Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

John Henry

(Encyclopedia)John Henry, legendary African American famous for his strength, celebrated in ballads and tales. In the most popular version of the story, John Henry tries to outwork a steam drill with only his hamme...

Haviland, John

(Encyclopedia)Haviland, John hăvˈĭlənd [key], 1792–1852, American architect, b. Philadelphia. Haviland was noted as a pioneer in prison architecture. His design for the Pennsylvania Eastern State Penitentiary...

Goddard, John

(Encyclopedia)Goddard, John gŏdˈərd [key], 1724–85, American furniture maker, b. Dartmouth, Mass. He worked in Newport, R.I., and is recognized as having been one of the finest cabinetmakers in early America. ...

Powell, John

(Encyclopedia)Powell, John, 1882–1963, American pianist and composer, b. Richmond, Va., grad. Univ. of Virginian, 1901. In Vienna he studied piano and composition and in 1908 made his debut as a pianist in Berlin...

Gardner, John

(Encyclopedia)Gardner, John (John Champlin Gardner, Jr.), 1933–82, American writer, b. Batavia, N.Y. He was a teacher, lecturer, and prolific writer of fiction, children's books, poetry, radio plays, and scholarl...

relics

(Encyclopedia)relics, part of the body of a saint or a thing closely connected with the saint in life. In traditional Christian belief they have had great importance, and miracles have often been associated with th...

ecumenical movement

(Encyclopedia)ecumenical movement ĕkˌyo͞omĕnˈĭkəl, ĕkˌyə– [key], name given to the movement aimed at the unification of the Protestant churches of the world and ultimately of all Christians. During and ...

Croker, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Croker, Richard, 1841–1922, American politician, head of Tammany Hall from 1886 to 1902, b. Co. Cork, Ireland. He became prominent as Democratic leader of New York City's East Side and as an aide of...

Moody, John

(Encyclopedia)Moody, John, 1868–1958, American financial writer, b. Jersey City, N.J. He was working in a Wall Street brokerage house in 1900 when he founded Moody's Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities...

Haberle, John

(Encyclopedia)Haberle, John hăbˈərlēˌ [key], 1856–1933, American painter, b. New Haven, Conn. Noted for his photographically precise still-life paintings, Haberle is often compared in style with William Harn...

Browse by Subject