Grand Duchess Anastasia
If you know anything about Russian history in the early 20th century, then you know, it was a very turbulent time. This is an undated photograph of Grand Duchess Anastasia, the tsar's daughter. The family was killed by the Bolsheviks during the October Revolution. The grand duchess was around 17 years old when she died. What's most striking is that she appears as though she could've been plucked out of modern-day Russia.
After her death, there were a number of conspiracy theories about whether or not she actually survived the revolution, but a DNA test proved that she was killed with the rest of her family in 1918.
Princess Angeline
Princess Angeline isn't the most famous figure on this list, but you've likely heard of her father, Chief Seattle. Princess Angeline's father worked to create good relations with settlers arriving in present-day Oregon. The princess's bond with the settlers resulted in them giving her the name and title of Princess Angeline. She and her father played an important role in the history of the state and in the history of America.
In her later life, she lived a modest existence making baskets and washing clothes. The city was named in honor of her father and his work to foster good relations with the settlers.
Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe is one of the largest figures in American literature, probably thanks in part to the type of tales he wrote. Poe's horror stories laid the groundwork for the detective story and science fiction work. Many of his stories and poems are still referenced in pop culture today. He was born in 1809 and lived until his death in 1849. It's thought that this photo was taken some time right before he died.
A bit ironically, his death is shrouded in a bit of mystery. He disappeared for a couple of days before being found wearing someone else's clothes and in a pretty bad state. He was taken to the hospital, where he died a couple of days later. Alcohol poisoning was the ruling cause of death, but this has been heavily disputed.
Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll is a pretty recognizable name today (think Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), but he was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Before his literary fame, he was more known for his work as a mathematician. Carrol came up with his famous story as a way to entertain a friend's daughter, but the story quickly took on a life of its own and met with a ton of success after it was published.
Lewis Carroll was born in 1832, and he passed away in 1898. Today, it's hard to imagine children's literature without Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and characters like the Cheshire Cat.
Ned Kelly
Ned Kelly was a bushranger and one of the most famous figures in Australian history. The bushrangers were basically bandits, but Kelly was a sort of Robin Hood figure who many considered to be a hero. In his last run-in with the authorities, he donned a bulletproof suit of armor that looked like something a knight would wear. Kelly was born in 1854 and died in the shootout in 1880.
Kelly is such a large figure in Australian folklore that there's even a saying used sometimes today that references him: "To be as game [brave] as Ned Kelly."
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth is one of the most famous Americans from the 19th century and she played an important role in helping Black Americans gain equal rights. Truth was born as a slave in New York before escaping with her daughter. Not long after her escape, she sued her son's slave owner to stop his sale to another man in Alabama. She won her case, becoming the first Black woman to do so against a White man.
Her son was freed, and she continued to advocate for the enslaved and women's rights throughout her life. It's not known for certain what year she was born, but she passed away in 1883.
Andrew Johnson
Today, Andrew Johnson is not nearly as well known as his predecessor, Abraham Lincoln, but he played a vital role in shaping America's history after Lincoln's assassination. He favored a path toward reconciliation after the Civil War, which is still debated as to whether it was the right choice or not today. Republicans tried to impeach him for his leniency towards the South and Reconstruction after the Civil War.
Johnsons, who was from Tennessee, did little to force Southern states to accept the equal rights of Black Americans, and today, he's remembered mainly as being one of the nation's weaker leaders.
Frederick Henry Royce
You may not know who Frederick Henry Royce is, but odds are, his last name rings a bell. That's because he was one of the founders of Rolls-Royce, one of the world's premier luxury car brands. Despite this, Royce didn't make it past elementary school before dropping out. He had to drop out and find a job after his father's death. Royce was born in 1863 and died in 1933.
In addition to making some of the world's finest cars, Rolls-Royce is known for its airplane engines. One of Royce's famous quotes is, “Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble.”
John A. Dahlgren
John A. Dahlgren is considered "The father of American naval ordnance," and many of his inventions helped the Union win the Civil War. For example, he invented a smoothbore howitzer that could be used by ships of all sizes, as well as on land. He also designed what became known as the Dahlgren gun, which became standard on U.S. Navy ships. Despite his association with the Union Army, his younger brother joined the Confederates shortly after the state's declared secession.
Today, there are multiple towns, several ships, and military installations named after Dahlgren, who was born in 1809 and died at the age of 1870. He served in the military all of his life.
Jack London
The Call of The Wild writer had an eventful childhood and life. Jack London's father abandoned the family and his mother was unstable when he was a child. When London finally decided to get in touch with his father, the man denied that he was London's father. After a sting trying to cash in on the gold rush in Alaska and multiple rejections by publishers, London finally managed to publish The Call of The Wild.
