Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Duniway, Abigail Scott

(Encyclopedia)Duniway, Abigail Scott dŭnˈəwāˌ [key], 1834–1915, American editor and advocate of women's rights, b. near Groveland, Ill. She went to Oregon with her family in 1852 and the next year married Be...

American Philosophical Society

(Encyclopedia)American Philosophical Society, first scientific society in America, founded (1743) in Philadelphia. It was an outgrowth of the Junto formed (1727) by Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was the first secreta...

Nollekens, Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Nollekens, Joseph nŏlˈĭkənz [key], 1737–1823, English sculptor, b. London. He studied in Rome and in 1770 returned to London, where he became the most fashionable portrait sculptor of his day. A...

Bache, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Bache, Richard, 1737–1811, American merchant, b. Yorkshire, England. He came to New York City in 1765 to join an older brother in the mercantile business. Bache soon moved to Philadelphia in the int...

Becher

(Encyclopedia)Becher bēˈkər [key], in the Bible. 1 Son of Benjamin. In First Chronicles “his first-born” should perhaps be read “Becher”; cf. Bocheru. See Bichri. 2 Son of Ephraim. His descendants are ca...

Rachel, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Rachel rāˈchəl [key], in the Bible, wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. She is one of the four Jewish matriarchs. An alternate form is Rahel. ...

Fargo, William George

(Encyclopedia)Fargo, William George, 1818–81, American pioneer expressman, b. Pompey, N.Y. He had been successively a postrider, freight agent, messenger, and resident agent (1843) for an express company in Buffa...

Nye, Edgar Wilson

(Encyclopedia)Nye, Edgar Wilson nī [key], known as Bill Nye, 1850–96, American humorist and journalist, b. Shirley Mills, Maine. He lived in Wisconsin from 1852 to 1876, when he went to Wyoming. There he was adm...

Cariboo Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Cariboo Mountains kărˈĭbo͞o [key], range, c.200 mi (320 km) long, E British Columbia, Canada, rising to 11,750 ft (3,582 m) at Mt. Sir Wilfrid Laurier. It runs roughly parallel with the main Rocky...

Eiseley, Loren Corey

(Encyclopedia)Eiseley, Loren Corey īzˈlē [key], 1907–77, American anthropologist, b. Lincoln, Nebr. He taught anthropology at the Univ. of Kansas (1937–44), was chair of sociology and anthropology at Oberlin...

Browse by Subject