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Herrera, Abraham Cohen de

(Encyclopedia)Herrera, Abraham Cohen de ār-rāˈrä [key], c.1570–1635, Jewish philosopher and kabbalist, also called Alonso Nunez de Herrera and Abraham Irira. Born possibly in Portugal of a Marrano family, his...

Brill, Abraham Arden

(Encyclopedia)Brill, Abraham Arden, 1874–1948, American psychiatrist, b. Austria, grad. New York Univ., 1901, M.D. Columbia, 1903. He came to the United States alone at the age of 13. After studies with C. G. Jun...

Williams, William, American painter

(Encyclopedia)Williams, William, c.1710–c.1790, American painter, b. England. He probably led a seafaring life before settling (c.1747) in Philadelphia, where he was Benjamin West's first instructor in painting. ...

Randall, Samuel Jackson

(Encyclopedia)Randall, Samuel Jackson, 1828–90, American politician, b. Philadelphia. A Democrat, he was a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1863 until his death. As speaker (1876–81), he presided over...

Norton, Joshua Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Norton, Joshua Abraham, 1818–80, colorful eccentric of San Francisco known as “Emperor Norton,” b. London. He went (1820) with his parents to Cape Town, South Africa, and news of the California ...

Ibn Ezra, Abraham ben Meir

(Encyclopedia)Ibn Ezra, Abraham ben Meir mâr [key], c.1089–1164, Jewish grammarian, commentator, poet, philosopher, and astronomer, b. Tudela, Spain. He traveled widely and wrote a number of ethical treatises, p...

Davis, Andrew Jackson

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Andrew Jackson, 1826–1910, American spiritualist, b. Blooming Grove, N.Y. He became a professional clairvoyant, known as the “Poughkeepsie Seer,” after being mesmerized in 1843. He was po...

Mivart, St. George Jackson

(Encyclopedia)Mivart, St. George Jackson mīˈvərt [key], 1827–1900, English anatomist and biologist. He contributed important anatomical studies of the insectivores and carnivores. He was converted to Roman Cat...

Beame, Abraham David

(Encyclopedia)Beame, Abraham David, 1906–2001, American politician, mayor of New York City (1974–77), b. London. Beame, who grew up on New York's Lower East Side, was city budget director (1952–61). A Democra...

Davis, Alexander Jackson

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Alexander Jackson, 1803–92, American architect, b. New York City. He was the partner of Ithiel Town of New Haven, with whom he designed many important buildings in both the Greek and Gothic r...