Oliver Otis Howard, 1830-1909, Union general in the Civil War, founder of Howard University, was born in Leeds and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1850, and West Point in 1854. He was made a brigadier general of volunteers in September 1861. He fought in the East from the first battle of Bull Run through the Gettysburg campaign.

He was a founder of Howard University in 1867, which was named for him, and was its president from 1869 to 1873. He later helped to found Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.

Source: www.factmonster.com