Today in History 04/10/18

This undated file photo shows Henry Bergh, who founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1866 (© AP)(1866) ASPCA animal welfare group founded in New York
Cockfighting, slaughterhouses, and widespread animal abuse leads Henry Bergh to establish the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a group dedicated to promoting the humane treatment of animals and enacting anti-cruelty laws.
Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in April, 1866, three days after the first effective legislation against animal cruelty in the United States was passed into law by the New York State Legislature. Bergh also prompted the formation, in 1874, of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Lived: Aug 29, 1813 – Mar 12, 1888 (age 74)
Spouse: Catherine Matilda Taylor
Founded: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Education: Columbia College
Parents: Christian Bergh
Buried: Green-Wood Cemetery
Highlights
  • 1862: In 1862 Bergh entered government service, being appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as secretary of the American legation in Tsarist Russia.

  • 1864: He would serve time in St. Petersburg, acting vice-consul, before resigning his position in 1864 due to Russia’s severe winter weather.

  • 1874: Bergh also prompted the formation, in 1874, of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC).

  • 1874: In 1874, Bergh was approached by a Methodist missionary named Etta Agnell Wheeler, who sought help rescuing a child named Mary Ellen Wilson from her cruel abuser, Mary Connolly.

  • 1875: In response, Bergh himself, along with Elbridge T. Gerry and John D. Wright, formed the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) in 1875.

  • 1888: Bergh died on March 12, 1888, in New York City.

Henry Bergh
Henry Bergh, American, Founder of the SPCA, 1811-1888
wiki/Henry_Bergh
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(1866) ASPCA animal welfare group founded in New York.
Also on this day,
1815 | Mount Tambora
1925 | `Great Gatsby` published
1998 | Good Friday Agreement

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