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Blanchard, Jean Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Blanchard, Jean Pierre fräNswäˈ [key], 1753–1809, French balloonist. In 1785 he made with Dr. John Jeffries of Boston, Mass., the first crossing by air of the English Channel. His ascents at Phil...

Stevens, Abel

(Encyclopedia)Stevens, Abel, 1815–97, American clergyman, noted as the historian of Methodism, b. Philadephia, studied Wesleyan Univ. He became (1834) a member of the New England Methodist Conference, and filled ...

Storey, Moorfield

(Encyclopedia)Storey, Moorfield, 1845–1929, American lawyer, b. Roxbury, Mass., grad. Harvard, 1866. He attended Harvard law school and was admitted (1869) to the bar. He was (1867–69) secretary to Charles Sumn...

Thompson, William Hale

(Encyclopedia)Thompson, William Hale, 1869–1944, American politician, b. Boston. His family moved to Chicago when he was nine years old, and there he later entered politics as an alderman (1900–1902). He became...

Barrett, Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Barrett, Lawrence bârˈət [key], 1838–91, American actor, b. Paterson, N.J. An excellent romantic actor, he is best remembered for his portrayal of Cassius to the Brutus of Edwin Booth. Barrett ma...

Ball, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Ball, Thomas, 1819–1911, American sculptor, b. Charlestown, Mass.; son of a house and sign painter. Thomas Ball was also a singer of reputation, the first in the United States to sing the title role...

Eisenstein, Sergei Mikhailovich

(Encyclopedia)Eisenstein, Sergei Mikhailovich syĭrgāˈ mēkhīˈləvĭch īˈzənshtīn [key], 1898–1948, Russian film director. An architect and engineer, he became interested in a theatrical career and worked...

Faulkner, Brian

(Encyclopedia)Faulkner, Brian fôkˈnər [key], 1921–77, Northern Irish politician. A Protestant businessman, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Parliament as a Unionist in 1949. As minister of home affairs (...

Gregory XIII

(Encyclopedia)Gregory XIII, 1502–85, pope (1572–85), an Italian named Ugo Buoncompagni, b. Bologna; successor of St. Pius V. He is best known for his work on the calendar, and the reformed calendar, the Gregori...

Durant, Henry Fowle

(Encyclopedia)Durant, Henry Fowle do͝orăntˈ, dyo͝o– [key], 1822–81, American lawyer and educator, b. Hanover, N.H., grad. Harvard, 1841. Christened Henry Welles Smith, he adopted the name Durant (1851) beca...