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Jean Ranc (1641-1712), a Huguenot pastor, emigrated from France to Mannheim, Germany in 1685. His grandson, John Michael Ranck (1701- 1778) married Anna Barbara Schwab and immigrated in 1728 to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Descendants lived in most of the United States.
Known as the Father of His Country, George Washington is sometimes viewed as a demi-god for what he was and did, rather than for what he thought. In addition to being a popular icon for the forces of American nationalism, he served as commander-in-chief of the victorious Continental Army. That he played a key role in securing the adoption of the Constitution is well known, but few credit him with a political philosophy that actively shaped the constitutional tradition.
Isaac Burns Murphy (1861--1896) was one of the most dynamic jockeys of his era. Still considered one of the finest riders of all time, Murphy was the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby three times, and his 44 percent win record remains unmatched. Despite his success, Murphy was pushed out of Thoroughbred racing when African American jockeys were forced off the track, and he died in obscurity. In The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy, author Pellom McDaniels III offers the first definitive biography of this celebrated athlete, whose life spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the adoption of Jim Crow legislation. Despite the obstacles he faced, Murphy became an important figure -- not just in sports, but in the social, political, and cultural consciousness of African Americans. Drawing from legal documents, census data, and newspapers, this comprehensive profile explores how Murphy epitomized the rise of the black middle class and contributed to the construction of popular notions about African American identity, community, and citizenship during his lifetime.
On August 18, 1862, Col. Edward J. Gurley organized ten companies at Waco, Texas, to form the Thirtieth Texas Cavalry, also known as the First Texas Partisan Rangers. After the outbreak of the Civil War, Gurley obtained permission from President Jefferson Davis to raise a regiment of cavalry. A majority of the men Gurley enlisted in his command came from Waco and the surrounding area, many to avoid the stigma of conscription. Besides McLennan, men came from Bastrop, Johnson, Bosque, Comanche, Chambers, Erath, Hill, and Ellis counties, all in North Central Texas near the frontier, with a small number of men from Arkansas. After the Second Battle of Cabin Creek, the Thirtieth Texas Cavalry received orders that transferred it to Gen. William Henry Parson's Brigade, replacing the Twenty-first Texas Cavalry in March 1865. The Thirtieth Texas Cavalry finally disbanded in May 1865 at Wallace Prairie, Texas, near Austin after serving with Parson's Brigade for only two months.
Author Washington Irving believed this, his monumental biography of America's first great military hero and president, to be his finest literary achievement. Indeed, it is a masterful work, a superlative life of George Washington, and stood as a definitive text long after its 1860 publication.Volume IV delves into the end of the Revolution and Washington's terms as president of the United States, and feature the full texts of his farewell address and will.WASHINGTON IRVING (1783-1859) was born in New York City to Scottish immigrant parents. Considered by some the "Father of American Literature," Irving is best known for his short stories, including "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," but he also produced an extensive bibliography of essays, poems, travel books, and biographies.