Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Cabot, John

(Encyclopedia)Cabot, John, fl. 1461–98, English explorer, probably b. Genoa, Italy. He became a citizen of Venice in 1476 and engaged in the Eastern trade of that city. This experience, it is assumed, was the sti...

Bouvier, John

(Encyclopedia)Bouvier, John bo͝ovērˈ [key], 1787–1851, American writer on law, b. France. He emigrated to Philadelphia in 1802 with his parents and later was a lawyer and journalist in Pennsylvania. His Law Di...

Boydell, John

(Encyclopedia)Boydell, John boiˈdəl [key], 1719–1804, English engraver and print publisher, originator and builder of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. He studied engraving in London and early began to amass his...

Bracken, John

(Encyclopedia)Bracken, John, 1883–1969, Canadian political leader, b. Ontario. A noted agricultural expert, he was premier of Manitoba for 20 years (1922–42). In 1942 he was chosen to lead Canada's Conservative...

Bradford, John

(Encyclopedia)Bradford, John, 1749–1830, pioneer printer of Kentucky, b. Virginia. He moved to Kentucky c.1779. Although he had no previous practical experience, he issued at Lexington on Aug. 11, 1787, the first...

Bradshaw, John

(Encyclopedia)Bradshaw, John, 1602–59, English regicide judge. In 1649 he was made president of the parliamentary commission to try Charles I, other lawyers of greater prominence having refused the position. For ...

Bradstreet, John

(Encyclopedia)Bradstreet, John, c.1711–1774, British officer in the French and Indian Wars. A Nova Scotian, he was captured (1744) by the French and confined at Louisburg. After his exchange he described the weak...

Bruton, John

(Encyclopedia)Bruton, John bro͞oˈtən [key], 1947–, Irish politician, b. Dublin. A lawyer and farm owner, he is a member of the centrist Fine Gael party. Bruton was first elected to the Irish parliament in 1969...

Bunyan, John

(Encyclopedia)Bunyan, John bŭnˈyən [key], 1628–88, English author, b. Elstow, Bedfordshire. After a brief period at the village free school, Bunyan learned the tinker's trade, which he followed intermittently ...

Burgoyne, John

(Encyclopedia)Burgoyne, John bərgoinˈ [key], 1722–92, British general and playwright. In the Seven Years War, his victory over the Spanish in storming (1762) Valencia de Alcántara in Portugal made him the toas...