Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Ledyard, William lĕdˈyərd [key], 1738–81, American Revolutionary officer, b. Groton, Conn. In 1781, as commander of Fort Griswold (near Groton), he refused to surrender, despite threats of massac...

(Encyclopedia) Wotton, William, 1666–1727, English scholar. He is best known for his Reflections upon Ancient and Modern Learning (1694), a defense of contemporary learning written in response to an essay by Sir W...

(Encyclopedia) Leibniz or Leibnitz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Baron von both: gôtˈfrēt vĭlˈhĕlm bärônˈ fan līpˈnĭts [key], 1646–1716, German philosopher and mathematician, b. Leipzig. Although known primarily...

(Encyclopedia) Byrde, William. For persons thus named, use Byrd, William.

(Encyclopedia) Savery, William sāˈvərē [key], 1721–87, American cabinetmaker. He is believed to have lived in Philadelphia from c.1740. Savery is noted for his artistic and original interpretation of 18th-cent...

(Encyclopedia) Carey, William, 1761–1834, English Baptist missionary and Orientalist, one of the first Protestant missionaries to India. He helped found the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792 and shortly thereafte...

(Encyclopedia) Rockefeller, William, 1841–1922, American financier, b. Tioga co., N.Y.; brother of John D. Rockefeller. He joined (1865) his brother in the oil-refining business. William was a successful stock mar...

(Encyclopedia) Brooke, Edward William, 3d, 1919–2015, U.S. senator (1967–79), b. Washington, D.C. A decorated World War II veteran, he was admitted to the bar in 1948. A Republican, he served (1963–66) as atto...

(Encyclopedia) Combe, William ko͝om, kōm [key], 1741–1823, English satirist and miscellaneous writer, b. Bristol. His writing was mainly hack work, issued anonymously to avoid seizure of the proceeds by his many...

(Encyclopedia) Russell, William, 5th earl and 1st duke of Bedford: see Russell, family. ...