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Polk, James Knox

(Encyclopedia)Polk, James Knox pōk [key], 1795–1849, 11th President of the United States (1845–49), b. Mecklenburg co., N.C. To the surprise of many, the new President proved to be his own man; he even ignor...

Orr, James Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Orr, James Lawrence, 1822–73, American politician, b. Craytonville, S.C. He served in the South Carolina legislature (1844–48) and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1849–59), where he was (1...

Perry, William James

(Encyclopedia)Perry, William James, 1927–, U.S. government official, b. Vandergrift, Pa. A Ph.D. in mathematics, former Stanford engineering professor, and founder of a military electronics firm, he served (1977�...

Petrillo, James Caesar

(Encyclopedia)Petrillo, James Caesar pētrĭlˈō, pĭ– [key], 1892–1984, American labor leader, president of the American Federation of Musicians (1940–58), b. Chicago. In 1915 he became president of the Ame...

Maidstone

(Encyclopedia)Maidstone mādˈstən [key], city (1991 pop. 86,067), Kent, SE England, on the Medway River. It is a market city with agricultural, paper, printing, quarrying, brewing, and engineering industries. The...

Brown, Capability

(Encyclopedia)Brown, Capability (Lancelot Brown), 1715–83, English landscape gardener, b. Kirkharle, Northumberland. The leading landscape gardener of his time, he is known for designing gardens that broke with t...

Downs, North, and South Downs

(Encyclopedia)Downs, North, and South Downs, parallel ranges of chalk hills, SE England. They rise to 965 ft (294 m) at Leith Hill, Surrey. The North Downs range, extending c.100 mi (160 km) from near Farnham, Surr...

Pilgrims' Way

(Encyclopedia)Pilgrims' Way, ancient English road that ran from Hampshire to Kent, over the Sussex Downs. It is so called because it may have been used during the Middle Ages by pilgrims who came to Canterbury to t...

Grandville, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Grandville, city (2020 pop. 16,083), Kent co., W Mich., on the Grand River, in a farm area; settled 1833, inc. as a city 1933. Transportation and silver...

Whitstable

(Encyclopedia)Whitstable hwĭtˈstəbəl [key], town (1991 pop. 26,227), Kent, SE England. Formerly the port for Canterbury pilgrims, Whitstable is largely a resort and residential area. Whitstable oysters have lon...