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Ross, Betsy

(Encyclopedia)Ross, Betsy, 1752–1836, American seamstress, b. Philadelphia. Her full name was Elizabeth Griscom Ross Ashburn Claypoole. She is known to have made flags during the American Revolution, although the...

Colorado–Big Thompson project

(Encyclopedia)Colorado–Big Thompson project, constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to divert water from the headstreams of the Colorado River to irrigate c.720,000 acres (291,400 hectares) of land in NE C...

Walton, Ernest Thompson Sinton

(Encyclopedia)Walton, Ernest Thompson Sinton, 1903–95, Irish physicist, educated at Methodist College (Belfast), Trinity College (Dublin), and Cambridge. He became a fellow of Trinity College in 1934 and professo...

Rumford, Benjamin Thompson, Count

(Encyclopedia)Rumford, Benjamin Thompson, Count, 1753–1814, American-British scientist and administrator, b. Woburn, Mass. In 1776 he went to England, where he served (1780–81) as undersecretary of the colonies...

Dewing, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Dewing, Francis do͞oˈĭng, dyo͞oˈ– [key], fl. 1716–22, early American engraver, b. England. He came to Boston in 1716 as an engraver and printer, probably one of the first in America. In 1722 ...

Dana, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Dana, Francis, 1743–1811, American diplomat, b. Charlestown, Mass. Son of a prominent lawyer, he was himself a lawyer. He went as a colonial agent to England, then served as a delegate to the Massac...

Danby, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Danby, Francis, 1793–1861, British historical and landscape painter. He painted many romantic and imaginary scenes and excelled in depicting sunrise and sunset. A good example of his work is Conway ...

Deak, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Deak, Francis, Hung. Deák Ferenc dĕˈäk fĕˈrĕnts [key], 1803–76, Hungarian politician. A landed proprietor and lawyer, he entered the Hungarian diet in 1833 and became minister of justice afte...

Fauquier, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Fauquier, Francis fôkērˈ [key], c.1704–1768, acting royal governor of Virginia (1758–68). He came to the colony as lieutenant governor in 1758, and in the absence of the governors—the earl of...

Francis, Dick

(Encyclopedia)Francis, Dick (Richard Stanley Francis), 1920–2010, English novelist. He was a champion steeplechase jockey (1946–57) and a racing writer for a London newspaper (1957–73). Francis parlayed his k...