A note from the author Noble Notes on Famous Folks is, first of all, a book of historical essays. This is to say that they contain the opinions, insights, and interpretations of the author along with historical facts, quotes and situations. This is not a history book. It is a book about history. It is meant to entertain and provide a few laughs.This is my first volume of Noble Notes. I hope a swelling demand from the general public will stimulate additional volumes. My primary goal is to entertain and promote a few laughs. My secondary goal is to provide the reader with information, some new ideas and a possible stimulus to learn more on his or her own. These are notes that I have accumulated over the years. All these notes were originally written for my own edification, to assist my memory, and possibly for a lucrative future newspaper column. You might look at this work as my home-schooled college diary or study notes. I’m an autodidact. Therefore, any inaccuracies, I attribute to the ignorance of my instructor. I’ve included in this volume a variety of ancient and modern characters ranging from Constantine to Bill Clinton. Some are treated humorously, some satirically and some seriously.