At Least I Lived Longer

By Jim Fuxa

Whom did you outlive today? Cleopatra? Einstein? Hitler? AT LEAST I LIVED LONGER adds a new twist to biography with 3675 thumbnail profiles arranged by lifespans, down to the day, youngest to oldest, including women and men, historical figures and modern celebrities. Learning about famous people is fascinating, but surpassing them in some way is even better! After all, I may not have conquered the world like Alexander the Great, but AT LEAST I LIVED LONGER!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365431128

Book preview

At Least I Lived Longer

At Least I Lived Longer

By

JIM  FUXA

Cypress, Texas

2016

At Least I Lived Longer

Published in 2016 by James R. Fuxa,

12123 Cove Ridge Lane, Cypress, TX 77433

Copyright © James Fuxa, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-365-43112-8

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America through Lulu.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

Cover design by James R. Fuxa

Cover image by Victoria Kalinina at Shutterstock.com

Preface

Whom did you outlive today? Cleopatra? Einstein? Napoleon?

I am something of a competitive jerk who, several years ago, became fascinated by the thought that I soon would outlive Abraham Lincoln, Hitler, and Rachel Carson. I began to wonder whom else I might be passing in years. Was it too late to try to accomplish what he or she did, or was I outliving a fiend? I realized that many people are curious about the deceased; perhaps others would like to know whom they have outlived as well.

I decided to compile a small encyclopedia of mini-biographies, no more than three or four sentences per person. Of course, this had been done before, more than once. The difference was that, instead of arranging the biographies alphabetically or geographically, I arranged them by their life spans, down to the day.

After all, reading about famous people is always popular, but surpassing them in some way is even better!

● The competitive type, like myself, can feel accomplishment at outliving a genius Mozart or an evil Nero.

● Someone who wants a painless, fun way to learn can absorb a mini-biography every day or two, as she outlives historical figures.

● The person who constantly needs incentive can take inspiration from people of accomplishment who passed away at his age; many of the characters in these pages prove that it’s never too late (or too early) to achieve something noteworthy.

No reader of At Least I Lived Longer should feel left out. The nearly 3,700 biographies include men and women of the major races, many nationalities, and prominent religions. Numerous walks of life are represented in modern personalities as well as historical figures. The lengths of the biographies are not meant to reflect the importance or value of the person to humanity, or their influence on history, good or bad.

This book is intended to be an almost-daily, guilty pleasure. We are sorry when someone passes on and do not rejoice in it (not usually, anyway). On the other hand, however, don’t you feel just a tiny sense of relief or accomplishment that you outlived a famous person? I must admit, I have.

I hope the reader will not consider this book too morbid, but a fun reference. It is an unusual book in that it is meant to be read in tiny increments over a lifetime, hopefully a long one. I trust that this work will not be taken the wrong way by someone who is ailing or bereaved; perhaps instead it might awaken a fighting spirit in those who are ill or inspire some readers to live a healthier lifestyle. That certainly would be my wish.

I must say a few words about my methods. Of course, I could not include any living persons. I excluded those whose birth or death date was unknown. Each person’s biography had to include at least a single year for birth and for death, even if each year was known only approximately (designated as ca. or circa). Even with this stipulation, selectivity was necessary; thousands more biographies were available in addition to the ones I selected. My choices were somewhat arbitrary, although I tried to include a few of the infamous as well as accomplished persons.

I was less selective for persons who died before age 60 or after age 90, because it was important to have as many people as possible from all age groups. Like the rest of us, a lot more famous people died at the ages of 60 to 90 than at lesser or greater ages, especially less than 30 years.

There was an unfortunate tendency for the relatively young persons included in this monograph to have died from unnatural causes. On the other hand, a relatively high proportion of those who lived more than 90 years were born in recent times, reflecting the increased life spans of modern humans.

When the birth or death date was uncertain, I calculated age at death by using the earliest possible birth date and/or latest possible death date. My reasoning was that, if we are trying to live longer than the famous person, we must compare our age with that person’s maximum possible life span. For example, if a person was born on 20 or 21 August 1745, I calculated his or her age based on 20 August. If a person died ca. 1750, I used 31 December 1750 as the date of death. If a person’s birth date was known only as Summer 1620, I used June 21 as the specific birthday. If he or she died in early November 1820, I assumed the date of death to be November 10, or the final day of the first one-third of the month. And so on.

I provide the number of years (abbreviated yrs.), months (mos.), and days (d.) for each person’s age at death. I felt that this format would be more interesting to the reader than total days; for example, an age of 67 yrs., 6 mos., and 15 d. is more meaningful than the equivalent 24,669 d. I simply counted years from birth-date, then months regardless of days in a month. In counting the final days, however, I did take into account the number of days in a month, including 29 days for Feb. in a leap-year. For example, Jan. 10 to Apr 2 in a non-leap-year is actually 82 days (21 in Jan. + 28 in Feb. + 31 in Mar. + 2 in Apr.), and June 10 to Sep. 2 is 84 days (20+31+31+2), but I counted both periods as 2 months, 23 days (e.g., 2 mos. from Jan. 10 to Mar. 10 + 21 more days in Mar. + 2 in Apr.).

Readers who are more technologically inclined might instead click on the Date-to-Date Calculator link at website www.timeanddate.com to learn their exact age.

I did not try to make any sort of adjustment for different calendars used in earlier times or in different parts of the world. I assumed that birth and death dates in my sources were based on the modern, Gregorian calendar even if the person lived before that calendar was adopted.

If a person’s age was uncertain, I presented the unknown portion in parentheses. For example, if a person lived from 213 to 297 A.D. (months and dates unknown), I designate his or her age as (84 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.); this was his or her maximum age if born on 1 Jan. 213 and died 31 Dec. 297, but the person may have been only 83 years old if he or she was born in late 213 and died in early 297. Similarly, if a person lived from 13 December 1280 to March 1350 (exact date of death unknown), I give his or her age as 69 yrs., (3 mos., 18 d.); this person certainly died at age 69, but the exact number of months, 2 or 3, is in doubt and therefore in parentheses. Thus, if the reader has lived 69 yrs., 3 mos., and 19 d., then he or she has outlived this famous person, whose maximum age at death was 69 yrs., 3 mos., 18 d.

This book contains 3,675 mini-biographies. It was impossible to pick-and-choose people with specific life-spans to fill gaps, so the reader at times will go days (depending on his or her age) without outliving someone, and at other times will pass several famous people within a few days or even within one day. I had to stop adding biographies at some point; my cutoff date-of-death was 30 June 2016

My major concern about writing this book was to avoid plagiarism. I found it difficult at times to condense a several-page biography into three or four sentences without repeating phrases written by another mini-biographer. I avoided reading any summaries of a biography until I wrote the piece using my own wording, and I trust that I did not accidentally return to any wording used in my sources when I edited the manuscript.

