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Colt, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Colt, Samuel, 1814–62, American inventor, b. Hartford, Conn. In 1835–36, he patented a revolving-breech pistol and founded at Paterson, N.J., the Patent Arms Company, which failed in 1842. An orde...

Clarke, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Clarke, Samuel, 1675–1729, English philosopher and divine. His chief interest was rational theology, and, although a critic of the deists, he was in sympathy with some of their ideas. He supported t...

Chase, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Chase, Samuel, 1741–1811, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1796–1811), b. Somerset co., Md. A la...

Finley, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Finley, Samuel, 1715–66, Presbyterian minister, president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton), b. Ireland. He went to North America in 1734 and is believed to have studied under William Ten...

Fallows, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Fallows, Samuel, 1835–1922, American clergyman, bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church, b. England, grad. Univ. of Wisconsin, 1859. He served with the Union army in the Civil War and afterward held...

Rogers, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Rogers, Samuel, 1763–1855, English poet. Independently wealthy, he owned a beautiful home on St. James Street, Westminster, which became the center of literary society. He was famous for his convers...

Sewall, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Sewall, Samuel syo͞oˈəl [key], 1652–1730, American colonial jurist, b. England. He was taken as a child to Newbury, Mass., and was graduated from Harvard in 1671. He became a minister but gave up...

Pepys, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Pepys, Samuel pēps [key], 1633–1703, English public official, and celebrated diarist, b. London, grad. Magdalene College, Cambridge, 1653. In 1656 he entered the service of a relative, Sir Edward M...

Plimsoll, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Plimsoll, Samuel plĭmˈsəl [key], 1824–98, English reformer. Plimsoll was particularly interested in the welfare of sailors. As a member of Parliament (1868–80) he secured legislation limiting t...

Prescott, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Prescott, Samuel prĕsˈkət [key], 1751–c.1777, American Revolutionary figure, b. Concord, Mass. On the night of Apr. 18, 1775, he, Paul Revere, and William Dawes set out to warn the countryside of...