was initially influenced by Henri de Saint-Simon; but later developed a style of his own, among his most valuable work being History of the Conquest of England by the Normans.

Renowned Hungarian sculptor István Ferenczy was the son of a locksmith but ended up training in copperplate engraving at the Vienna Academy. A master of marble statues, he wished to establish a sculpting school in his country. Eurydike and the Statue of Kölcsey remain two of his best-known works.

James Strang, the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or the Strangite faction of the LDS movement, had also worked as a lawyer, a postmaster, and a teacher. He later proclaimed himself the king of Beaver Island, married five women, and had 14 children.

Physician William Palmer, also known as Palmer the Poisoner, was hanged in public for the murder of his friend John Cook. He had apparently poisoned Cook with strychnine and had also killed several others, eventually gaining from their insurance. He has been loosely referred to in many literary works.

Chinese military leader Yang Xiuqing is remembered for leading the Taiping Rebellion. Initially a firewood dealer, he later joined the army of Taiping leader Hong Xiuquan. However, when he tried to usurp the powers of Hong, he was executed along with his family and followers.

Slovak author and politician Ľudovít Štúr was a major figure of the 19th-century Slovak national revival. He had started writing poems as a teenager and had also penned The Theory of the Slovak Language. He was also part of the Hungarian Assembly. He later accidentally shot himself during a hunt.