Julius Ochs Adler (1892 - 1955)

United States Army General, Journalist. The nephew of “New York Times” Adolph Ochs, was mentored by his uncle, and attended Princeton University. He served in the United States Army during World War I as a Major and battalion commander in the 306th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. He fought on the Western Front in France, […]

George Ade (1866 - 1944)

Author, Playwright, Humorist. His best known book is “Fables in Slang.” Three of his plays ran simultaneously in New York City, New York. He was the brother-in-law of Indiana Governor Warren T. McCray.  Family links:  Parents:  John Ade (1828 – 1914)  Adeline Wardell Bush Ade (1833 – 1907)  Siblings:  Anna L. Randall (1852 – 1926)* […]

Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)

Playwright, Stateman. He is best remembered for his fictional play “Cato, a Tragedy,” based on the last days of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis (or Cato the Younger), the renowned Roman statesman and politician. He was born in Milston, Wiltshire, England, the oldest son of a minister and received his education at Charterhouse School at Godalming, […]

George Adamski (1891 - 1965)

Author. George was born in Poland and emigrated to America when he was two. He  was a soldier in the 13th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (K Troop) fighting at the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition. In 1917 he married Mary Shimbersky. She died in 1954; they had no children. Following his marriage George moved […]

William Taylor Adams (1822 - 1897)

Author. He gained popularity in the 19th century for his works for young boys and girls written under the pseudonym “Oliver Optic”. He published 126 books and over 1,000 short stories under the alias.  Family links:  Children:  Emma Louisa Adams White (1857 – 1884)* *Calculated relationship

Sarah Flower Adams (1805 - 1848)

Poet. Born in Old Harlow, Essex, in England. The youngest daughter of Benjamin Flower, a newspaper editor. During the years 1832 to 1835 Sarah became a contributor to the pages of the Monthly Repository, then edited by Mr. W. Johnson Fox, and contributed to by John Stuart Mill, Crabb Robinson, Robert Browning, R. H. Horne, […]

James Truslow Adams (1878 - 1949)

Historian. He graduated from Yale University in 1900, served in the United States Army during World War I as an intelligence officer, and on the staff of the United States delegation at the post-War Versailles Peace Conference. After the war he began writing, and won a Pulitzer Prize for hiw work “The Founding of New […]

Henry Brooks Adams (1838 - 1918)

Author, Historian.  Born in Boston, Massachusetts  to one of America’s most prominent families, his father was American Diplomat and scholar  Charles Francis Adams, his grandfather was 6th United States President John Quincy Adams, and his great-grandfather was 2nd United States President John Adams. He graduated from Harvard University in 1858 and later attended lectures at […]

Avery Brundage (1887 - 1975)

Olympics Games Official. He served as President of the International Olympic Committee, serving in that role from 1952 to 1972. The only American to hold the office, he was a track and field athlete, competing with the United States team during the 1912 Stockholm, Sweden games. In 1972 he made the controversial decision to continue […]

Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (1893 - 1982)

Author. The daughter of American publisher and author Edward Stratemeyer, she was the author of several books for young children and teens. Writing for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, the book publishing firm founded by her father, she contributed stories in the “Nancy Drew” series under the firm’s blanket pseudonym ‘Carolyn Keene’. She also contributed stories in […]

Eli Metcalfe Bruce (1828 - 1866)

Civil War CSA Congressman. He was a wealthy Kentucky businessman who applied his fortunes to supplying the Confederacy with much-needed military goods by running the Northern blockade during the War Between the States. He served in the Confederate Congress, and also used his fortunes to help destitute Confederate soldiers, civilians, and veterans. After the war […]

Hannah Adams (1755 - 1831)

Author. She wrote a number of works on religious themes, including “Alphabetical Compendium of the Various Sects Which Have Appeared from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Present Day,” “A Summary History of New England,” “History of the Jews” and “Letters on the Gospels.”  Family links:  Parents:  Thomas Adams (1725 – 1812)  Elizabeth […]

Edward West “Daddy” Browning (1874 - 1934)

American Folk Figure, Businessman. A millionaire real estate magnate, he the center of a hugely sensational scandal in the 1920s involving his marriage to 15 year old Frances Belle Heenan. The news media at the time dubbed her “Peaches” to his “Daddy” (a nicknamed he received early in life; he was 52 years old).  Family […]

Douglas Noel Adams (1952 - 2001)

Author. Born in Cambridge, England, he was educated at Brentwood School, Essex and went on to St. John’s College in Cambridge where he first earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1974 and later gained a Masters degree in English literature. He is best known as the creator of the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series, […]

James Joseph “J.J.” Brown (1855 - 1922)

Businessman. Although known today as the husband of “Unsinkable Molly Brown” Margaret Brown of “RMS Titanic” disaster fame, he was one of the wealthiest men in the United States from his days as a gold mine owner of the Colorado gold and silver booms of the 19th century.  Family links:  Spouse:  Margaret Brown (1868 – […]

Charles Francis Adams, Sr (1807 - 1886)

