Famous People Who Died In 1879

Scottish physicist James Maxwell’s contributions included the formulation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation and the production of the first light-fast color photograph. His Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution explored the kinetic theory of gases. He has also written poems and was an Elder of the Church of Scotland.

William Lloyd Garrison was an American journalist, abolitionist, social reformer, and suffragist. He is best remembered for founding The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper, which was published from 1831 to 1865. He also co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society which helped fight slavery in the United States. In the 1870s, William Lloyd Garrison was an important figure in the women's suffrage movement.

Angelina Grimke was an American political activist, abolitionist, women's rights advocate, and promoter of the women's suffrage movement. She is best remembered for the anti-slavery speech which she gave outside Pennsylvania Hall in May 1838. One of her letters regarding anti-slavery was published by William Lloyd Garrison in his newspaper The Liberator in 1835.

Also known as Begum of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal was the second wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. She is remembered for rebelling against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Following her husband’s exile, she took over affairs in the state of Awadh. However, she was forced by the British to abandon Awadh.

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was a French architect and author. He is credited with restoring prominent medieval landmarks in France, including iconic buildings which had been damaged during the French Revolution. He restored Notre-Dame de Paris and the Basilica of Saint-Denis, among others. He is regarded as the first theorist of modern architecture and wrote extensively on the subject. 

Julia Margaret Cameron was a British photographer best remembered for her close-up portraits of popular Victorian men. Widely regarded as one of the 19th century's most important portraitists, Cameron is credited with capturing the beauty and innocence of children, women, and men. Julia Margaret Cameron is also credited with popularizing the close-ups in photography.

Miguel Grau Seminario was a Peruvian naval officer best remembered for his role in the Battle of Angamos, which was part of the War of the Pacific. Nicknamed Gentleman of the Seas, Miguel Grau Seminario is also remembered for his chivalrous and kind treatment of defeated enemies.

British colonizer Henry Sewell initially followed in his father’s footsteps to become a solicitor and joined his father’s law firm. He later joined the Canterbury Association and participated in the colonization of New Zealand, becoming the country’s first premier. He had also been an attorney general and a minister of justice.

Octave Crémazie was a French-Canadian bookseller and poet who played a major role in Quebec's cultural development. Often referred to as the father of French Canadian poetry, Crémazie is best remembered for his patriotic verse. Octave Crémazie is credited with founding an organization called Institut canadien, which aimed at promoting French-Canadian culture.

Although Johann von Lamont is best known for discovering that the Earth’s magnetic field fluctuates with a period of around 10 years, his contributions towards astronomy is not limited to that. Known to catalogue more than 34,000 stars, he also determined the mass of Uranus, orbits of Saturn’s satellites Enceladus and Tethys and periods of Uranus’ satellites, Ariel and Titan.

Polish poet and folklorist Ryszard Wincenty Berwiński is best known for his iconic works such as Studies in Folk Literature and the socially relevant volume Poezje. He was a Prussian parliament delegate. Part of the Polish forces in Crimean War, he later also served the Turkish military.

Honoré Daumier is best remembered for his satirical cartoons on the French society and politics. Born to a glazier father in Marseille, he later began studying art under Alexandre Lenoir and developed a love for sculptures, too. He later made a fortune, working on commissions of lithographs.