These mini-biographies give little hint of the fascinating lives of many of the historical figures. I hope the readers will seek good, full biographies of the famous people who interest them.

I trust that the reader will enjoy this book in the spirit in which it was written. As for me ... well ... I didn’t conquer the world like Alexander the Great, but At Least I Lived Longer!

References

Byers, P. K. and S. M. Bourgoin (eds.). 1998. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd edition, 17 volumes. Gale Research, Detroit, MI.

The Encyclopedia Americana, International Edition, 30 volumes. 2001. Grolier, Danbury, CT.

The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition, 32 volumes. 2005. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., Chicago/London.

www.biography.com

www.timeanddate.com

www.wikipedia.org

"In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.

It’s the life in your years."

– Abraham Lincoln

Ages 15 to 27

15 yrs., 8 mos., 24 d. Edward VI. 12 Oct. 1537 – 6 July 1553. A king of England, he was the long-awaited son of Henry VIII. He accomplished little during his brief reign, but the lord protector elected by the regency council instituted various acts that strengthened the English Protestantism that had been established by Henry.

15 yrs., (9 mos., 19 d.) Frank, Anne. 12 June 1929 – Mar. 1945. A German school girl, in 1942 she and her family were forced to escape the Nazis by hiding in an Amsterdam attic, where she kept a diary about her everyday life and feelings. In 1944 they were betrayed and sent to extermination camps where all of them died except her father. He published her diary years later, and it went on to become one of the classics of twentieth-century literature, selling millions of copies in more than 30 languages.

§

(19 yrs., 4 mos., 29 d.). Joan of Arc. Ca. 1412 – 30 May 1431. A French peasant, in 1425 she began to have divine visions, which instructed her to see the Dauphin, or disinherited king of France, Charles VII. In 1429 she convinced him to put her in command of a small force to relieve the English siege of Orléans. She helped the overall commander lift the siege, became a symbol of French resistance after participation in further military actions, and was at Charles’ side for his 1429 coronation. Joan was captured in a 1430 skirmish, tried for heresy, and burned at the stake by the English.

§

21 yrs., (6 mos., 22 d.). Otto III. July 980 – 23 Jan. 1002. A Holy Roman emperor, he became a German king in 983 and emperor in 996. He encouraged the adoption of Christianity in neighboring countries by not forcing his rule on them, and he tried to integrate Rome into his northern realm as his capitol city. The influence of both Germany and Italy declined after his death.

21 yrs., 7 mos., 21 d. Bonney, William H. (Billy the Kid). 23 Nov. 1859 – 14 July1881. An American gunfighter, he killed several men in the cattle wars in New Mexico. The fame he gained during his lifetime has only increased to the present day. Notorious for evading and escaping the authorities, he finally was ambushed and killed.

(21 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Agis IV. Ca. 262 – 241 B.C. A king of Sparta, he attempted to use unconstitutional means to reform the constitution, but his inexperience led to his downfall and death. His efforts in behalf of social justice and nationalism were, however, an inspiration for future reform.

§

(22 yrs., 2 mos., 30 d.). Pocahontas. Ca. 1595 – Mar. 1617. A daughter of a Native American chief, in 1608 she supposedly saved the life of Captain John Smith, leader of the Jamestown colony. She was taken hostage in 1613 to be exchanged for captured Englishmen, but she ended up marrying a Jamestown resident, which began 8 years of peace between Indians and white settlers. She became famous as an Indian princess when she visited London in 1616.

(22 yrs., 8 mos., 27 d.). Wenceslaus I, Saint. Ca. 907 – 28 Sep. 929. A Bohemian ruler, he came to power about 925 and spread Christianity in the area. He quickly became regarded as Bohemia’s patron saint after he was murdered by his brother. Today he is famous as the title character of the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslaus.

§

(23 yrs., 3 mos., 28 d.). Lautaro. Ca. 1534 – 29 Apr. 1557. An Araucanian Indian, he learned the ways of Spanish warfare and became a chieftain in 1553. That same year, he captured a Spanish fort and defeated the forces sent to recapture it. He won another battle in 1554 and began a move against Santiago in 1556. Eventually he was defeated and killed, but he became a legendary figure to Chileans, especially during their struggle for independence in the early 1800s.

(23 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Wang Pi. 226 – 249. A Chinese writer, he is regarded as one of the greatest Chinese philosophers. He comprised his belief system from a combination of Confucian moral principles and Taoist philosophy of the nature of existence. His writings influenced Buddhist and Neo-Confucianists for centuries.

§

24 yrs., 7 mos., 22 d. Dean, James. 8 Feb. 1931 – 30 Sep. 1955. An American actor, he had mostly small parts on stage and screen until his role in East of Eden (1955) earned an Oscar nomination. This began a run of outstanding performances in a handful of movies, most notably Rebel Without a Cause, which premiered after his untimely death. Through the years his fame has grown to legendary status.

§

25 yrs., 3 mos., 23 d. Keats, John. 31 Oct. 1795 – 23 Feb. 1821. An English poet, his first volume, published in 1817, was not particularly successful, but he soon gained recognition with his allegorical Endymion: A Poetic Romance (1818). By 1819 his poetry began expressing human experiences and hopes in lyrical works with vivid images. His famous odes soon followed, such as Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale.

25 yrs., 6 mos., 23 d. Beardsley, Aubrey Vincent. 21 Aug. 1872 – 16 Mar. 1898. An English illustrator, he established his genius at age 20 in work for his first commission, the drawings for Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur. His work influenced the Russian ballet, Art Nouveau, and artists Kandinsky and Picasso.

(25 yrs., 8 mos., 19 d.). Emmet, Robert. 1778 – 20 Sep. 1803. An Irish nationalist, he more or less bungled his way through attempts to begin an Irish revolution. He led a small group in battle against British soldiers and was defeated, captured, tried, and hanged, all in 1803. His speeches during the trial were sensational, and his perceived martyrdom inspired further nationalism.

25 yrs., 9 mos., 3 d. Bonington, Richard Parkes. 25 Dec. 1802 – 28 Sep. 1828. An English artist, his work was particularly popular in France, where his interplay of light and color, especially in landscapes, influenced a school of French painters, which eventually led to impressionism.