The book propelled him to international success, one of the first times for an American writer. London followed his initial novel up with White Fang. He was born in 1876 and died in 1916.
Chief Garfield
Chief Garfield was a Jicarilla Apache chieftain who changed his name to Garfield after he was awarded a peace medal by former President James A. Garfield. His Native American name is lost to history. The photo of Garfield in his native dress was significant because it was taken during a time when Native American culture was being intentionally eradicated. This was one of the few well-known photos of a Native American chieftain posing with his cultural attire.
Later photos of Garfield would see him wearing mostly Western clothing, and gone was the elaborate headdress and other Native American attire, replaced by Western sashes and suits.
Queen Victoria
This photo of Queen Victoria was taken in 1870. It shows the queen at the height of her reign and during a time of industrial, cultural, and political change that she largely oversaw. The Victorian Era was pretty much named after the queen, who was born in 1819 and died in 1901. Despite this, she wasn't really fond of most of the advancements and ideas that marked the Victorian Era.
She didn't particularly care for the machinery and automation that brought about the Industrial Revolution, and she also wasn't a fan of motherhood, which was idolized during the period.
Charles Dickens
Literary legend Charles Dickens was an unlikely author. He dropped out of school at a very young age after his father was sent to prison for his debt. However, his pursuit of journalism shortly after he entered his 20s eventually led to him publishing his first book. He followed that up with a string of successes, and he's still widely read today. Just some of his novels include Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol.
Dickens was born in 1812 and lived until 1870. There are a ton of interesting facts about Dickens, but our favorite is that he actually had a secret bookcase door installed in his home.
Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley was one of the most recognizable figures of the Wild West and also reportedly one of its best shooters. She gained her skills in hunting and trapping after her father passed away when she was only 8 years old. She was only 15 when she began to gain a reputation for being a crack shot. This reputation eventually led to to join Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
Oakley worked to empower women and encouraged them to learn how to shoot in order to protect themselves. She was born in 1860 and she passed away in 1926.
Butch Cassidy
You can't talk about famous American outlaws without bringing up the name Butch Cassidy. He earned a devious reputation robbing banks and taking part in shootouts with the authorities. He developed a Robin Hood-like persona among normal, everyday Americans for the strides he made to rob only those who could afford to be robbed. Unlike most of the famous outlaws of the time, Cassidy and his partner, The Sundance Kid, managed to escape the country and flee to Bolivia.
However, they would both eventually have a run-in with cavalry from the Bolivian army, where it's thought they were killed. But there are some convincing theories that say Cassidy survived the shootout. Cassidy was born in 1866, and he died in Bolivia in 1908.
Charging Thunder
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show had several Native American performers over the years, one of whom was Lokato Chief Charging Thunder. When the show traveled to the U.K. in the late 19th century, Thunder decided to stay behind and marry one of the show's horse trainers. The former chief applied for and attained British citizenship and changed his name to George Edward Williams. He and his wife continued to live in the U.K. until their deaths.
He found employment at a British circus, and he was known for taking care of the elephants, even reportedly sleeping with them in their pin when he had a little too much to drink.
Mark Twain
You've probably seen a photo or two of Mark Twain before; he is one of America's most famous literary icons. However, you've probably never seen a photo of him when he was young. Twain dropped out of school in only the fifth grade but later led a successful career as a journalist, covering nearly every topic imaginable, from Mississippi riverboats to politics. Today, he's mostly remembered for his legendary wit and satire.
His premiere novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, earned him the title of "the father of American literature." Twain was born in 1835, and he passed away in 1910.
Jesse James
Jesse James is another famous outlaw right out of the Old West. James was a former Confederate guerilla fighter, and he put his skills to use when he became an outlaw and the leader of a gang. Like many outlaws of the time, he fashioned himself a modern-day Robin Hood, but he was also a Confederate sympathizer who was largely robbing banks for fame and money. He and his brother briefly attempted to settle down in Tenessee.
However, he couldn't handle living a quiet life and returned to robbing banks in Missouri a few years later. This time, he was hunted down by the governer and a member of his new gang.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was probably one of the most famous abolitionists to ever fight against slavery. She consistently risked her life to lead escaped slaves through the Underground Railroad and out of the South. During the Civil War, she worked for the Union as a spy and scout. Today, she has her own statue at the CIA headquarters. Tubman continued to fight for equality even after the war was finished.
We often think of the Civil War and figures like Tubman as something or someone who lived ages ago, but this photo brings that point in time to life.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was one of the premier poets of his time. Leaves of Grass won him fame in both the U.S. and in Europe, and his use of free verse set him apart from other poets of the time. Whitman was also known for his essays and for his work taking care of Union soldiers during the Civil War. However, his poems were also labeled as obscene by some because of their sensuality.
