LEXER, Matthias (Ritter von). Liesing im Lesachtal 18.10.1830 — Nürnberg 16.4.1892. Austrian Germanist in Germany. Son of Andreas Lexer (d. 1861), a mill owner and farmer, and Elisabeth Goller. After gymnasium in Klagenfurt studied from 1851 first law at Graz, but soon switched to German, then also at Vienna. After…
LEWIS, R. E. (or G. C.?). 1817? — Anerley ?.3.1899. British Businessman in Sri Lanka. Arrived in 1841, when 24, representing Parlett, O’Halloran & Co. In 1848-53 the editor of the Ceylon Examiner. In 1853 left for England, returned 1855 and worked in business. Finally returned to England in 1870. Publications: “The…
LEWIN, Thomas Herbert. Lewisham, London 1.4.1839 — Abinger, Surrey 11.2.1916. British Colonial Officer in India, Linguist and Ethnologist. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of George Herbert Lewin (1808–1856), a law clerk, and Mary Friend (1811–1890). Educated at Littlehampton, Eltham and Addiscombe. In 1857 came to India and immediately had to participate in campaigns…
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 Leland and Charlotte Godfrey. Studies at Princeton College, then at universities of Heidelberg, Munich and Paris (he was there during the 1848 revolution). Back home passed in the bar, but never practised…
LEEPER, Frederick James. Dublin 1831 — Vernham Dean, Wiltshire 16.1.1906. 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 Vernham Dean. Married 1857 Mary…
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. Brockton, MA 28.5.1855 — Poughkeepsie, co. Dutchess, NY 29.12.1918. U.S. Greek Scholar and Pioneer of Female Education. Born as the daughter of the shoe manufacturer Marcus Leach (1810–1910) and Eliza Paris Bourne. Through her insistent demands to Harvard professors the Harvard Annex for women (now Radcliffe College) was…
LAYARD, Frederic Peter. Bath 6.5.1818 — Westminster 21.5.1891. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Peter Henry John Layard (1789–1834) and Marianne Austen. His elder brother, Sir Henry Austen Layard (1817–1894) was famous in Assyrian archaeology. Entered E.I.C.’s army in 1838, served in many places in northern India. Colonel 1864,…
LATTER, Thomas. India 1816 — Prome, Burma 8.12.1853. British Colonial Officer in Burma. Captain. Son of Major Barré Latter (1777–1822) and Juliana Anne Jeffreys (1793–1871). In 1836 joined Bengal Native Infantry, stationed in Arakan. Assistant Commissioner in Arakan, then Regional Superintendent of Forests in Burma, finally Deputy Commissioner in the…