What happened in 1837
9 entries recorded for 1837, listed by date. That was 189 years ago.
1837 at a glance
- Years ago
- 189 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1830s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 9
- Breakdown
- 9 historical events
February
- February 8
Richard Mentor Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson became the only person ever to be elected Vice President of the United States by the Senate.
March
April
- April 24
1837 Surat fire
A fire broke out in Surat, India, which went on to destroy about 75% of the city.
June
- June 11
Yankee
Tensions between Yankees and Irish Americans in Boston, Massachusetts, erupted in the Broad Street Riot.
- June 20
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria (pictured) acceded to the British throne, beginning a 63-year reign.
July
- July 4
Grand Junction Railway
The Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway with steam traction, opened between Birmingham and Newton Junction.
August
November
- November 7
Abolitionism in the United States
American abolitionist Elijah Parish Lovejoy was murdered by a pro-slavery mob in Alton, Illinois, during an attack to destroy his printing press and abolitionist materials.
December
- December 7
William Lyon Mackenzie
British troops swiftly defeated rebels led by William Lyon Mackenzie and Anthony Van Egmond at the Battle of Montgomery's Tavern, the only major confrontation of the Upper Canada Rebellion.
Questions about 1837
What happened in 1837?
This site records 9 entries for 1837, including Richard Mentor Johnson on February 8. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1837?
189 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1837 turns 189 this year.
Which century is 1837 in?
1837 falls in the 19th century, in the 1830s.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.