ANB Online October 2008 Update

The Fall update of the ANB includes new biographies of 71 men and women, representing many diverse walks of life: from those whose explorations shaped America physically, to those whose enterprises have shaped modern American culture.

Here are some of the highlights: Yellowstone explorer Gustavus Doane; Charles Dow, founder of the Wall Street Journal; tattooed lady Artoria Gibbons; Ruth Handler, creator of the Barbie Doll; Hawai'ian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole; acting stars June Allyson, Rory Calhoun, Jack Lord, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Teresa Wright; Henry Johnson, the first American soldier in World War 1 to receive the Croix de Guerre; Margret Rey, creator of Curious George; early developers of the resorts of Las Vegas (Wayne McAllister) and Aspen (Elizabeth Paepcke); Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, American Indian poet; Joseph Pilates, founder of the exercise regime; Bill Poole, notorious New York gangster; two inventors: Edwin Drake, who sank the the first oil well, and Waldo Semon, who created vinyl; Nobel prize-winning economist Wassily Leontief; six politicians, including Jimmie Davis, Louisiana's 'Singing Governor', who composed 'You are my sunshine'; as well as sporting heroes, entrepreneurs, and writers.

Although full access to the ANB Online -- including a powerful custom search and more than 18,000 biographies -- is available by subscription only, Oxford University Press is pleased to provide free access to articles in the current update. Free access is also available to the Biography of the Day and the articles linked to the illustrations on our home page.

