The Years 1830 to 1839 Unveiled: Intriguing Facts and Landmark Events

This quick read is a collection of fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the years 1830 to 1839. Discover the decade’s top news stories, most influential people, notable inventions, historic firsts, retail prices, and much more.

1. In 1830, Barthélemy Thimonnier invented the sewing machine, and the first railway station in the United States opened in Baltimore.
2. In 1830, the words “accordion,” “Amish,” “aplenty,” “black widow,” “bogus,” “concoction,” “early bird,” “humble pie,” “kleptomania,” “lunchroom,” “menu,” “paprika,” “percolator,” “raincoat,” “ramshackle,” “rodent,” “soda cracker,” “splurge,” “tidal wave,” and “tugboat” all appeared in print for the first time.
3. In 1831, Cyrus H. McCormick invented the mechanical reaper, and New York University was founded. In addition, Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher, led a rebellion of several dozen slaves in Southampton County, Virginia, that lasted for three days and resulted in the deaths of 55 whites.
4. In 1932, the secret society Skull and Bones was established at Yale University. According to Britannica.com, “Male society members are called Bonesmen, and many have ascended after graduation to positions of prominence in business or government. Three of them—William Howard Taft, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush—became U.S. presidents.”
5. In 1832, the words “air mattress,” “back talk,” “black belt,” “bureaucrat,” “cigarette,” “Dutch uncle,” “finishing school,” “horse sense,” “kitchen cabinet,” “nip and tuck,” “proofreader,” “recreation room,” “rowdy,” “stick-in-the-mud,” “toothpaste,” “triweekly,” “underwear,” and “witness stand” all appeared in print for the first time.
6. In 1833, Japan’s prosperity came to a temporary end because of heavy rain and consequent crop failures, and Congress established Washington, DC, as the nation's capital.
7. In 1834, American inventor Jacob Perkins received a U.S. patent for a vapor-compression refrigerator. In addition, slavery was abolished in the British Empire, thus freeing an estimated 800,000 enslaved people.
8. In 1834, the words “bathrobe,” “businessperson,” “catchphrase,” “comedienne,” “crystal ball,” “dollar sign,” “electrolyte,” “iced coffee,” “judgmental,” “jump rope,” “memorize,” “neuropathy,” “roughneck,” “sewage,” “subconscious,” “teetotaler,” “union shop,” and “yacht club” all appeared in print for the first time.
9. In 1835, Charles Babbage invented the mechanical calculator, and the United States achieved a national debt of zero for the first and only time in history.
10. In 1836, Samuel Colt invented the revolver, and Arkansas became a U.S. state. Additionally, Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first “elected president” of the Republic of Texas.
11. In 1837, Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, and Rowland Hill invented the postage stamp. Additionally, Michigan became a U.S. state.
12. In 1838, Tennessee passed the first state temperance law, and the Cherokee Indian tribe was forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in Georgia.
13. In 1838, the words “Anglo-Catholic,” “baking soda,” “clairvoyance,” “dentistry,” “dining car,” “family practice,” “fatty acid,” “glamorous,” “mezzo-soprano,” “Michiganian,” “Oregonian,” “semiconductor,” “serial number,” “shoebox,” “tempest in a teapot,” “tent city,” and “timetable” all appeared in print for the first time.
14. In 1839, Charles Goodyear invented rubber vulcanization, and Kirkpatrick Macmillan invented the bicycle. In addition, Boston University was founded.
15. 12½ bushels of apples: About $1.56
16. 14 pounds of honey: Around $1.75
17. 53 pounds of rye flour: About $1.06
18. Five pounds of veal: Around 30 cents
19. One barrel of cider: About $2.00
20. One bushel and one peck of rye: Around 62 cents
21. One bushel of potatoes: About 40 cents
22. One dozen tacks: Around 12½ cents
23. One week’s board: About 50 cents
24. Three bushels of corn: Around $1.50
25. Wages for seven days of haying: About $3.50
26. Wages for splitting 80 rails: Around 50 cents
27. Wages for two days of mowing: About $1.00

References:

1. https://listverse.com/2015/04/29/10-of-the-most-bizarre-accounts-from-the-19th-century/
2. https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/yearonlytimeline1800-1899.html
3. https://www.quora.com/What-was-seen-as-entertainment-in-the-1800s-America
4. https://theinventors.org/library/weekly/aa111100a.htm
5. https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/education/childrengame.htm
6. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-christmas/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1800s_in_the_United_States
8. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/prices-for-1860-1872-1878-and-1882-groceries-provisions-dry-goods-more/
9. https://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous/nineteenth-century.html
10. https://www.history.com/articles/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-old-west
11. https://www.infoplease.com/us/states/states-by-order-of-entry-into-the-union
12. https://www.infoplease.com/us/education/major-universities-founded-1900

Disclaimer: In writing and editing this article, Gregory DeVictor has made every effort to ensure historical accuracy and not to mislead his audience. In addition, the contents of this article, including text, graphics, and captions, are for general informational purposes only.

© 2026 Gregory DeVictor