Favorite historical figures

Well how hard is this!

I admire Thomas More for his unflinching opposition to the matters which led to his martyerdom, and his companion in his opposition Bishop John Fisher.

I also admire the quiet achievers of the world,particularly folks who could have rich easy lives but go and work in difficult circumstances to bring sight to the blind, hope to young women damaged during childbirth in less fortunate countries.

I admire my dad who surveyed New Ireland on foot with a busted ankle in the 1950's after damaging it getting ashore in a dinghy. I admire anyone who could do that with leeches on you every step of the way.

 

There are so many to choose from.

I would have to break it down by category, like military, religious, political, science, etc. And then there are many periods of time which would deserve mention, because you really can't compare people from different periods of time well. So here goes.

Military

Lord Nelson
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston (Confederate General that acutally understood the politics of the situation)
Gen. John J. Pershing (no particular reason, just like the man)
Marshall Zukhov (a good reason there are as many Americans as there are today, without the Russian sacrifice, there would have been no doubt many more American losses in World War II)

Religious

Augustine of Hippo.
John Gill - Admire the mind and the theology of these two. I can relate to how they saw the world and the scripture.
Most of the rest are so obscure they wouldn't mean much to anyone else.

Political

James Madison (Disclaimer - I am biased - he was my great-great-great-granduncle).
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin Roosevelt

Science

Mme Curie
Johannes Kepler
Marconi
Nels Bohr.

(None of these for any particular reason, just find them to be interesting people).

Personal Heroes

My dad - had myriad of health problems, lost a leg, heart disease, and always had a joke or some light-hearted thing to say.
Colonel Joseph Ostrowidski - commander once upon a time when I was in the army. - Polish kid, survived Hitler's concentration camps, came to America, learned English, got an education, and made full bird in the U.S. Army.
George Sherwood - my best buddy - Ph.D. in Physics, college professor, yet will get in the mud to help you dig a ditch -- literally. Trusting soul, tries to help everyone, and it has nearly gotten him killed, - literally. Tried to help a lady on the side of the road with a flat tire, and she nearly beat him to death with a tire iron to rob him. Lives a Christian life. Doesn't rant and rave about it, but he does live it.
Mom - still hanging in there, would give you anything she had. Instilled a love of learning at a very young age.
Colonel Robert Nourse - Another commander from Army days. Gave me my basic philosophy in everyday life. He always wanted to know about any problems. When you went into his office, and said Colonel, we have a problem, his answer was always -- "Is anyone dead?" If there were no casualties, then it was a problem that could be fixed. I try to live my life that way, and realize that many of the crises of life are not as bad as it could be.


Harry Truman

 

Some samples of a much larger list of famous people none of you have ever heard of.

Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer
Trijn van Leemput
Both female military heroes from the 80 years war (1568-1648) .

Willem Drees, Prime Minister from 1948 to 1958. The US goverment had grave doubts about extending Marshall aid to the Netherlands because it's PM was in their eyes little more than a Godless Socialist.
So Drees invited mr. Harriman who had to advise the US government in this matter to his place for an informal dinner. Drees get's his bike (not a motorbike a normal one) and tell's Harriman to hop on. On the way home he explains that he usually takes the public transport system, but that on a good day like this cycling is much more pleasant and ofcourse cheaper.
The PM's house turns out to be a rather simple affair part of a governmental housing project aimed at blue collar workers. They have a simple stew for dinner and afterwards a cup of tea with a simple biscuit. The day after Harriman reported that a PM that was so frugal in his private life certainly would not squander the Marshall aid.

And in the early 1980's I would have added Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis to my list of heroes, but I'm much better now and not a leftwingradical any longer.