  1. Alexander, Raymond Pace (13 Oct. 1898-24 Nov. 1974), Judge, Lawyers, Civil Rights Activists
  2. Allyson, June (7 Oct. 1917-8 July 2006), Stage/Screen Actors
  3. Anderson, Poul (25 Nov. 1926-31 July 2001), Fiction Writers
  4. Armstrong, John Barkley (1 Jan. 1850-1 May 1913), Texas Ranger
  5. Bausch, John Jacob (25 July 1830-14 Feb. 1926), Ophthalmologists
  6. Bendel, Henri , Fashion Designers
  7. Beneke, Tex (1914-2000), Jazz Musicians, Saxophonists
  8. Blake, Bud (1918-2005), Cartoonists/Comic Strip Creators
  9. Brown, Joe (1925-1997), Boxers
  10. Bunting, Robert Franklin (1828-1891), Presbyterian Clergy
  11. Calhoun, Rory (8 Aug. 1922-28 Apr. 1999), Stage/Screen Actors
  12. Capetillo, Luisa (28 Oct. 1879-10 Apr. 1922), Labor Organizers/Leaders
  13. Cooke, Chauncey H. (15 May 1846-11 May 1919), Soldiers
  14. Cooke, Jack Kent (25 Oct. 1912-6 Apr. 1997), Sports Organization Executives
  15. Davis, Allison (14 Oct. 1902-21 Nov. 1983), Anthropologists
  16. Davis, Jimmie Houston (11 Sept. 1899-5 Nov. 2000), State Governors
  17. Dedini, Eldon Lawrence (29 June 1921-12 Jan. 2006), Cartoonists/ Comic Strip Creators
  18. Deglman, George A. (13 Mar. 1877-19 Feb. 1963), Jesuit educator
  19. Doane, Gustavus Cheyney (20 May 1840-5 May 1892), Explorers
  20. Dow, Charles Henry (6 Nov. 1851-4 Dec. 1902), Newspaper Editors/Publishers
  21. Drake, Edwin Laurentine (29 Mar. 1819-8 Nov. 1880), Petroleum Industry Leaders
  22. Dunlap, Fred (1861-1 Dec. 1902), Baseball Players
  23. Evans, Bob (30 May 1918-21 June 2007), Restaurateurs
  24. Fleming, George (8 Dec. 1800-8 Oct. 1865), Book Editors / Publishers
  25. Gardner, John William (8 Oct. 1912-16 Feb. 2002), Educators
  26. Gibbons, Artoria (16 July 1893-18 Mar. 1985), Circus Performers
  27. Godey, Alexis (c. 1818-19 Jan. 1889), Trappers
  28. Goold, Thomas (1607-27 Oct. 1675), Baptist Clergy
  29. Groza, Louis Roy (25 Jan. 1924-29 Nov. 2000), Football Players
  30. Handler, Ruth (4 Nov. 1916-27 Apr. 2002), Game and Toy Manufacturers
  31. Helmsley, Harry (4 Mar. 1909-4 Jan. 1997), Real Estate Magnate
  32. Hills, Lee (28 May 1906-3 Feb. 2000), Print Journalists
  33. Hodgson, Ernest Franklin (20 May 1871-3 Oct. 1948), Construction Industry Leaders
  34. Holmes, George Frederick (2 Aug. 1820-4 Nov. 1897), Educators, College Administrator
  35. Hubbell, Frederick Marion (17 Jan. 1839-11 Nov. 1930), Real Estate Business Leaders
  36. Johnson, Henry (1891-1929), Soldiers
  37. Kamakawiwo'ole, Israel Ka'ano'i (20 May 1959-26 June 1997), Popular Singers
  38. Laurens, John (28 Oct. 1754-27 Aug. 1782), Revolutionary Army Officers, Diplomats, Duelists
  39. Leontief, Wassily (1906-1999), Economists
  40. Lord, Jack (30 Dec. 1920-21 Jan. 1998), Stage/Screen Actors
  41. Madison, Nellie May (5 Apr. 1895-8 July 1953), Murderers
  42. Maglie, Salvatore Anthony (26 Apr. 1917-28 Dec. 1992), Baseball Players
  43. Masters, William Howell (27 Dec. 1915-16 Feb. 2001), Physiologists
  44. Matthews, Victoria Earle (27 May 1861-10 Mar. 1907), Civil Rights Activists, Educators
  45. McAllister, Wayne Douglas , Architects
  46. Mink, Patsy (1927-2002), U.S. Representatives
  47. Montoya, Carlos (Garcia) (13 Dec. 1903-3 Mar. 1993), Guitarists
  48. Moore, Paul, Jr. (15 Nov. 1919-1 May 2003), Episcopalian Clergy
  49. Mortimer, Prince (1724-1834), Alleged Murderers
  50. Motley, Marion (5 June 1920-27 June 1999), Football Players
  51. Murray, George Washington (22 Sept. 1853-21 Apr. 1926), U.S. Representatives
  52. O'Sullivan, Maureen (17 May 1911-22 June 1998), Stage/Screen Actors
  53. Paepcke, Elizabeth (28 Aug. 1902- June 1994), Philanthropists
  54. Pilates, Joseph Hubertus (1880-9 Oct. 1967), Sports Inventors, Physical Trainer
  55. Poole, Bill (24 July 1821-8 Mar. 1855), Gangsters
  56. Purman, William James (11 Apr. 1840-14 Aug. 1928), U.S. Representatives
  57. Rey, Margret (16 May 1906-21 Dec. 1996), Fiction Writers
  58. Rowland, Dunbar (25 Aug. 1864-1 Nov. 1937), Archivists, Historians
  59. Schoolcraft, Jane Johnston (1800-1842), Fiction Writers
  60. Semon, Waldo Lonsbury (10 Sept. 1898-26 May 1999), Chemists
  61. Siskel, Gene (26 Jan. 1946-20 Feb. 1999), Film Critics
  62. Smith, Gerard (25 Apr. 1896-6 Sept. 1975), , Roman Catholic Clergy, Educators
  63. Sprague, Russel (24 Dec. 1886-17 Apr. 1969), , Political Figures
  64. Stoddard, William Osborn (24 Sept. 1835-29 Aug. 1925), Newspaper Editors/Publishers
  65. Sweet, Ossian Haven (1895-1960), Physicians
  66. Thomas, Dave (2 July 1932-8 Jan. 2002), Restaurateurs
  67. Thurman, Howard W. , Educators, Theologians
  68. Tranchepain, Marie (1680?-11 Nov. 1733), Nuns
  69. Ward, Lynd (1905-1985), Children's Book Writers/ Illustrators
  70. Warnke, Paul Culliton (1920-2001), Lawyer and Government Official
  71. Wright, Teresa (1918-2005), Stage/Screen Actors