1857 in the United States

Events from the year 1857 in the United States.

Incumbents

Federal government">Federal government of the United States">Federal government

Events

January 9 - The 7.9 Fort Tejon earthquake affects Central and Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX.
February 3 - The National Deaf Mute College is established in Washington, D.C., becoming the first school for the advanced education of the deaf.
March 4 - James Buchanan is sworn in as the 15th president of the United States, and John C. Breckinridge is sworn in as the 14th vice president.
March 6 - Dred Scott v. Sanford: The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Blacks are not citizens and slaves cannot sue for freedom, driving the country further towards the American Civil War.
March 12 - Elizabeth Blackwell opens a hospital, the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children.
May 25 - Flying Eagle cent released for circulation.
May 26 - Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners.
July 18 - The Utah Expedition leaves Fort Leavenworth, effectively beginning the Utah War.
August 24 - Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company suspends payments, leading to the Panic of 1857.
September 11 - Mountain Meadows massacre in Utah.
September 12 - The sinks off the coast of North Carolina, killing 425 people and sending large quantities of gold to the bottom.
October 1 - Eviction of last residents of Seneca Village to make way for New York City's Central Park is completed.
October 13 - Panic of 1857: New York banks close and do not reopen until December 12. This has an impact in Europe also.

Undated

The seat of government of Iowa is moved from Iowa City to modern-day Des Moines.
The Mormons abandon the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada.
Maryland politician William Daniel proposes the Local Option for prohibition.

Ongoing

Births

January 6 - Milward Adams, orchestra and theatre manager born in Lexington, Kentucky.
January 11 - William Gentles, U.S. Army private, known for killing Crazy Horse
February 1 - Lucy Wheelock, early childhood education pioneer within the kindergarten movement
February 7 - Benjamin Eli Smith, editor of reference books
February 13 - Almanzo Wilder, writer
March 6 - George Dayton, businessman, founder of Target Corporation
March 7 - Genevieve Stebbins, performer of the Delsarte system of expression
March 20 - Benjamin F. Shively, U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1909 to 1916
March 21
* Charles Ellis Johnson, photographer
* Hunter Liggett, general
April 22 - Paul Dresser, songwriter
May 17 - Mary Devens, pictorial photographer
May 19 - John Jacob Abel, pharmacologist
June 8 - Lawrence Marston, actor, playwright and film director
June 10 - Caroline Louise Dudley, stage actress
June 20 - Mary Gage Day, physician
July 1 - Martha Hughes Cannon, politician
July 30
* Lucy Bacon, California Impressionist painter
* Thorstein Veblen, economist
August 8 - Henry Fairfield Osborn, geologist, paleontologist and eugenist
September 13 - Milton S. Hershey, chocolate manufacturer
September 14 - Julia Platt, embryologist and politician
September 15 - William Howard Taft, 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930
October 7 - George P. McLean, U.S. Senator from Connecticut from 1911 to 1923
October 17 - Mary Abbott, golfer
October 24 - Ned Williamson, baseball player
November 5 - Ida Tarbell, investigative journalist
December 1 - Samuel M. Ralston, U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1923 to 1925
December 2
* J. Frank Allee, U.S. Senator from Delaware from 1903 to 1907
* Charles E. Rushmore, businessman, attorney, namesake of Mount Rushmore
December 4 - Julia Evelyn Ditto Young, poet and novelist

Deaths

February 16 - Elisha Kane, Arctic explorer
May 1 - Stephen Adams, U.S. Senator from Mississippi from 1852 to 1857
May 26 - James Bell, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire from 1855 to 1857
June 19 - Alexander Twilight, educator and minister, first African-American known to have earned a bachelor's degree from an American college or university
July 4 - William L. Marcy, 21st Secretary of State from 1853 to 1857
August 29 - Stephen Cassin, United States Navy officer
September 15 - John Henderson, U.S. Senator from Mississippi from 1839 to 1845
October 7 - Louis McLane, U.S. Senator from Delaware from 1827 to 1829
October 10 - Thomas Crawford, sculptor
October 20 - John Diamond, minstrel dancer
October 27 - John Blennerhassett Martin, painter, engraver and lithographer
December 24 - Robert C. Nicholas, U.S. Senator from Louisiana from 1836 to 1841
Jasper Grosvenor, financier
Aspasia Cruvellier Mirault, planter and landowner