January 18
January 18
A.A. Milne is born
On this day in 1882, A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie‑the‑Pooh, is born. The youngest of three sons born to schoolteacher parents, Milne taught himself to read at age two. He…
A Year In History: 1882
This Year in History:
1882
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 30
January 30
Franklin Delano Roosevelt is born
On January 30, 1882, future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is born. Roosevelt grew up the only child in an upper middle‑class family in Hyde Park, New York. He graduated from…
February 2
February 2
James Joyce is born
Novelist James Joyce is born this day in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest of 10 children. His father, a cheerful ne’er‑do‑well, will eventually go bankrupt. Joyce attended Catholic school and University…
March 21
March 21
“Broncho Billy” Anderson born
Gilbert M. Anderson, the first western movie star, is born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Better known as “Broncho Billy,” the name of the western hero he played in over 300…
April 3
April 3
Jesse James shot in the back
Jesse James, one of America’s most notorious outlaws, is shot to death by Robert Ford, a member of his gang who hoped to collect the bounty on Jesse’s head. Jesse…
April 3
April 3
Jesse James is murdered
One of America’s most famous criminals, Jesse James, is shot to death by fellow gang member Bob Ford, who betrayed James for reward money. For 16 years, Jesse and his…
April 17
April 17
Fictionalized “Life of Billy the Kid” arrives at Library of Congress
Several copies of Sheriff Pat Garrett’s wildly inauthentic biography, An Authentic Life of Billy the Kid, arrive at the Library of Congress, beginning the widespread dissemination of this highly fictionalized…
July 14
July 14
Gunfighter John Ringo found dead
John Ringo, the famous gun‑fighting gentleman, is found dead in Turkey Creek Canyon, Arizona. Romanticized in both life and death, John Ringo was supposedly a Shakespeare‑quoting gentleman whose wit was…
November 14
November 14
Frank Leslie kills Billy “The Kid” Claiborne
The gunslinger Frank “Buckskin” Leslie shoots the Billy “The Kid” Claiborne dead in the streets of Tombstone, Arizona. The town of Tombstone is best known today as the site of…
