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Pierce, Franklin

(Encyclopedia)Pierce, Franklin, 1804–69, 14th President of the United States (1853–57), b. Hillsboro, N.H., grad. Bowdoin College, 1824. Admitted to the bar in 1827, he entered politics as a Jacksonian Democrat...

Supreme Court Justices (table)

(Encyclopedia)Supreme Court Justices(including dates on bench) Chief Justices Associate Justices ...

Lowestoft

(Encyclopedia)Lowestoft lōˈstôft, –stəf [key], city (1991 pop. 55,231), Suffolk, the easternmost city in England. It is a popular seaside resort and has fishing, shipbuilding, food processing, and other light...

Jackson, Mahalia

(Encyclopedia)Jackson, Mahalia məhălˈyə [key], 1911–72, American gospel singer, b. New Orleans. She sang in church choirs during her childhood. Moving (1927) to Chicago, she worked at various menial jobs and ...

Esher, Reginald Baliol Brett, 2d Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Esher, Reginald Baliol Brett, 2d Viscount bālˈyəl, ēˈshər [key], 1852–1930, English historian and government official. After sitting in Parliament (1880–85) as a Liberal, he thereafter prefe...

Ayr, town, Scotland

(Encyclopedia)Ayr âr [key], town, South Ayrshire, SW Scotland, at the mouth of the Ayr River on the Firth of Clyde. Ayr is a sea resort and a port for fishing, the export of iron and a...

Windsor, town, United States

(Encyclopedia)Windsor wĭnˈzər [key], town (1990 pop. 27,817), Hartford co., N Conn., at the confluence of the Farmington and Connecticut rivers, just N of Hartford. Settled by Plymouth Colony in 1633, the town w...

Worcester, city, England

(Encyclopedia)Worcester wo͝osˈtər [key], city (1991 pop. 75,466) and district, Worcestershire, W central England, on the Severn River. The making of porcelain, gloves, and sauces are long-established industries;...

Magruder, John Bankhead

(Encyclopedia)Magruder, John Bankhead məgro͞oˈdər [key], 1810–71, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Winchester, Va. His reckless daring in the Mexican War won him quick promotion in the army. ...

lightning rod

(Encyclopedia)lightning rod, a rod made of materials, especially metals, that are good conductors of electricity, which is mounted on top of a building or other structure and attached to the ground by a cable. By v...