March 08

Born João Cidade in Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, John of God served as a soldier before dedicating his life to caring for the sick and mentally ill. He established the Hospital of the Holy Face in Granada, offering compassionate care to all regardless of status. His unconventional methods and deep humility attracted both followers and controversy, leading to the formation of the Order of the Brothers Hospitallers. He was renowned for his devotion, performing acts of charity during plagues and wars. Canonized by Pope Alexander VIII in 1690, his legacy endures in hospitals and care centers worldwide.

Born in Carr End, Lancashire, John Fothergill studied medicine at Edinburgh and Leiden under Boerhaave. He established a successful practice in London, specializing in chest complaints and smallpox inoculation. A fellow of the Royal Society, he corresponded with Linnaeus and amassed an extensive botanical collection at Upton House. His work on North American and Caribbean plants expanded European botanical knowledge. Fothergill's publications and patronage helped advance both medicine and botany in the 18th century. He died in 1780, leaving behind a legacy of scientific inquiry and innovation.

Born in Weimar, the second surviving son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel showed early musical talent. He served as harpsichordist at the court of Frederick the Great in Berlin, influencing the development of keyboard music. His expressive 'Empfindsamer Stil' introduced heightened emotional depth into the Classical style. Bach composed over 150 keyboard sonatas, symphonies, chamber works, and choral music throughout his career. As music director of Hamburg's churches, he trained generations of musicians and published the influential 'Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen'. He died in 1788, remembered as one of the most important transitional composers between the Baroque and Classical eras.

Born Richard Howe in London, he entered the Royal Navy and quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his skill and bravery. Howe saw action in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, earning acclaim at the Glorious First of June in 1794. He was created Earl Howe and appointed Treasurer of the Navy, overseeing naval finances during a critical period. Known as 'Black Dick', he balanced firm leadership with compassion toward his sailors. After serving as First Lord of the Admiralty, he retired from public life and died in 1799, leaving a reputation as one of Britain's finest naval commanders.

Born near Versailles, André Michaux was appointed royal botanist for King Louis XVI and sent to North America in 1785. He explored the Appalachian region, cataloguing hundreds of previously unknown plant species. Michaux established botanical gardens in New Jersey and South Carolina, sending specimens back to France. During the French Revolution, he returned to Europe but later resumed his explorations in Madagascar. His extensive collections and publications significantly advanced botanical science and plant taxonomy.

Born in The Hague, William V inherited the Stadtholdership at a young age following his father's death in 1751. He struggled to maintain authority during growing Patriot opposition and internal political strife. In 1787, Prussian intervention restored his power, but the French revolutionary forces led to his exile in 1795. William spent his remaining years in England, founding charitable institutions and supporting Dutch exiles. He died in 1806, remembered for his attempts to uphold the old Dutch order amid revolutionary change.

Born into a wealthy Polish aristocratic family, Jan Potocki received an extensive education across Europe. He traveled widely through Turkey, Russia, and Central Europe, conducting ethnographic and historical research. Potocki published detailed studies on Cossack and Circassian cultures, contributing to early ethnology. His literary masterpiece, 'The Manuscript Found in Saragossa', blends gothic, oriental, and philosophical themes. Struggling with personal turmoil, he tragically took his own life in 1815, leaving a lasting influence on European literature.

Born in Maytown, Pennsylvania, Simon Cameron began his career as a newspaper publisher before entering politics. He served as a U.S. Senator and built a powerful Pennsylvania political machine in the mid-19th century. Appointed Lincoln's first Secretary of War in 1861, he reorganized military supply lines during the Civil War. Criticized for patronage abuses and inefficiency, he resigned after a few months but remained an influential senator. Cameron continued to shape Republican politics until his death in 1889, known for both his ambition and controversy.

Born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, Alvan Clark initially worked as a portrait painter before mastering lens grinding. In 1846, he partnered with his sons to form Alvan Clark & Sons, producing some of the world's largest refracting telescopes. Their instruments equipped major observatories, including the U.S. Naval Observatory and Yerkes Observatory. Clark's precision optics contributed to discoveries such as the moons of Mars and the rings of Saturn. He died in 1887, leaving a legacy that revolutionized 19th-century observational astronomy and telescope design.

Born near Rzeszów in Austrian Galicia, Ignacy Łukasiewicz trained as a pharmacist and chemist. In 1852, he successfully distilled kerosene from petroleum and coal, inventing the first practical kerosene lamp. Recognizing oil's commercial potential, he opened the world's first oil refinery in Ulaszowice and later Bóbrka. Łukasiewicz's innovations laid the foundation for the global petroleum industry and improved domestic lighting. A prominent philanthropist, he supported schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions until his death in 1882.

Bleek was a pioneering German linguist and anthropologist who specialized in African languages. He served as the first curator of the Grey Collection of manuscripts at the University of Cape Town. His collaboration with Lucy Lloyd led to the preservation of !Xóõ and other Khoisan languages. He published groundbreaking analyses of click consonants and phonetic structures. Bleek’s meticulous fieldwork and transcriptions remain foundational to modern African linguistics. His efforts preserved the cultural heritage of San communities for future generations.

João de Deus de Nogueira Ramos was a 19th-century Portuguese poet and educator. He authored influential poetry collections such as 'Campo de Flores' and 'Flores do Campo'. Devised the 'Cartilha Maternal', a revolutionary reading primer that simplified literacy education. His teaching methods spread throughout Portugal and Brazil, transforming reading instruction. He was honored by King Luís I of Portugal for his contributions to education and literature. His legacy endures in Portuguese-speaking countries’ early childhood education programs.