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Lee, George Washington Custis

(Encyclopedia)Lee, George Washington Custis, 1832–1913, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Fort Monroe, Va.; eldest son of Robert E. Lee. He served in the Corps of Engineers until May, 1861, when h...

Woods, Robert Archey

(Encyclopedia)Woods, Robert Archey, 1865–1925, American social worker, b. Pittsburgh, grad. Amherst, 1886. After six months at Toynbee Hall, London, he helped found (1891) the South End House, Boston, which he he...

Waller, Fats

(Encyclopedia)Waller, Fats, 1904–43, American jazz musician, singer, and composer, whose original name was Thomas Wright Waller, b. New York City. Waller began playing the piano as a child, and later studied with...

Bucareli y Ursúa, Antonio María

(Encyclopedia)Bucareli y Ursúa, Antonio María äntōˈnyō märēˈä bo͞okärāˈlē ē o͞orso͞oˈä [key], 1717–79, Spanish colonial administrator. He served in the Spanish army and as governor of Cuba bef...

Reed, James Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Reed, James Alexander, 1861–1944, American political leader, b. near Mansfield, Ohio. He moved to Iowa and was admitted (1885) to the bar, practicing there and later in Missouri. He was (1898–1900...

Moore, Marianne

(Encyclopedia)Moore, Marianne, 1887–1972, American poet, b. St. Louis, grad. Bryn Mawr College, 1909. She lived mostly in New York City, working first as a librarian and then as editor of the Dial magazine (1925...

Langdon, Harry

(Encyclopedia)Langdon, Harry, 1884–1944, American silent film comedian and director, b. Council Bluffs, Iowa. He repeatedly ran away from home to join traveling shows and circuses as a youngster, and later develo...

Hampton, Wade, Confederate general

(Encyclopedia)Hampton, Wade, 1818–1902, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Charleston, S.C.; grandson of Wade Hampton (c.1752–1835). Hampton, a wealthy planter, served (1852–61) in the South Ca...

Gates, Henry Louis, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., 1950–, American scholar and critic, b. Keyser, W.Va., B.A. Yale, 1973, Ph.D. Cambridge, 1979, where he studied with Wole Soyinka. Gates is an expert on African-American lite...

Crabbe, George

(Encyclopedia)Crabbe, George, 1754–1832, English poet, b. Aldeburgh, Suffolk. After practicing medicine for a short time, he went to London in 1780, hoping to earn money by his writing. He was befriended by Edmun...

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