US Congressman, US Diplomat.  The son of 6th United States President John Quincy Adams and grandson of 2nd United States President John Adams, he spent much of his early life traveling with his parents in Europe.  He returned in his adolescence to attend school in Boston, Massachusetts, graduating from Harvard University in 1825. He was […]

Robert Howell Brooks (1937 - 2006)

Entrepreneur. He is best known as the chairman of Hooters Restaurants, who began his successful climb by selling salad dressings and other products made by Naturally Fresh Foods, a company that he founded in 1967. He also was known for his charity,  giving $2 million to Coastal Carolina University to build it’s football stadium, now […]

Brooks Adams (1848 - 1927)

Historian, Author.  The youngest child of American Diplomat and scholar Charles Francis Adams, he spent most of his childhood in England, returning to Boston Massachusetts to attend Harvard University (where he graduated in 1870).  Over the next year, he served as his father’s secretary abroad then later followed in the footsteps of his forbearers by […]

Robert Somers Brookings (1850 - 1932)

Robert worked with his elder brother for Cupples & Marston, a wood products manufacturing company. He eventually became a partner in the business at the age of 21. After turning Cupples into a leader in its industry, Brookings retired at the age of 46 and turned his attention to Washington University Corporation. He purchased many […]

Andy Adams (1859 - 1935)

Author. After living and working on the Western Frontier, he drew his experiences there to write a number of successful western novels. His first “The Log of a Cowboy” (1903), was his best known and most successful work. (bio by: Laurie)  Family links:  Parents:  Andrew Adams (1821 – 1906)  Elizabeth Elliott Adams (1821 – 1897)

Louis Alojz Adamic (1898 - 1951)

Author. Born to peasant parents at the Praproe castle, Blato, located near Grosuplje, Solvenia, his meager childhood education was obtained from the local schools and in Ljubljana where he was expelled at fifteen for taking part in student demonstrations against the ruling Austrians. He emigrated to American in 1913 and finally settled in the Croatian […]

William McLaren Bristol (1860 - 1935)

Businessman. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1887 and purchased Clinton Pharmaceutical Company in upstate New York with classmate John Ripley Myers, continuing the firm after Myers died in 1899. Bristol, Myers was not immediately profitable, but proved successful when it produced and marketed Sal Hepatica, a laxative mineral salt that reproduced the taste and […]

Forrest James Ackerman (1916 - 2008)

Author. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Carroll Wyman Cridland and William Schilling Ackerman. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, then went onto work as a movie projectionist and at odd jobs. In 1942 he enlisted into the Army where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, held the position of editor […]

Ramón Acín (1888 - 1936)

Journalist, Anti-Fascist Fighter. Born in Huesca, Aragón, Spain, he began his career as a journalist for the newspaper “El Diario de Huesca” and the magazines “Don Pepito” and “L’Esquella de la Torratxa”. Later, he founded the magazine “La Ira” and began his collaboration in leftist newspapers with articles against the coup d’état of General Francisco […]

Hans Hofmann (1880 - 1966)

German-born Artist. Hofmann developed an interest in mathematics, science, music and art at a very early age. Hofmann was both an intuitive painter and a man with a profound understanding of modernism. His ideas on art developed initially during his years in Paris. From 1904 to 1914, he knew Matisse, Picasso, Braque, and Delaunay. He […]

Arunah Shepherdson Abell (1806 - 1888)

Journalist, Newspaper Publisher. Born and raised in Rhode Island, he founded the “Baltimore Sun” newspaper as a penny paper in 1837.  Throughout the 19th century, Baltimore, Maryland had a number of newspapers, many of them were overtly partisan, such as the pro-Republican “Baltimore American”. Arunah’s “Sun”, however, despite its origins as a penny paper, had, […]

Gerard Hoffnung (1925 - 1959)

German-born artist, cartoonist, humorist, caricaturist, musician, broadcaster and raconteur. A prolific illustrator most of his work was based on musical themes. His most famous recorded item is probably his “barrel” monologue, one of his many spoof letters, this one purporting to be from a builder excusing himself from work. His “Festival of Music” include fine […]

Steve Abbott (1943 - 1992)

Author. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, he studied in his city of birth and began his career as writer. He is remembered for his books “Mermaid Dreams”, “Wrecked Hearts”, “The Lives of the Poets”, “Holy Terror” and “The Lizard Club”.  Family links:  Spouse:  Barbara Louise Binder Abbott (1946 – 1973)* *Calculated relationship

Lewis Parsons Hobart (1873 - 1954)

Architect. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Hobart studied briefly at the University of California Berkeley before travelling to Paris to study at l’École des Beaux Arts until 1903. Shortly after the devastating earthquake of 1906, he moved to San Francisco where he was prominent in the rebuilding of the city. Among his many projects […]

Edward Paul Abbey (1927 - 1989)

Author. His nineteen books include “Desert Solitaire,” (regarded by many as one of the finest nature narratives in American literature), “The Monkey Wrench Gang,” “Abbey’s Road,” “Beyond the Wall: Essays from the Outside” and “Cactus Country.”  Family links:  Parents:  Paul Revere Abbey (1901 – 1992)  Mildred Irene Postlewaite Abbey (1905 – 1988)  Spouse:  Judith Pepper […]