FOUCHER D’OBSONVILLE, Charles Thomas Dominique (Foucher, chevalier d’O.). Montargis (Loiret) 1734 — Château-Thierry (Aisne) 14.1.1802. French Colonial Officer, Scholar and Author. In 1753-71 in India in the service of French Company, 1771-92 commandant of French troops in Île de Bourbon (Mauritius) and Île de France (Réunion). Edited the French translation of…
FORBES, William. 17?? — 1814?. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India. In Bombay Presidency. The Grammar was written in 1814 and posthumously published. The 1829 Preface states he died in November 1814. Following worldcat.org I thought that his identity is clear, a Scottish nobleman: Sir William Forbes (1751 – 15.2.1816),…
FORBES (FORBES-LESLIE), Jonathan. 21.2.1798 — 23.12.1877. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer. Son of John F. and Anne Margaret Gregory. Arrived at Ceylon as a young officer of 78th Highlanders in 1826, remained until 1837 advancing to Major. Then Lieutenant-Colonel, some years served in India 1842–4?, retired before 1850. Later on lived…
FELL, Edward. 17?? — 1824. British Colonial Officer in India. From 1807 Lieutenant, 1823 Captain of 10th Native Infantry. Superintendent of Benares Sanskrit College, from 1820 until death. In 1819 he examined the remains of Sanchi and wrote the first published decription. He is reputed to have mastered Sanskrit, also…
FANTIN-DESODOARDS (F. des Odoards), Antoine-Étienne Nicolas. Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin (Isère) 26.12.1738 — Paris 25.9.1820. French Former Clergyman, Historical Author and Revolutionary. Entered ecclesiastic career in 1750. Joined S.J., ordained priest, after the suppression of Jesuits spent some time as a refugee in Tuscany. Back in 1773 he became prior in Betteville…
ELLIOTT, John Bardoe. Ripon, Yorkshire 14.9.1785 — Patna 26.8.1863. British Civil Servant in India. Son of John Elliott (1759–1834), a naval officer (he had served under Cook), and Isabella Todd. More than 50 years in India, where he arrived in 1800. Long time in Patna (apparently as early as 1813,…
EFREMOV, Filipp Sergeevič. 1750 — after 1811. Russian Traveller. From Vjatka (now Kirov). He was Sergeant of Russian army, taken prisoner by a band of Cossacks and sold as slave in Bukhara in 1774. Having succefully escaped two years later he travelled through Kashgar and Ladakh to Kashmir and via…
DRUMMOND, Robert. Kelpie, Fife 27.3.1775 — at sea ?.3.1809. Sir, fifth “Laird of Keltie”. British (Scottish) Surgeon in E.I.C.’s Medical Service. Son of John Drummond (1733–1801) and Euphemia Aytoun (1750?–1817). Studies at Edinburgh. M.D. Came to India in 1796, where also his father had served as surgeon, served in Bombay…
DRIBERG, John Gordon. Batticaloa, Sri Lanka 26.3.1816 — on sea 15.11.1854. Rev. Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Son of Charles van Driberg (1787–1826, of Dutch backgroune) and Gertruida Johanna Elizabeth Mullertsz (1791–1826). Ordained Deacon 1835. In the early 1830s in Tallygunge as catechist, from 1835…
DALRYMPLE, Alexander. New Hailes House near Edinburgh 24.7.1737 (or 1736) — London 19.6.1808. British (Scottish) Geographer and Hydrographer. Son of Sir James Dalrymple (1692–1751), M.P., 2nd bart., and Lady Christian Hamilton (1702–1770). School in Haddington, East Lothian. After father’s death in 1752 went to London and joined E.I.C., 1753 writer…