Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Rogers, Lindsay

(Encyclopedia)Rogers, Lindsay, 1891–1970, American political scientist, b. Baltimore, grad. Johns Hopkins (B.A., 1912; Ph.D., 1915). He was (1914–15) a fellow in political science at Johns Hopkins before becomi...

Rogers, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Rogers, Robert, 1731–95, American frontiersman, b. Methuen, Mass. As a child he moved with his family to the New Hampshire frontier. In King George's War (1744–48) he served briefly as a scout. In...

Rogers, Roy

(Encyclopedia)Rogers, Roy, 1911–98, American Western film star, b. Cincinnati, Ohio, as Leonard Franklin Slye. The guitar-strumming Rogers succeeded Gene Autry as America's favorite singing cowboy in movies of th...

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...

Rogers, Woodes

(Encyclopedia)Rogers, Woodes, 1679?–1732, British privateer and colonial administrator. A romantic figure, Rogers plundered (1708–9) Spanish commerce in the Pacific and rescued Alexander Selkirk from the Juan F...

Hays, Will H.

(Encyclopedia)Hays, Will H., 1879–1954, American politician and motion-picture executive, b. Sullivan, Ind.; his original name was William Harrison Hays. Hays became active in Indiana political affairs, was chair...

chuck-will's-widow

(Encyclopedia)chuck-will's-widow: see goatsucker. ...

will, in law

(Encyclopedia)will, in law, document expressing the wishes of a person (known as a testator) concerning the disposition of her property after her death. If a person dies intestate, i.e., without a valid will, statu...

will-o'-the-wisp

(Encyclopedia)will-o'-the-wisp, phenomenon known also as ignis fatuus and jack-o'-lantern. It is seen at night as a pale, flickering light over marshland. There is no generally accepted explanation for it; it may r...

Post, Wiley

(Encyclopedia)Post, Wiley, 1899–1935, American aviator, b. Grand Plain, Tex. He won fame in 1931 when he and Harold Gatty flew around the northern part of the earth in 8 days 15 hr 51 min. In 1933 he made a secon...