a porcelain merchant who played a leading role during the Orangist revolution in the Netherlands of 1747–1751. During the opening months of the revolution that would put an end to the Second Stadtholderless Period, Raap, together with other agitators like the journalist Rousset de Missy published pamphlets demanding the restoration of the stadtholderate in...

a porcelain merchant who played a leading role during the Orangist revolution in the Netherlands of 1747–1751. During the opening months of the revolution that would put an end to the Second Stadtholderless Period, Raap, together with other agitators like the journalist Rousset de Missy published pamphlets demanding the restoration of the stadtholderate in the provinces of the Dutch Republic that had abolished the office, and the appointment of the Frisian stadtholder William IV of Orange, in all provinces to this dignity, that should henceforth be hereditary in the male and female line.

an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, and a Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for alerting the colonial militia to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wa...

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an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, and a Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for alerting the colonial militia to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride" (1861).

an 18th-century English writer and printer. He is best known for his three epistolary novels: Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded (1740), Clarissa: Or the History of a Young Lady (1748) and The History of Sir Charles Grandison (1753). Richardson was an established printer and publisher for most of his life and printed almost 500 different works,...

an 18th-century English writer and printer. He is best known for his three epistolary novels: Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded (1740), Clarissa: Or the History of a Young Lady (1748) and The History of Sir Charles Grandison (1753). Richardson was an established printer and publisher for most of his life and printed almost 500 different works, including journals and magazines.

an Italian and Florentine nobleman and conspirator. During the early years of Elizabeth's reign he began to take a more active part in politics, associating with the discontented Roman Catholics in England and communicating with their friends abroad. In 1570, he set to work on a plot against the more

an Italian and Florentine nobleman and conspirator. During the early years of Elizabeth's reign he began to take a more active part in politics, associating with the discontented Roman Catholics in England and communicating with their friends abroad. In 1570, he set to work on a plot against the Elizabeth I which usually bears his name: the Ridolfi plot. Afterwards he served the Pope, but much of his later life was spent in Florence, where he became a senator, and where he died on February 18, 1612.

one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia. Rolfe was one of a number of businessmen who saw the opportunity to undercut Spanish imports by growing tobacco in England's new colony in Virginia. He had somehow obtained seeds to take with him fro...

one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia. Rolfe was one of a number of businessmen who saw the opportunity to undercut Spanish imports by growing tobacco in England's new colony in Virginia. He had somehow obtained seeds to take with him from a special popular strain, then being grown in Trinidad South America, even though Spain had declared a penalty of death to anyone selling such seeds to a non-Spaniard.

John Rose was the name of a father-and-son pair of luthiers residing in the Bridewell area of London during the latter half of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The Roses specialized in the crafting of violas da gamba, but the elder Rose was also acclaimed to be the inventor of the orpharion and bandora. "Of viols and basses," wrote Michael Praetorius in hi...

John Rose was the name of a father-and-son pair of luthiers residing in the Bridewell area of London during the latter half of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The Roses specialized in the crafting of violas da gamba, but the elder Rose was also acclaimed to be the inventor of the orpharion and bandora. "Of viols and basses," wrote Michael Praetorius in his Musick’s Monument, "there are no better in the world than those of Aldred, Jay, and Smith; yet the highest in esteem are Bolles and Ross [Rose]."

John Rose was the name of a father-and-son pair of luthiers residing in the Bridewell area of London during the latter half of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The Roses specialized in the crafting of violas da gamba, but the elder Rose was also acclaimed to be the inventor of the orpharion and bandora. "Of viols and basses," wrote Michael Praetorius in hi...

John Rose was the name of a father-and-son pair of luthiers residing in the Bridewell area of London during the latter half of the 16th and early 17th centuries. The Roses specialized in the crafting of violas da gamba, but the elder Rose was also acclaimed to be the inventor of the orpharion and bandora. "Of viols and basses," wrote Michael Praetorius in his Musick’s Monument, "there are no better in the world than those of Aldred, Jay, and Smith; yet the highest in esteem are Bolles and Ross [Rose]."

widely credited with making the first American flag. According to family tradition, upon a visit from General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, in 1776, Ross convinced George Washington to change the shape of the stars he had sk...

widely credited with making the first American flag. According to family tradition, upon a visit from General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, in 1776, Ross convinced George Washington to change the shape of the stars he had sketched for the flag from six-pointed to five-pointed by demonstrating that it was easier and speedier to cut the latter. However, there is no archival evidence or other recorded verbal tradition to substantiate this story of the first American flag, and it appears that the story first surfaced in the writings of her grandson in the 1870s (a century after the fact), with no mention or documentation in earlier decades.

a British banker, politician and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of England. He became the first practising Jew to sit as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. In his earlier years, he studied at the University of Göttingen, before embarking on an apprenticeship in the family business in London, Paris and F...

a British banker, politician and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of England. He became the first practising Jew to sit as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. In his earlier years, he studied at the University of Göttingen, before embarking on an apprenticeship in the family business in London, Paris and Frankfurt. Lionel was admitted to the family partnership in 1836 at a family gathering in Frankfurt.

a Scottish printer, publisher and newspaper proprietor based in Edinburgh. Born in Alvah, near Banff, in the North-East of Scotland, he was the youngest son of the farmer James Ruddiman (c. 1680 – c. 1739) and nephew of the printer, scholar and librarian Thomas Ruddiman (1674–1757) whose business was also based in Edinburgh. Walter Ruddiman moved to Edin...

a Scottish printer, publisher and newspaper proprietor based in Edinburgh. Born in Alvah, near Banff, in the North-East of Scotland, he was the youngest son of the farmer James Ruddiman (c. 1680 – c. 1739) and nephew of the printer, scholar and librarian Thomas Ruddiman (1674–1757) whose business was also based in Edinburgh. Walter Ruddiman moved to Edinburgh sometime shortly after 1745 and was eventually admitted as a burgess of the city on 11 September 1754. Around the same time he also married Janet Bradefute with whom he had four children, Thomas, John, Walter and Janet.