25 yrs., 11 mos., 19 d. von Richthofen, Manfred Albert. 2 May 1892 – 21 Apr. 1918. A German military officer, he transferred from the cavalry to the new Air Service early in World War I. He became Germany’s greatest hero of the war, scoring 80 air victories, the most of any ace until World War II. In 1917 he began painting his biplane, and eventually his famous Fokker triplanes, bright red, earning the nickname by which he is most often remembered, The Red Baron. Richthofen was killed in action.

§

26 yrs., 2 mos., 3 d. Swartz, Aaron. 8 Nov. 1986 – 11 Jan. 2013. An American computer programmer, he co-founded Reddit but soon encountered legal trouble when he downloaded millions of pages of court documents. He added to his problems by downloading five million documents from MIT, possibly to try and prove impropriety in grants for research of global warming. He fought federal charges of fraud for more than a year before committing suicide.

26 yrs., 2 mos., 12 d. Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista. 4 Jan. 1710 – 16 Mar. 1736. An Italian composer, he became successful in his own country beginning in 1732, primarily for his operas but also his sacred and other works. He became famous throughout Europe only after his death, as his comic operas offered a welcome change-of-pace from opera seria. One of his intermezzos, La serva padrona, was performed 200 times in Paris during the 1750s.

26 yrs., (6 mos., 15 d.). Salomon, Charlotte. 16 Apr. 1917 – Oct. 1943. A German artist, she is known for a single work, Life or Theater?: An Operetta, a unique autobiography consisting of 1,350 expressive paintings with texts, dialogue, and musical accompaniment arranged in acts and scenes. She was killed in a Nazi death camp, but Life or Theater survived to become famous in the 1980s.

26 yrs., 6 mos., 26 d. Travis, William Barret. 9 Aug. 1809 – 6 Mar. 1836. An American patriot, he moved to Texas in 1831 and joined the movement for independence from Mexico. When fighting broke out, he rose through the officer ranks to become lieutenant colonel in command of regular forces in San Antonio. James Bowie was in charge of the volunteers there, and both men ignored an order to abandon a makeshift fort to Santa Ana and his army. After Bowie became ill, Travis led 186 men in defending the Alamo against 5,000 Mexicans for 13 days before they were all killed in one of history’s most famous battles.

26 yrs., 9 mos., 13 d. Lermontov, Mikhail Yurievich. 2 Oct. 1814 – 15 July 1841. A Russia writer, he penned hundreds of poems and three plays by the time he was eighteen years old, after which he turned to dramas and narrative fiction. He began gaining recognition in 1840 for a novel, A Hero of Our Times. After his death, his body of work distinguished him as one of Russia’s greatest romantic writers.

26 yrs., 10 mos., 28 d. Ramsey, Frank Plumpton. 22 Feb. 1903 – 19 Jan. 1930. An English mathematician, he had gained such a reputation by age 16 that he was being consulted by theoretical mathematicians and economists. He made important advancements in economics theory but was more famous for his contributions to logicist theory and inductive logic.

26 yrs., 11 mos., 16 d. Booth, John Wilkes. 10 May 1838 – 26 Apr. 1865. Infamous as the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, originally he had followed in the footsteps of his father and brothers to become a famous actor in America. He was chased down and killed within a few days after killing the president. He never understood the harm he had done to the country, North and South.

26 yrs., (11 mos., 29 d.). Masaccio. 21 Dec. 1401 – Autumn 1428. An Italian artist, he gained recognition for adapting innovative sculptures by Brunelleschi and Donatello into lifelike paintings of human interactions. Many regard him as the first great painter of the Italian Renaissance. His frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel in S. Maria del Carmine in Florence are regarded as his masterpiece, and several other of his major works also survive.

§

27 yrs., 4 d. Laforgue, Jules. 16 Aug. 1860 – 20 Aug. 1887. A French poet, much of his work was published and contributed to his reputation only after his death. Much of his poetry was characterized by themes of dejection and cynicism expressed in free verse.

(27 yrs., 21 d.). John of Leiden. 1509 – 22 Jan. 1536. A Dutch Anabaptist, he departed from that group’s peaceful nature by calling for war against unbelievers. In 1534 he assumed leadership of an Anabaptist revolt that had already taken over the city of Münster in Germany. He crowned himself king and became increasingly fanatic until the city fell to an Episcopal army in 1535. John was tortured and killed. His actions instigated persecution of Anabaptists that would last for years to come.

27 yrs., 8 mos., 23 d. Macke, August. 3 Jan. 1887 – 26 Sep. 1914. A German artist, he gained recognition in the early 1910s for his use of color in Cubist paintings that were based on scenes from ordinary life. He also created small sculptures and stained-glass windows before he was killed in World War I.

27 yrs., 9 mos., 8 d. Charles VIII. 30 June 1470 – 7 Apr. 1498. A French king, he brought the final independent principalities into his realm by 1491. He invaded Naples with a large army in 1494, but his defeat led to wars with Spain over northern Italy for the next 65 years, and, more importantly, a Spanish-Holy Roman alliance against France that lasted more than 200 years. Meanwhile, his inattention to internal matters caused political and economic deterioration.

27 yrs., 9 mos., 22 d. Hendrix, Jimi. 27 Nov. 1942 – 18 Sep. 1970. An American musician, he became famous for his unique and innovative style of playing the electric guitar and producing music that was a blend of several genres. He also wrote songs that were performed by a number of musical groups.

27 yrs., 10 mos., 9 d. Winehouse, Amy. 14 Sep. 1983 – 23 July 2011. An English singer, her first album, Frank (2003), was an award -winning best-seller, and her fame spread to America with her next one, Back to Black, in 2006, for which she won five Grammy Awards in 2008. Her albums have sold more than 13 million copies.

Ages 28 to 31

28 yrs., 1 mo., 27 d. Burns, Anthony. 31 May 1834 – 27 July 1862. An American slave, he escaped to Boston in 1854, and his owner attempted to secure his return through the Fugitive Slave Act. An abolitionist attack on the jail failed to free him, and his return to Virginia resulted in several northern states passing laws blocking the return of slaves to the South. Burns was sold to a group of Bostonians who freed him to a hero’s welcome in 1855. He became a pastor and published a book.

28 yrs., 4 mos., 24 d. Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus). 31 Aug. 12 – 24 Jan. 41 A.D. The third Roman emperor, he assumed this office in 37 A.D. with almost no experience in politics or government. He began his reign judiciously except for serious overspending, but he apparently went mad after an illness in late 37. The remainder of his short rule was characterized by cruelty, murder, confiscation of property to cover reckless spending, and abortive projects. He and his wife and only child were assassinated.

