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Scott, Thomas Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Scott, Thomas Alexander, 1823–81, American railroad president, b. Fort Loudon, Pa. He was employed by the Pennsylvania RR as a station agent in 1850 and rose to become general superintendent (1858) ...

Simon, Herbert Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Simon, Herbert Alexander, 1916–2001, American social scientist and economist, b. Milwaukee, grad. Univ. of Chicago (B.A., 1936, Ph.D., 1943). A professor of computer science and psychology at Carneg...

Cartwright, Alexander Joy

(Encyclopedia)Cartwright, Alexander Joy, 1820–92, American baseball player, b. New York City. He worked as a bank teller and a bookseller, and was a volunteer firefighter with the Knickerbocker Fire Engine Compan...

Castrén, Matthias Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Castrén, Matthias Alexander mätēˈäs älĕksänˈdər kästrānˈ [key], 1813–52, Finnish philologist, one of the first scholars to study the Finno-Ugric languages. Castrén was long a professor...

Ovechkin, Alexander Mikhailovich

(Encyclopedia)Ovechkin, Alexander Mikhailovich, 1985–, Russian hockey player. He joined Dynamo Moscow, a professional team, at 16, and led Russia to a junior championship. A Washington Capitals first-round pick i...

Fraserburgh

(Encyclopedia)Fraserburgh frāˈzərbərə [key], town, Aberdeenshire, NE Scotland, on the North Sea. It is one of ...

Douglas, William, 6th earl of Douglas

(Encyclopedia)Douglas, William, 6th earl of Douglas, 1423?–1440, Scottish nobleman, eldest son of Archibald Douglas, 5th earl of Douglas. In answer to an invitation from the young James II, who was at that time c...

Barbour, John

(Encyclopedia)Barbour, John bärˈbər [key], c.1316?–1395, Scottish poet. He was archdeacon of Aberdeen from 1355 until his death. His romance, The Bruce (1375), celebrating Scotland's emancipation from England,...

Long Island, battle of

(Encyclopedia)Long Island, battle of, Aug. 27, 1776, American defeat in the American Revolution. To protect New York City and the lower Hudson valley from the British forces massed on Staten Island, George Washingt...

Gawain, Sir

(Encyclopedia)Gawain, Sir gäˈwān, –wĭn [key], one of the most popular heroes of Arthurian legend; nephew of King Arthur. He was regarded, particularly in the early romances, as the model of chivalry—pure, b...