Today, he's remembered as one of America's most successful poets and writers, and there are few American poets who can match his legacy. It's thought that this photo was taken around the mid-19th century.
Charles Darwin
Everyone learns about Charles Darwin in their history and science classes. He came up with the theory of natural selection and evolution and is remembered as one of the most influential people in modern science. However, not many people know that he actually dropped out of medical school before taking up work as a naturalist. It was on a voyage to survey South America that he came up with his theory.
Darwin also had what some might consider an unhealthy relationship with food, and he was known to cook and eat all sorts of different animals. He was born in 1809 and died in 1882.
Milton Hershey
It doesn't matter where you live, you're probably familiar with Hershey candy. Well, this is the man behind the company. Milton Hershey established the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1904. However, his business life wasn't always filled with success. He established two businesses that failed before he decided to set up a caramel chocolate factory and try to make a chocolate bar that was affordable. He succeeded and sold the company.
He later went on to found another chocolate company, (the one most of us are familiar with today). A little-known fact about Hershey is that he and his wife founded a school for orphaned boys.
Hellen Keller
Hellen Keller is another larger-than-life figure that we usually think of as living ages ago. However, she was actually born in 1880 and didn't pass away until fairly recently, in 1960. She was both blind and deaf, and her story of overcoming disability still inspires people today. She earned a bachelor's degree in arts and went on to advocate for those with disabilities, women's rights, and civil rights. She was also an accomplished author.
Among the many subjects she wrote about was blindness, which was somewhat taboo during her time. Keller's life was made into a renowned book and then a famous Hollywood movie.
Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves was a legendary American lawman who was born a slave in Arkansas. Upon passage of the 13th amendment, he moved out West and became the first Black Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Reeves primarily worked in territory still controlled by Native Americans at the time, and he managed to capture some 3,000 criminals during his time. Strangely enough, one of those criminals was his own son.
While there is no hard evidence, some speculate that Reeves may have been the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, a fictional Texas Ranger who battled bandits in the American West.
William H. Taft
William H. Taft is today remembered mostly for his presidency, but he also had a pretty successful law career. After he lost his reelection bid, he went on to serve on the Supreme Court. He's still the only person to have held both been president and serve on the nation's highest court. His presidency was a bit of a troubled one, but he did succeed in busting a number of monopolies and expanding conservation.
Still, he wasn't the most politically savvy president, and after a split between him and former president and friend Theodore Roosevelt, his reelection fate was all but sealed. He and Roosevelt pretty much split the Republican vote, causing both of them to lose their presidential bids.
Chief John Smith
It's not known how old Chief John Smith really was when he passed away, but he was thought to be at least 100. Smith was a chieftain of the Ojibwe, which is from modern-day Minnesota. His deep wrinkles and aging features caused some to speculate that he was around 137 when he passed away, but this is a bit unlikely. However, he had lived through much and became somewhat of a local celebrity in his time.
It's thought that he was born around 1822 and that he died in 1922. If the claim about being 137 when he died is true, it would make him the oldest person to have ever lived.
Wyatt Earp
You can't talk about larger-than-life American figures without mentioning Wyatt Earp. He was perhaps the most famous lawman of the Wild West. In one of the most famous shootouts in American history, Earp, his two brothers, and Doc Holliday fought the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. They one, but one of his brothers was later shot by a member that'd escaped, and another brother was assassinated.
Despite his work in law enforcement, he was also known to be a gambler and bouncer in saloons, as well as prone to getting into bar fights and run-ins with the law. After his brothers were shot, he went on an unsanctioned manhunt, resulting in him fleeing from the law and settling in California.
Rutherford B. Hayes
The 19th president of the United States was born in 1822 and died in 1893. He was elected as president following the Civil War and worked to heal the nation. One of the focuses of his presidency was tackling corruption, which he did with a fair amount of success. He also advocated for the equal treatment of Black Americans, although he saw the end of Reconstruction and largely allowed White politicians to do as they pleased in the South.
After his first term ended, he decided that he'd had enough and refused to run for reelection. Instead, he focused on advocating for civil and humanitarian rights, especially in the South.
Pearl Hart
Pearl Hart is probably one of the most famous Old West outlaws you've never heard of. However, she made quite a name for herself back in her day. Hart pulled off one of the last stagecoach robberies in the U.S. The public wasn't used to seeing a female outlaw, so her exploits garnered quite a lot of attention. The "Bandit Queen" actually grew up in a pretty well-off family in Canada.
She was inspired to a life of crime after experiencing domestic abuse and a taste of life in the West. She was reportedly a big fan of legendary shooter Annie Oakley.