28 yrs., 7 mos., 4 d. Crane, Stephen. 1 Nov. 1871 – 5 June 1900. An American writer, his The Red Badge of Courage was an immediate success in 1894 and remains one of the great war novels of all time. He went on to publish two other novels and write other acclaimed stories and poems. He was influential in breaking American writers from the mold of the realism style.

28 yrs., 8 mos., 25 d. Silkwood, Karen. 19 Feb. 1946 – 13 Nov. 1974. An American nuclear-plant laborer, she became involved in union activity to improve safety in a plant that manufactured nuclear-fission fuel rods. She secretly collected evidence of safety violations but died mysteriously in an automobile wreck in which all of her information disappeared. Her death led to congressional investigations, inspired anti-nuclear activity nationwide, leading to the closing of the facility where she worked.

28 yrs., 9 mos., 18 d. Ledger, Heath. 4 Apr. 1979 – 22 Jan. 2008. An Australian actor, he moved to Los Angeles in 1998 and soon gained recognition for his role in 10 Things I Hate About You. This began a string of leading roles in major films, including an Academy Award nomination for Brokeback Mountain. His crowning achievement, the best supporting actor Oscar as The Joker in The Dark Knight, was awarded after his untimely death.

28 yrs., 10 mos., 23 d. Novalis. 2 May 1772 – 25 Mar. 1801. A German writer, he became famous for his poetry, novels, and essays which offered mysticism as a way to help understand love and life.

§

29 yrs., 4 d. Caracalla. 4 Apr. 188 – 8 Apr. 217. A Roman emperor, he was known for his cruelty; he put to death, among others, his co-emperor brother and all of the youth of Alexandria. His major accomplishments were in granting Roman citizenship to almost all free peoples in the empire and in building the famous baths which still bear his name. He was assassinated during one of his largely ineffective military campaigns.

29 yrs., 3 mos., 7 d. Marlowe, Christopher. Ca. 23 Feb. 1564 – 30 May 1593. An English dramatist, he produced only six or seven plays over a period of six years, 1587 to 1593, but these established him as the first author to write first-rate tragedy for the English stage. His masterpiece was Doctor Faustus.

29 yrs., 5 mos., 26 d. Steenkamp, Reeva. 19 Aug. 1983 – 14 Feb. 2013. A South African model, she acted in television commercials and appeared on a reality TV show. Unfortunately, she garnered international attention for allegedly being murdered by Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee Olympics athlete.

29 yrs., 9 mos., 24 d. Bacon, Nathaniel. 2 Jan. 1647 – 26 Oct. 1676. An American colonial leader, he instigated an early rebellion against British authority. Bacon’s Rebellion began as a vigilante attack against troublesome Indians and quickly escalated because of a variety of disagreements with the British-supported government, eventually culminating in Bacon’s capture of Jamestown. The rebellion collapsed after Bacon died from a disease.

29 yrs., 11 mos., 4 d. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. 4 Aug. 1792 – 8 July 1822. An English poet, he began to gain recognition in the mid 1810s, and within the few remaining years of his life he wrote some of the finest lyric poems in the English language, including Alastor, or the Spirit of Solitude; The Revolt of Islam; Prometheus Unbound; and the unfinished The Triumph of Life. He also wrote dramas for the stage.

§

(30 yrs., 1 mo., 25 d.). Cuauhtémoc. Ca. 1495 – 26 Feb. 1525. An Aztec ruler, he inherited the throne from his uncle shortly after the latter had ousted the Spaniards led by Cortés from Tenochtitlán in 1520. Cortés laid siege in 1521 to retake the city. Cuauhtémoc led an able and tenacious defense, but the Spaniards captured him and the city later that year. Cuauhtémoc endured captivity and torture and was eventually hanged, making him the last Aztec emperor. Today he is a symbol of the Indians and of Mexican nationalism.

30 yrs., 2 mos., 24 d. Esenin, Sergei Aleksandrovich. 3 Oct. 1895 – 27 Dec. 1925. A Russian poet, he gained international fame for works characterized by vibrant images of nature and rural Russia contrasted with invading, ravaging civilization.

30 yrs., 3 mos., 15 d. Plath, Sylvia. 27 Oct. 1932 – 11 Feb. 1963. An American writer, she began publishing her poetry and stories in newspapers and magazines at an early age. Her first volume of poetry, published in 1960, drew mixed reviews, but her next, Ariel (1965), was her masterpiece. She tended to focus on death themes in her writing, which also was very personal.

30 yrs., (3 mos., 19 d.). Bozeman, John M. Jan. 1837 – 20 Apr. 1867. An American pioneer, he was one of the first in the gold rush into Montana. He then established a new wagon route to Montana which became known as the Bozeman trail, and he led groups of immigrants into Montana. He established an agricultural colony, with the first flour mill in the area, at a site that later became the town of Bozeman. He was killed by Indians.

30 yrs., 3 mos., 29 d. Brontë, Emily. 20 Aug. 1818 – 19 Dec. 1848. An English writer and sister of Charlotte, she initially wrote poetry published in a volume in 1846. She is best known, however, for her novel, Wuthering Heights, published in 1847. Although now considered a classic, her novel, like her poems, went unrecognized prior to her death.

30 yrs., 5 mos., 25 d. Nero Claudius Caesar. 15 Dec. 37 – 9 June 68. A Roman emperor, he ascended the throne in 54 after the death, and possibly the murder, of the emperor Claudius. Nero probably also had his step-brother and mother killed to secure his power. He was infamous for his ineffectual rule, flagrant pleasure-seeking, the fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64, and persecution of Christians. He finally lost the backing of the Senate and people, and he committed suicide in the face of rebellion.

30 yrs., 5 mos., 25 d. Cline, Patsy. 8 Sep. 1932 – 5 Mar. 1963. An American singer, she began recording songs in 1955 but had only one hit, Walkin’ After Midnight, over the next six years. Finally, in 1961 I Fall to Pieces began a string of hit records that made her the first major female country singer. Her fame grew after her death in a plane crash, and she now is regarded as one of the top country singers of all time.

(30 yrs., 5 mos., 29 d.). Gracchus, Tiberius Sempronius. Ca. 163 – June 133 B.C. A Roman politician, he was a war hero who saved a 20,000-man Roman army in 137. After being elected tribune in 133 he passed liberal legislation, often by circumventing or violating senatorial rights. Like his brother Gaius, this led to his assassination.

(30 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Catullus, Gaius Valerius. Ca. 84 – ca. 54 B.C. A Roman poet, he brought innovations to this art form through various themes, most notably with his views of love in his verses about Lesbia. His poetry inspired a new style for generations of Roman literary artists, and many of his works survived to influence modern poets.

