February 16
February 16
Gunslinger John Wesley Hardin is pardoned
Infamous gunslinger John Wesley Hardin is pardoned after spending 15 years in a Texas prison for murder. Hardin, who was reputed to have shot and killed a man just for…
A Year In History: 1894
This Year in History:
1894
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
March 12
March 12
Coca‑Cola sold in glass bottles for the first time
Though today there is almost nothing as ubiquitous as a bottle of Coca‑Cola, this was not always the case. For the first several years of its existence, Coke was only…
March 22
March 22
First Stanley Cup championship played
On March 22, 1894, the first championship series for Lord Stanley’s Cup is played in Montreal, Canada. The Stanley Cup has since become one of the most cherished and recognized…
April 15
April 15
Bessie Smith is born in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Despite the immense influence her records had on the shape and course of American popular music in the 20th century, the recorded legacy of Bessie Smith only captures part of…
September 25
September 25
Grover Cleveland pardons bigamists, adulterers, polygamists and unlawful cohabitants
On September 25, 1894, President Grover Cleveland issues a presidential proclamation pardoning followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints (also known as Mormons) who had previously engaged in…
December 8
December 8
Humorist James Thurber is born
On December 8, 1894, humorist James Thurber is born in Columbus, Ohio. When Thurber was about 7, he lost an eye in an accident while playing with his brothers. His…
December 22
December 22
Dreyfus affair begins in France
French officer Alfred Dreyfus is convicted of treason by a military court‑martial and sentenced to life in prison for his alleged crime of passing military secrets to the Germans. The…
December 22
December 22
Governing body for U.S. golf is founded
On December 22, 1894, the Amateur Golf Association of the United States—later renamed the United States Golf Association—is formed in New York to govern the sport. Five charter golf clubs…
