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Cornelius, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Cornelius, Peter pāˈtər kôrnāˈlēo͝os [key], 1824–74, German composer and poet; follower of Liszt and Wagner. He wrote music criticism, songs, and poetry but is best known for his operas Der ...

Pázmány, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Pázmány, Peter päzˈmänyə [key], 1570–1637, Hungarian churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Of a Calvinist family, he was converted to Catholicism in 1583, entered the Society of Je...

Pelham, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Pelham, Peter pĕlˈəm [key], c.1695–1751, American engraver and painter, b. England; stepfather of John Singleton Copley. After studying and practicing in England, Pelham settled (c.1728) in Bosto...

Shirley, Sir Anthony

(Encyclopedia)Shirley or Sherley, Sir Anthony, 1565–1636?, English adventurer. He fought in the Netherlands (1586) under the earl of Leicester and in France (1591) under the earl of Essex, who became his patron. ...

Flötner, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Flötner or Flettner, Peter pāˈtər flötˈnər, flĕtˈnər [key], c.1485–1546, German medalist and artisan, possibly Swiss by birth. He was active in decorative sculpture, wood carving, and othe...

Folger, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Folger, Peter fōlˈjər [key], 1617–90, British settler on Nantucket. He was associated with Thomas Mayhew on Martha's Vineyard, becoming missionary, schoolmaster, and surveyor. He moved to Nantuck...

Matthiessen, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Matthiessen, Peter măthˈəsən [key], American writer, naturalist, and adventurer, b. New York City, grad. Yale (1950). A founder (1951) of the literary Paris Review, he published his first novel, R...

Minuit, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Minuit, Peter mĭnˈyo͞oĭt [key], c.1580–1638, first director-general of New Netherland, b. Wesel (then the duchy of Cleves). Sent by the Dutch West India Company to take charge of its holdings in...

Boehler, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Boehler, Peter böˈlər [key], 1712–75, missionary and bishop of the Moravian Church, b. Germany. He went (1738) to Savannah, Ga., to minister to the Moravians. In 1740 he migrated with a group to ...

Stuyvesant, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Stuyvesant, Peter stīˈvəsənt [key], c.1610–1672, Dutch director-general of New Netherland. He served as governor of Curaçao and lost a leg in an expedition against St. Martin before succeeding ...