(30 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Nefertiti. Ca. 1390 – ca. 1360 B.C. An Egyptian queen, she is a historical unknown, yet her name has survived as one of the most famous of ancient times. She was depicted in carvings of her day to an unusual degree for a queen of Egypt and is therefore thought to have wielded a significant degree of political power.

(30 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Sappho. Ca. 610 – ca. 580 B.C. A Greek poet, she was very popular in ancient times, but the great majority of her work has been lost. She was one of the leaders of a movement to bring lyric poetry to the level of the epic form in ancient Greece. Her skillful and sensitive style, which was often erotic, influenced poets through the centuries.

§

31 yrs., 1 mo. Dillinger, John. 22 June 1903 – 22 July 1934. An American outlaw, he emerged from prison in 1933 as a hardened criminal. He began robbing banks and, in spite of killing people in the process, was played up in the national press as a sort of Great Depression hero. His fame increased when he escaped from a heavily guarded jail, supposedly by fashioning a gun replica. He was killed by federal agents after being betrayed by the infamous lady in red.

31 yrs., 1 mo., 9 d. Turner, Nathaniel. 2 Oct. 1800 – 11 Nov. 1831. An American slave, he led a two-day slave revolt in 1831 that resulted in his execution and the deaths of approximately 60 whites and 120 blacks. This rebellion helped inspire abolitionism in the United States.

31 yrs., 3 mos., 6 d. Stuart, James Ewell Brown. 6 Feb. 1833 – 12 May 1864. An American soldier, he joined the Confederate army in the Civil War and quickly became its most famous cavalry commander. He proved himself with daring and distinguished action in battle after battle: First and Second Manassas, the Virginia Peninsula, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, among others. However, his one major blunder contributed to General Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg.

31 yrs., 3 mos., 27 d. Seurat, Georges Pierre. 2 Dec. 1859 – 29 Mar. 1891. A French artist, he became the leading neoimpressionist painter when he developed his pointillism style of forming colors by applying component pigments as dots on the canvas. His first pointillist painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, completed in 1886, was also his most famous. This style influenced many other artists.

31 yrs., 6 mos., 13 d. Hsiao-Wen-ti, Wei. 13 Oct. 467 – 26 Apr. 499. A Chinese emperor, he assumed the throne under a regency in 471 and came into full power in 490. He initiated an equal-field land reform that has been influential into modern times. He brought the Northern Wei dynasty to its zenith and made a major effort to unite all of China.

31 yrs., 7 mos., (30 d.). Lawrence, James. 1 Oct. 1781 – May 1813. An American naval officer, he commanded a warship at the beginning of the War of 1812 and won a battle in 1813, sinking a British ship. However, later that year, he and an inexperienced crew lost another engagement. Dying from his wounds, Lawrence shouted, Don’t give up the ship, words which soon became the battle cry of the U.S. Navy.

31 yrs., 8 mos., 25 d. Chénier, André Marie. 30 Oct. 1762 – 25 July 1794. A French poet, his works were not published until after his death by guillotine. They ranged from love poems to erotic, lyrical, energetic, witty, and satirical works. He wrote his last poem the day before he died, and his works greatly influenced later romantic poets.

31 yrs., 9 mos., 19 d. Schubert, Franz Peter. 31 Jan. 1797 – 19 Nov. 1828. An Austrian composer, he was one of the great writers of lyric pieces during the early romantic movement. His work was not well recognized in his own lifetime but is now famous, especially his lieder that set certain texts of Goethe and others to music, plus his String Quartet in G, Piano Sonata in G, and two Piano Trios. He is also known for his songs, Masses, dances, symphonies, chamber music, and operettas.

31 yrs., 10 mos., 6 d. Collins, Michael. 16 Oct. 1890 – 22 Aug. 1922. An Irish revolutionary leader, his fame reached almost mythical proportions when he was the main driving force behind the Irish Republican Army’s guerilla warfare against Britain around 1920. He agreed to Dominion status for Ireland in 1921 negotiations with the British that ended in a treaty approved by Irish voters in 1922. This led, however, to civil war and Collins’ murder.

31 yrs., 10 mos., 17 d. Sidney, Sir Philip. 30 Nov. 1554 – 17 Oct. 1586. An English writer, he was famous for three works which are important in the history of English literature: his epic combination of prose and poetry in Arcadia (1590), love sonnets in Astrophel and Stella (1591), and his critical essay Apology for Poetry (1595). Sidney was killed in battle after loaning part of his armor to another soldier.

Ages 32 and 33

32 yrs., 1 mo., 10 d. Murphy, Brittany. 10 Nov. 1977 – 20 Dec. 2009. An American actress, she achieved stardom for her role in the 1995 hit Clueless, the first of several highly regarded film appearances. She also acted in numerous television shows.

(32 yrs., 2 mos., 11 d.). Borgia, Cesare. Ca. 1475 – 12 Mar. 1507. Member of an influential Italian family, in 1492 he began holding a succession of high offices in the Church largely because his father was pope. After his brother, holder of the family estates and a military leader, was killed, Cesare succeeded in being released from the office of cardinal to assume his brother’s roles. By 1502 he had captured the important Romagna area for the pope in military campaigns. A central figure in Renaissance history, his fortunes declined after his father’s death in 1503. Cesare was killed in battle.

32 yrs., 4 mos. Géricault, Jean Louis André Théodore. 26 Sep. 1791 – 26 Jan. 1824. A French artist, he gained recognition in 1812 when one of his paintings was selected for the Salon. He subsequently was only moderately successful until 1818, when his Raft of the Medusa, based on an actual sea disaster, provoked controversy and achieved commercial success. He also is known for his emotional depictions of mental patients.

32 yrs., 4 mos., 4 d. Ramanujan Aiyangar, Srinivasa. 22 Dec. 1887 – 26 Apr. 1920. An Indian mathematician, in 1903 he obtained a copy of a mathematics book and, with no real instruction, began to solve its 6,165 theorems. He came up with many unique solutions and proofs and often went beyond contemporary Western mathematics. He became a recognized genius in some areas but could not break the mold created by his lack of training to make a more widespread impact in numbers theory.

32 yrs., 4 mos., 21 d. Smith, Jedediah S. 6 Jan. 1799 – 27 May 1831. An American explorer, he moved to western North America in 1822 to become a hunter, trapper, and fur trader, which led him to travels throughout the Old West. He discovered that South Pass through the Rocky Mountains could be traversed by wagons, and he was the first American to reach California from the east, to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains eastward, to traverse the Great Basin, and to explore the California coast northward into Oregon. After several close calls, he finally was killed by Indians.

