February 9 » William G. Morgan creates a game called Mintonette, which soon comes to be referred to as volleyball.
April 6 » Oscar Wilde is arrested in the Cadogan Hotel, London, after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry.
April 8 » In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. the Supreme Court of the United States declares unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional.
September 3 » John Brallier becomes the first openly professional American football player, when he was paid US$10 by David Berry, to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association in a 12-0 win over the Jeanette Athletic Association.
October 8 » Korean Empress Myeongseong is assassinated by Japanese infiltrators.
November 8 » While experimenting with electricity, Wilhelm Röntgen discovers the X-ray.
Christening day January 12, 1896
The temperature on January 12, 1896 was about 3.1 °C. The airpressure was 77 cm mercury. The atmospheric humidity was 98%. Source: KNMI
February 21 » An Englishman raised in Australia, Bob Fitzsimmons, fought an Irishman, Peter Maher, in an American promoted event which technically took place in Mexico, winning the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship in boxing.
March 2 » The Battle of Adwa: The Italian Army defeated by the Ethiopian Army in Adwa, Tigray, Ethiopia.
May 26 » Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
August 17 » Bridget Driscoll became the first recorded case of a pedestrian killed in a collision with a motor car in the United Kingdom.
August 27 » Anglo-Zanzibar War: The shortest war in world history (09:02 to 09:40), between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar.
December 30 » Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal as the Montreal Victorias defeat the Winnipeg Victorias 6–5.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Gert Esterhuizen, "Family tree Eric Esterhuizen", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-eric-esterhuizen/I17434.php : accessed February 24, 2026), "Barend Petrus Francois PRETORIUS (1895-????)".
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