- Jan 5 Henri Herz, Austrian composer, dies at a day before his 85th birthday
- Jan 14 Stephen Heller, Hungarian composer and pianist, dies at 74
- Jan 17 Mistahimaskwa [Big Bear], Plains Cree chief (refused to sign 1876 Treaty 6), dies [1]
- Jan 21 Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh, British born composer who worked in Australia (Australia's 1st opera), dies at 83
- Jan 23 Eugène Marin Labiche, French playwright (The Italian Straw Hat), dies at 72
- Jan 29 Edward Lear, English poet and author (famous for his nonsense poems - The Owl and the Pussycat), dies at 75
- Jan 30 Asa Gray, American botanist (Flora of North America), dies at 77
- Jan 31 John Bosco, Italian priest, youth worker, educator, founder of the Salesian Society, dies at 72
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning