HUMBOLDT, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von. Berlin 14.9.1769 — Berlin 6.5.1859. German Geographer and Explorer. Son of the Prussian Kammerherr and Major Alexander Georg von Humboldt (1720–1779, his father Johannes Paul von Humboldt had obtained the Prussian title of nobility in 1738) and Marie Elisabeth von Holwede (a widow, née von…
HÜGEL, Carl Alexander Anselm, Freiherr von. Regensburg 25.4.1796 — Brussels 2.6.1870. Austrian Diplomat, Traveller, Naturalist and Horticulturist. Son of Johann Aloys Josef, Freiherr von Hügel (1753–1825), a diplomat and statesman, and Susanne von Holthoff. Began law studies at Heidelberg, but soon, in 1811, joined Austrian army and served in Napoleonic…
HORST, Christopher Henry (Christoph Heinrich). Willenburg near Schwerin 24.5.1761 — Tanjavur 10.7.1810. German Lutheran Missionary in India. Son of Anton Wilhelm Horst (1714–1789) and Veronica Voigt (1719–1761). Grew up in Ratzeburg. From 1781 studied medicine at Göttingen, but soon joined Hannoveran army and went to India, arriving 1787 in Madras.…
HOOLE, Elijah. Manchester 1798 — London 17.6.1872. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of Holland Hoole, a shoemaker, educated at Manchester. In 1813 left school to help his father’s business, but turned to religion and studied privately for Wesleyan ministry. In 1820 he went to India as a Wesleyan missionary,…
HONIGBERGER, Johann Martin. Kronstadt (now Braşov) 10.3.1795 — Kronstadt (Braşov) 18.12.1869. Transylvanian Traveller and Self-Made Physician in India. Born in a Saxonian Jewish family in Transylvania, attended the local Lyceum. Then chemist’s apprentice in Kronstadt and Bistritza and became a pharmacist. In 1815 he wandered through Bukovina, Moldova and Valachia…
HOME, Robert. Kingston upon Hull 6.8.1752 — Kanpur 1834. British Painter in India. Son of Robert Boyne Home, an army surgeon, and Mary Hutchinson. Parents planned medical career for him, but he run to sea when 12 and returned home, now in London, only three years later. Now began art…
HOLWELL, John Zephaniah. Dublin 17.9.1711 — Pinner near London 5.11.1798. British Physician in India. Son of Zephaniah Holwell (d. 1729), a timber merchant, and Sarah Bott. Educated at Richmond and as a banker’s apprentice at Iselmond near Rotterdam, but disliked it and fled back to Ireland. Studied surgery at Guy’s…
HOLMBOE, Christopher Andreas. Vang/Valdres, Oppland 19.3.1796 — Christiania (Oslo) 2.4.1882. Norwegian Orientalist and Numismatician. Professor in Christiania. Son of Rev. Jens Holmboe (1746–1822) and Cathrine Holst. Matriculated from Cathedral School of Christiania in 1814. Studies of theology at the new university of Christiania, graduated cand.theol. 1818. Sent by Professor Hersleben…
HOFFMANN, John-Baptist (Johann Baptist). Wallendorf, Eifel 21.6.1857 — 19.11.1928. S.J. German Missionary in Chota Nagpur, India. Born in Germany, son of Gerhard Hoffmann and Margaretha Lorenz. Educated in Echternach and Luxembourg. Joined S.J. as novice in Arlon, Belgium in 1877 and immediately left for India. Worked as teacher in Calcutta…
HOFFMANN, Andreas Gottlieb. Welbsleben, Grafschaft Mansfeld (Sachsen-Anhalt) 13.4.1796 — Jena 16.3.1864. German Orientalist and Theologian (a specialist of Syriac) also interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Jena. Son of a miller, educated in Egeln and at Domgymnasium in Magdeburg. Without matriculation he voluntarily joined light infantry against the French in 1813.…