Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Cowper, William

(Encyclopedia)Cowper, William ko͞oˈpər, kouˈ– [key], 1731–1800, English poet. Physically and emotionally unfit for the professional life, he was admitted to the bar but never practiced. After a battle with ...

Miller, William

(Encyclopedia)Miller, William, 1782–1849, American sectarian leader, b. Pittsfield, Mass. He was the founder of the sect of Second Adventists, sometimes called Millerites. In 1831, convinced from study of the Bib...

William the Conqueror

(Encyclopedia)William the Conqueror: see William I, king of England. ...

Allen, William

(Encyclopedia)Allen, William, 1704–80, American jurist, b. Philadelphia. He and his father-in-law, Andrew Hamilton, decided the choice of Philadelphia instead of Chester as provincial capital, and he helped finan...

Campbell, William

(Encyclopedia)Campbell, William, 1745–81, American Revolutionary soldier, b. Augusta co., Va.; brother-in-law of Patrick Henry. He fought in Lord Dunmore's War (1774) and helped expel the royal governor from Will...

Cartwright, William

(Encyclopedia)Cartwright, William, 1611–43, English author and divine. An ardent royalist and disciple of Ben Jonson, he had a high reputation as a preacher and author. In addition to his poems, which are now alm...

William the Lion

(Encyclopedia)William the Lion, 1143–1214, king of Scotland (1165–1214), brother and successor of Malcolm IV. Determined to recover Northumbria (lost to England in 1157), he supported the rebellion (1173–74) ...

Alexander, Sir William

(Encyclopedia)Alexander, Sir William, d. 1640: see Stirling, William Alexander, earl of. ...

Fitzmaurice, William Petty

(Encyclopedia)Fitzmaurice, William Petty: see Shelburne, William Petty Fitzmaurice, 2d earl of. ...

Barnes, William

(Encyclopedia)Barnes, William, 1801–86, English poet and philologist. After a career as a schoolmaster, he took holy orders in 1847. He is best known for his poems in Dorset dialect, which began to appear in loca...