32 yrs., 5 mos., 6 d. Aung San. 13 Feb. 1915 – 19 July 1947. A Burmese political leader, he led anti-colonial movements, eventually becoming a key political figure. He sided with the Japanese early in World War II even though he distrusted them, but eventually he rebelled against them. As the most important political figure in Burma after the war, he led the movement for independence from Great Britain. He was assassinated six months before independence was achieved.

(32 yrs., 5 mos., 26 d.). Julian. ca. 331 – 27 June 363. A Roman emperor, he led an academic life before being appointed Caesar, or successor to the throne, by his cousin Constantius II in 355. He was sent to Gaul where he was a surprising success as a general, driving back the enemy and reducing local taxes while maintaining the government. He was so popular that his troops declared him emperor against his wishes, but war was avoided when Constantius died in 361. Julian instituted reforms and died defeating the Persians. He became known as Julian the Apostate for his attempt to return the empire from Christianity to a sort of enlightened paganism that did not engage in persecutions.

32 yrs., 7 mos., 7 d. Pułaski, Kazimierz. 4 Mar. 1747 – 11 Oct. 1779. A Polish patriot, he fought for his country when it was defeated and partitioned by Russia in 1772. His family estates were expropriated, and so he joined General Washington’s staff in 1775. After meritorious action in battle that same year, he was put in charge of a cavalry unit. He was with Washington at Trenton and Valley Forge, and he was defeated at Egg Harbor as an independent commander and in a frontal attack at Charleston. An American hero, he suffered a mortal wound in another valiant attack at Savannah.

32 yrs., 7 mos., 20 d. Norris, Jr., Benjamin Franklin. 5 Mar. 1870 – 25 Oct. 1902. An American writer, he penned newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, essays, and other pieces, but he is best known for his novels, which were of uneven quality. His most critically acclaimed books were McTeague, published in 1899, and Vandover and the Brute, published after his death.

32 yrs., 7 mos., 28 d. Mary II. 30 Apr. 1662 – 28 Dec. 1694. A queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, she was famous for being co-ruler with her husband, William III, the only such case in English history. She was known for making decisions during William’s numerous journeys, and she also was popular for her work in behalf of education and charity.

32 yrs., 8 mos., 12 d. Wolfe, James. 2 Jan. 1727 – 14 Sep. 1759. An English soldier, his distinguished service brought him command as a major general in Canada against the French in 1759. He won a famous battle but lost his life while taking Quebec later that same year.

32 yrs., 8 mos., 26 d. Hémon, Louis. 12 Oct. 1880 – 8 July 1913. A French writer, he is famous for one novel, Maria Chapdelaine: Récit du Canada français, a controversial story about harsh and heroic pioneer life, and death, in Canada. It was published after his death.

32 yrs., 9 mos., 5 d. Crane, Hart. 21 July 1899 – 26 Apr. 1932. An American poet, he published White Buildings, probably his best work, in 1926 and his major opus, The Bridge, in 1930. His work was original, mystic, contemplative, and distinctively American. He published only these two volumes, but they established him as one of greatest American poets of the 20th century.

32 yrs., 10 mos., 8 d. Ward, Artemus. 26 Apr. 1834 – 6 Mar. 1867. An American writer, he was famous for his humorous sketches, parodies, and stories, which he published in newspapers, magazines, and books. His work, which was read by Abraham Lincoln, influenced humorists such as Mark Twain.

32 yrs., 10 mos., 20 d. Richard III. 2 Oct. 1452 – 22 Aug. 1485. A king of England, he originally became Duke of Gloucester in 1461. By 1472 he was in conflict with relatives of the queen to gain influence with his brother, King Edward IV, and this came to a critical state when Edward died in 1483. Richard overcame the opposition and did not object when a subsequent swell of support swept him to the throne. His two-year reign was turbulent and ended with his death when his army was defeated by Henry Tudor’s forces.

32 yrs., 10 mos., 21 d. Burckhardt, Johann Ludwig. 24 Nov. 1784 – 15 Oct. 1817. A Swiss explorer, he adopted Arab and Moslem customs and clothing in an attempt to explore the central and western Sudan. He almost reached Dongola traveling 1,000 miles by donkey. Later, he explored the northern coast of the Red Sea, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Gulf of Aqaba, providing accurate reports and collections to Europeans.

32 yrs., 11 mos., 27 d. Reed, John Silas. 22 Oct. 1887 – 19 Oct. 1920. An American revolutionist, in the 1910s he was a radical journalist who campaigned with Pancho Villa’s troops in Mexico. He became famous for his sympathetic reporting of the Bolshevik Revolution, especially in his 1919 book, Ten Days That Shook the World. He formed a Communist Party in the United States that same year and was indicted for sedition for his articles and speeches. He escaped to the Soviet Union, where he was honored with a state funeral after his death.

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33 yrs., 2 d. Wells, Horace. 21 Jan. 1815 – 23 Jan. 1848. An American dentist, in 1844 he used nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to ease the pain of a tooth extraction and thus discovered anesthesia. William Morton’s similar use of ether in 1846 initiated a controversy regarding the first medical use of an anesthetic, but eventually Wells’ claim as the inventor of anesthesia was accepted. Wells’ subsequent experiments with chloroform resulted in his mental illness.

(33 yrs., 20 d.). Pugachov, Yemelyan Ivanovich. Ca. 1742 – 21 Jan. 1775. A Russian Cossack soldier, he deserted the Russian army in 1770, declared himself Czar Peter III, and led a Cossack and peasant revolt against Catherine II. His army grew to 25,000 as he defeated local troops. He took the city of Kazan in 1774, and the revolution spread to within 275 miles of Moscow. He escaped when a major Russian force annihilated much of his army, but he was soon betrayed, captured, and executed.

(33 yrs., 30 d.). Brouwer, Adriaen. Ca. 1605 – Jan. 1638. A Flemish artist, he produced great masterpieces during his short lifetime. His human subjects were earthy yet displayed sensitive traits portrayed with color and precision. His paintings influenced some of the great Zdutch painters to follow.

33 yrs., 1 mo., 4 d. Catherine of Siena, Saint. 25 Mar. 1347 – 29 Apr. 1380. An Italian nun, her piety attracted a group of disciples by the late 1350s. She developed an interest in political matters to the point where she was asked to mediate in disputes between Florence and the pope and to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome. Some of her writings are still read.

