LERH, Pëtr Ivanovič (Peter von Lerch). St.Petersburg 1828 — Hamburg 16.9.1884. Russian (with German background) Archaeologist and Scholar of Comparative Iranian. Born in a German family living in Russia. Studied Oriental languages at St.Petersburg, graduated in 1850. Worked then in minor office for the Academy. In 1856 fieldwork among Persian…
LELAND, Charles Godfrey. Philadelphia, PA 15.8.1824 — Florence 20.3.1903. U.S. Journalist and Amateur Folklorist. Son of merchant Charles L. Studies at Princeton, then at Heidelberg, Munich and Paris (he was there during the 1848 revolution). Back home passed in the bar, but never practised as lawyer. Instead he turned to…
LE GOUZ DE LA BOULLAYE, François. Baugé, Anjou 1623 (or 1610?) — Isfahan 1668. French Traveller. Born in a family of English origin, he served in the French troops of Charles I. Back in France in 1644 he soon left via Constantinople to Persia, posing himself as Ibrāhīm Bey. He continued…
LEEPER, Frederick James. Dublin 1831 — 1???. Rev. British (Irish?) Missionary in South India. Went to India in 1856, trained in Madras, ordained deacon 1857, priest 1860. Worked in Tinnevelly, Secunderabad, Kumbakonam, Tranquebar and Cuddalore. Retired in 1881, from 1887 curate of Vernhams Dean, Wiltshire. Married 1857 Mary Catharine Roberts.…
LEDRUS, Michel. Gossellies, Wallonia 21.12.1899 — Rome 20.8.1983. S.J. Father. Belgian Theologian interested in Indian Thought. B.Litt. Ph.D. D.D. Taught at Louvain (1931) and at Università Gregoriana in Rome (1932-33). From 1949 spiritual director of Collegio Internazionale S. J. “Roberto Bellarmino” in Rome. Publications: “L’apostolat bengali”, 24 p. Xaveriana 1924; “Figures indiennes: Açoka…
LECKEY, Edward. 1811 — West Derby, Lancashire 1870. Britishman, apparently in Bombay, where he served as clerk in Military Board Office in 1857. Married 1845 in Bombay Mary Smith (or 1850 Mary Derby?). Unlike the most writers of the time, he took in his 1859 book critical view of the…
LEACH, Abigail, Ms. Brockton, MA 28.5.1855 — 29.12.1918. U.S. Greek Scholar and Pioneer of Female Education. Born as the daughter of the shoe manufacturer Marcus Leach. Through her insistent demands to Harvard professors the Harvard Annex for women (now Radcliffe College) was established and she was its first student in…
LAYARD, Frederic Peter. Bath 6.5.1818 — Westminster 21.5.1891. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Peter Henry John L. and Marianne Austen. Entered E.I.C.’s army in 1838, served in many places in northern India. Colonel 1869, General 1889. In retirement living in London. Keen amateur artist who left a collection…
LATTER, Thomas. India 1816 — Prome, Burma 8.12.1853. British Colonial Officer in Burma. Captain. Son of Major Barré L. and Juliana Jeffreys. In 1836 joined Bengal Native Infantry, stationed in Arakan. Assistant Commissioner in Arakan, then Regional Superintendent of Forests in Burma, finally Deputy Commissioner in Prome. Murdered. Married Charlotte…
LASERON, Nathan Edward. Königsberg 15.8.1815 — Ootacamund 5.12.1868. Rev. German Missionary in Kerala. From Prussia, born in a Jewish family, son of Wulf Saul L. and Henrietta Simeon. Moved to Edinburgh. Connected with Church of Scotland he worked in Cochin preaching to local Jews in 1844-55. Married Eliza Kerr Sommerville, four…