Franklin Pierce
The list of American presidents is long, and many presidents in the 19th century aren't remembered quite as well as those who came before and after. Franklin Pierce was the 14th president and although he isn't a household name today, he still had a number of accomplishments. For example, he served in the army during the Mexican-American War and after being elected president, initiated the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico.
However, he's probably remembered more for what he wasn't able to accomplish, which was a peaceful resolution to the issue of slavery. He remains one of the only presidents to not be renominated for reelection by their party.
Robert Smalls
There are some historical figures whose achievements are so great and unbelievable that they read like a script from a Hollywood movie. Robert Smalls is one such figure. Smalls managed to capture an entire Confederate military transport ship by himself and free his family and the rest of the slaves onboard. He then sailed towards nearby Union ships and surrendered. Abraham Lincoln was so impressed by Smalls that it's thought he contributed to Lincoln's decision to allow Black soldiers into the army.
After the war, he continued to serve as a politician. During one incident, he was asked to leave a streetcar in Philidelphia because he was Black, so he ended up boycotting the transit system, which eventually led to its desegregation.
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are probably the most recognizable names from the abolitionist movement. Douglas's autobiography shocked the public and destroyed any notion anyone had that slaveholding could be considered okay as a practice. After his escape from slavery, he traveled to the North, where he eventually found other abolitionists and worked to rid the country of slavery. During the American Civil War, he served as an advisor to Abraham Lincoln.
Douglas continued to fight for equality after the war, this time pushing back on stereotypes about Black people using his essays and other writings. He was born in 1818 and died in 1895.
Elisabeth Amalie
Elisabeth Amalie was the longest-serving empress of the Austrian Empire. She married Emperor Franz Joseph I and the two had a son together. However, his death caused Amalie to retire from public view and her marriage to Joseph. She was assassinated by an anarchist in 1898. However, by that time, she'd earned the title of longest-serving Austrian empress. She's still remembered as somewhat of a tragic character of the period.
Today, she's mainly remembered for her work to achieve the Austrian and Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which gave Hungary much more autonomy and established the formation of a monarchy there.
John D. Rockefeller
There is no shortage of billionaires in the U.S. today, but John D. Rockefeller was the first to do it. Through his company, Standard Oil, he built a business empire that, despite no longer being around, earned his name a place in American history. That said, his business tactics were pretty brutal at times, and the government eventually broke up his monopoly. Ironically, he's also known for his massive philanthropic endeavors.
He was responsible for the establishment of the University of Chicago, along with many other buildings and projects, which is why it's still uncommon to see his name attached to places like Rockefeller Plaza today.
Leo Tolstoy
In the literary world, there are plenty of famous authors who sported long beards, but you could make an argument that Leo Tolstoy was the most accomplished among them. His novels are often touted as either the best ever written or within the top five. Tolstoy wrote works like War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Despite his huge amount of success, he never won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.
The Russian writer was born in 1828 and passed away in 1910. He dedicated a lot of his later life to advocating for peace through nonviolent means, which in part inspired people like Gandhi.
Claude Monet
You may not know who exactly Claude Monet is, but odds are you've heard of his name. He was a master artist working within the impressionist movement. Today, his pieces are some of the most sought-after in the world, and they regularly command the kind of money that can be eye-watering. However, his work was heavily criticized by his fellow artists in France during his time. Still, he did manage to win over some artists to his cause.
He was particularly revered among American artists at the time, who would emulate his style and introduce it back home. Monet's influence on other famous painters, such as Vincent Van Gogh, is also really well documented.
Geronimo
Geronimo is probably one of the most famous Native American warriors of his time. He commanded the Apaches at one point in time and led fierce raids on Mexico and America. Much of his determination to fight was because his family, including his wife, children, and mother, were killed by Mexicans in 1858. Geronimo led multiple attacks against the U.S. government, and at one point, some 5,000 White soldiers and 500 Native Americans employed by the army were sent to hunt him down.
He eventually surrendered and lived out the rest of his life in peace. He left his mark on American history, and today, the word "Geronimo" is a common exclamation before jumping off of great heights.
Buffalo Bill
Not only was Buffalo Bill a larger-than-life figure in his own right, but his traveling show employed a ton of Old West legends as they toured the world, telling stories about shootouts, bandits, and saloons. Bill's real name was William Frederick Cody, and he worked in a couple of different jobs before forming his own show, including working for the Pony Express and as a buffalo hunter. He became one of the world's first internationally recognized celebrities at his height.
He worked pretty much his entire life, even right up until his death. Although he died mostly without the massive fortune he'd amassed because of a couple of bad investments.