33 yrs., 1 mo., 8 d. Richard II. 6 Jan. 1367 – 14 Feb. 1400. A king of England, he inherited the throne in 1377 under a regency. In 1382 he began a power struggle to gain control of the country by choosing his own ministers, increasing the numbers of nobility, and influencing Parliament. He finally succeeded in 1398 but was forced to abdicate the next year because of a lack of military support.

33 yrs., 2 mos., 19 d. Perón, Eva Duarte de. 7 May 1919 – 26 July 1952. An Argentinian political figure, she married and became a political partner of Juan Perón, who was elected president in 1946. She was active in Juan’s government, instituting suffrage, labor reforms, health programs, and help for the poor, but she also was anti-American. She was nominated for the vice-presidency but became terminally ill and died a national heroine.

33 yrs., 3 mos., 15 d. Essex, Robert Devereux. 10 Nov. 1567 – 25 Feb. 1601. An English courtier, by 1585 he had become popular in the court of Elizabeth I. He performed bravely in various military actions in the late 1580s and had become a powerful advisor by 1595. After his continuing efforts to push for war became unpopular, he tried to instigate a rebellion against the queen’s advisors, failed, and was executed.

33 yrs., 5 mos., 10 d. Bonifacio, Andres. 30 Nov. 1863 – 10 May 1897. A Filipino revolutionary, he formed a revolutionary group in 1892, and by 1896 it had grown to 10,000 members. He began military action against the Spaniards, but he was captured and executed by a provisional revolutionary government while he was mediating between rebel groups. In spite of this, he had laid the foundation for the eventual formation of a republic.

(33 yrs., 5 mos., 12 d.). Alexander the Great. 356 – 13 June 323 B.C. A Macedonian king, he united the Greek city-states and conquered Persia through brilliant military conquests and pragmatic rule of conquered lands. He created an empire that stretched from the Balkans to the Himalayas, the largest empire of the ancient world in the West. His empire fragmented after his death, but over time the Oriental and Greek cultures that had been under his rule blended and flourished.

33 yrs., 7 mos., 13 d. Dunbar, Paul Laurence. 27 June 1872 – 9 Feb. 1906. An American writer, he achieved early success with his poetry to the point of being able to support himself as an author, the first black American to gain such recognition. He also wrote short stories and novels but was less successful in these genres.

33 yrs., 9 mos., 4 d. Wenceslaus II. 17 Sep. 1271 – 21 June 1305. A king of Bohemia, he ascended the throne in 1278 under a regency and assumed power in his own right in 1283. He increased Bohemia’s wealth, annexed Upper Silesia, and also ruled Hungary for a few years. He seized Kraków in 1291 and became king of Poland in 1300, which also added that country to his Bohemian empire.

33 yrs., 10 mos., 20 d. Bellini, Vincenzo. 3 Nov. 1801 – 23 Sep. 1835. An Italian composer, he is best known for his operas. La Sonnambula in 1830 established his reputation throughout Europe. He made no contributions to the overall structure of Italian opera, but his style and use of the orchestra and chorus influenced his contemporaries and, later, Verdi.

(33 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Giorgione. Ca. 1477 – 1510. An Italian artist, he introduced a poetic style of painting that influenced other romantic Renaissance painters. His earliest known works date to 1495-1500, and his themes varied from religious to mythical, often with dream-like landscapes.

(33 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Drusus, Marcus Livius. Ca. 124 – late 91 B.C. A Roman statesman, he rose through political offices to become a plebeian tribune in 92 B.C. He used his authority to pass various reforms, including a law to found colonies with free land for the poor citizens. The law was struck down and Drusus killed, which began the Social War of 91 to 87 B.C.

(33 yrs., 11 mos., 30 d.). Gracchus, Gaius Sempronius. Ca. 154 – 121 B.C. A Roman politician, he served two terms as tribune beginning in 123. Like his brother Tiberius, Gaius initiated numerous liberal actions which caused turmoil, incurred violent opposition by the conservative senators, and eventually contributed to the downfall of the Roman republic.

Ages 34 and 35

34 yrs., 3 d. Perry, Oliver Hazard. 20 Aug. 1785 – 23 Aug. 1819. An American naval officer, he commanded the American fleet on Lake Erie in the War of 1812. In 1813 the British fleet surrendered to him after one of the most important naval engagements of the war. This gave America control of the lake for the duration of the conflict.

34 yrs., 18 d. Gagarin, Yuri Alexeivich. 9 Mar. 1934 – 27 Mar. 1968. A Soviet cosmonaut, he initially was a fighter pilot who was chosen in 1959 to train as one of the original cosmonauts. He was the choice of the cosmonauts themselves to fly first, and, on 12 Apr. 1961, he flew a single orbit to become the first human in space. He died in a plane crash.

(34 yrs., 29 d.). Osceola. Ca. 1804 – 30 Jan. 1838. An Indian chief, he fought for the Seminoles against Americans in 1812 and 1818 and became a chief by the 1830s. He resisted efforts by the United States to move the Seminoles westward, and this culminated in his beginning the Second Seminole War in 1835. He won one major battle, fought U.S. soldiers to a standstill, and almost seized a fort before he was captured under truce in 1837. He died in captivity.

34 yrs., 1 mo., 3 d. Kleist, Heinrich von. 18 Oct. 1777 – 21 Nov. 1811. A German writer, he was famous in the early 1800s for his stage dramas, which were based largely on classical and historical themes. He also wrote a stage comedy and published a volume of short stories.

(34 yrs., 1 mo., 16 d.). McGillivray, Alexander. Ca. 1759 – 17 Feb. 1793. An American Indian chief, he became the leader of the Creek Nation and began a successful war against America in the mid 1780s. He initially allied himself with Spain, then revoked his alliance in 1790 to sign a treaty with the United States, and finally revoked that agreement to make a new deal with Spain. Remunerations from these dealings allowed him to become a plantation owner with slaves.

34 yrs., 2 mos., 26 d. Mansfield, Katherine. 14 Oct. 1888 – 9 Jan. 1923. A New Zealand-born writer, she began publishing short stories in 1911 and finally achieved success in 1918 with The Aloe, about a fictional family in New Zealand. Two of her more acclaimed collections of stories were The Garden Party and The Dove’s Nest. Women usually were the major characters in her works.

34 yrs., 3 mos., 22 d. Pike, Zebulon. 5 Jan. 1779 – 27 Apr. 1813. An American soldier, he was appointed to lead a party in 1805 to find the source of the Mississippi River, which he mistakenly identified as Lake Leech. His book about the journey made him famous. He next explored the western plains, the Colorado region, and the vicinity of New Mexico, where he was intercepted and held for a year by the Spanish. In 1813, as a brigadier general, he personally led a successful attack on the British in York, Canada, but he was mortally wounded.

34 yrs., 4 mos., 18 d. Hesse, Eva. 11 Jan. 1936 – 29 May 1970. An American artist, she gained recognition for her abstract expressionist sculptures, which were innovative for their composition of plastic and other unusual materials and expression of relationships.

34 yrs., 4 mos., 26 d. Garnier, Marie Joseph Francis. 25 July 1839 – 21 Dec. 1873. A French naval officer, he served in southeastern Asia in the late 1850s and early 1860s. He authored pamphlets and a book, led an exploratory expedition, and commanded military action against South Vietnam forces, all of which were instrumental in promoting French colonialism in the area.

34 yrs., 5 mos., 10 d. Danton, Georges Jacques. 26 Oct. 1759 – 5 Apr. 1794. A French statesman, he was a very popular leader of the French Revolution and advocate of a republican central government. He was a central figure in the downfall of the monarchy and was one of the first to support a concept of equal rights for all citizens. By 1793, he was virtually the leader of the revolution with the power of dictator in case of public emergency, but later that year his leadership role passed to Robespierre. Danton’s appeals for an end to the Terror eventually resulted in his being guillotined.

34 yrs., 6 mos., 12 d. Parker, Charles Christopher, Jr. 29 Aug. 1920 – 12 Mar. 1955. An American musician, he developed an influential style of playing jazz and was a co-founder of bebop jazz.

34 yrs., 6 mos., 29 d. James, Jesse Woodson. 5 Sep. 1847 – 3 Apr. 1882. An American outlaw, he and his brother formed a gang in 1866. They became famous and inspired legends by robbing trains and banks, but their most famous escapade was a failed robbery and shootout in 1876. After a large reward was posted by the Missouri governor for capturing the brothers, a young gang member shot Jesse in the back of the head.

34 yrs., 7 mos., 8 d. Orton, John Kingsley. 1 Jan. 1933 – 9 Aug. 1967. A British playwright, he wrote unsuccessfully for years before achieving great popular and critical acclaim in the 1960s. His first hit was The Ruffian on the Stair (1963), which was adapted for television, followed by Entertaining Mr. Sloane in 1964, Loot in 1966, and The Good and Faithful Servant in 1967.

34 yrs., 7 mos., 28 d. Hansberry, Lorraine Vivian. 19 May 1930 – 16 Jan. 1965. An American writer, she was known for her plays, especially her 1959 Broadway hit, A Raisin in the Sun, which was later adapted to film.

34 yrs., 10 mos., 2 d. Mariátegui, José Carlos. 14 June 1895 – 16 Apr. 1930. A Peruvian writer, he gained recognition as a political and social reformer who helped establish the Socialist Party in his country. He is most famous, however, for books of essays he began publishing in the mid 1920s on a variety of social, fiscal, and political topics. These established him as one of South America’s most prominent reformers.

34 yrs., 10 mos., 5 d. Bécquer, Gustavo Adolfo Dominguez. 17 Feb. 1836 – 22 Dec. 1870. A Spanish poet, he is best known for Rimas, a collection of poems about love and perfect beauty. The techniques in Rimas presaged modern symbolic poetry through relatively simple expression that went far beyond conventional meanings of the words, drawing the reader in with its imagery.

34 yrs., 10 mos., 28 d. Zadroga, James. 8 Feb. 1971 – 5 Jan. 2006. An American police detective, he joined recovery efforts immediately after terrorist attacks destroyed the New York World Trade Center in 2001. His health declined from respiratory disease after working 450 hours at the site. His death, attributed to toxic dust, prompted New York and federal legislation to provide health and death benefits for the first responders.

34 yrs., 11 mos., 29 d. Lovejoy, Elijah Parish. 9 Nov. 1802 – 7 Nov. 1837. An American abolitionist, he became known for his anti-slavery articles published in a weekly newspaper he edited. He became nationally famous as his articles became increasingly strident, and his printing press was destroyed three times. His fame rose to that of a martyr when he was killed as he and 50 comrades fought a mob while protecting a fourth press.

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35 yrs., 13 d. Maximilian of Hapsburg. 6 July 1832 – 19 July 1867. An Austrian archduke, he accepted the title of Emperor of Mexico in 1864 when it was offered to him by Mexican Conservatives being helped by French troops. In spite of Maximilian’s good intentions and efforts, he faced Liberal resistance, withdrawal of French financial support, and opposition from the United States. These and other factors led to an overwhelming military defeat at the hands of a Liberal army, followed by Maximilian’s execution.

35 yrs., 22 d. Henry V. 9 Aug. 1387 – 31 Aug. 1422. A king of England, he was active in military campaigns from an early age until he inherited the crown in 1413. He is famous for winning the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 against a much larger French army, and he added France to his realm in1420 after further victories. He is perhaps best remembered today as a subject of a Shakespearean play and other literature.

35 yrs., 1 mo., 1 d. Popora, Liubov Sergeevna. 24 Apr. 1889 – 25 May 1924. A Russian artist, she began her career about 1907 with impressionist and post-impressionist painting. By 1914 she was at the forefront of a movement toward unorthodox art in Russia; she combined Cubism with Futurism, and her painting subsequently became Suprematist. After the Russian Revolution, her work gravitated toward propaganda posters and production art.

35 yrs., 1 mo., 7 d. Rosenberg, Julius. 12 May 1918 – 19 June 1953. An American engineer, he became a fervent communist, and by the late 1940s he was the head of a Soviet spying operation. He and his wife were arrested in 1950 when a British scientist was caught passing information about the Manhattan atomic-bomb project. The Rosenbergs’ trial, guilty verdicts, and executions became world-famous and harmed U.S. international relations even though both were guilty.

35 yrs., 1 mo., 24 d. Lewis, Meriwether. 18 Aug. 1774 – 12 Oct. 1809. An American explorer, he met William Clark while he was in the military. Lewis served as President Jefferson’s secretary from 1801 to 1803, which led to his being appointed to lead an expedition to explore the West as far as the Pacific Ocean. Lewis appointed Clark his co-leader, and both became heroes upon returning from their extremely successful, 1804-1806 journey.

35 yrs., 3 mos., 9 d. Clarke, Marcus Andrew Hislop. 24 Apr. 1846 – 2 Aug. 1881. An Australian writer, he worked as a journalist most of his life. He published For the Term of His Natural Life, regarded for many years as the great Australian novel, as a serial beginning in 1870. Three other novels were not particularly successful.

35 yrs., 4 mos., 1 d. Sucre, Antonio José de. 3 Feb.