The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in

Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,446 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the ...

. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page

People from Jacksonville, Illinois A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of propert ...

Authors and academics

* Dr. Greene Vardiman Black (1836–1915), considered the "father of modern dentistry"; first to use nitrous oxide gas for extracting teeth without pain * Martha Capps Oliver (1845–1917), poet, hymnwriter *

Everett Dean Martin Everett Dean Martin (July 5, 1880 – May 10, 1941) was an American minister, writer, journalist, instructor, lecturer, social psychologist, social philosopher, and an advocate of adult education. He was an instructor and lecturer at The New Sc ...

(born and raised in Jacksonville), writer, lecturer, social psychologist, and an advocate of

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

Final Director of the People's Institute of

Cooper Union The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique in ...

in New York City from 1922-1934 *

Frank Haven Hall Frank Haven Hall (February 9, 1841 – January 3, 1911) was an American inventor and essayist who is credited with inventing the Hall braille writer and the stereographer machine. He also invented the first successful mechanical point writer and ...

, inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devices * Bell Elliott Palmer (1873–1947), playwright, born and died in Jacksonville *

Willis Polk Willis Jefferson Polk (October 3, 1867 – September 10, 1924) was an American architect, best known for his work in San Francisco, California. For ten years, he was the West Coast representative of D.H. Burnham & Company. In 1915, Polk oversaw t ...

, architect *

J. F. Powers James Farl Powers (July 8, 1917June 12, 1999) was an American novelist and short story writer who often drew his inspiration from developments in the Catholic Church, and was known for his studies of Catholic priests in the Midwest. Although not a ...

(1917–1999), Roman Catholic short story author and novelist; born in Jacksonville *

Alfred Henry Sturtevant Alfred Henry Sturtevant (November 21, 1891 – April 5, 1970) was an American geneticist. Sturtevant constructed the first genetic map of a chromosome in 1911. Throughout his career he worked on the organism ''Drosophila melanogaster'' with ...

(1891–1970), geneticist; constructed the first genetic map of a chromosome (1913) * Wilson "Bob" Tucker (1914–2006), mystery, adventure, and science fiction writer; lived in Jacksonville"The Two Bobs: An Interview with Bob Bloch and Bob Tucker", ''Mimosa'', issue 28, June 2002
/ref> * Jonathan Baldwin Turner (1805–1899) classical scholar,

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

, and political activist *

Janice May Udry Janice May Udry (born 1928) is an American author. She was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and graduated from Northwestern University in 1950. Her first book, '' A Tree is Nice'', was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1957 for Marc Simont's illustrat ...

(1928–), Caldecott Medal-winning children's author, born in Jacksonville *

Bari Wood Bari Wood (born December 31, 1936) is an American author of science fiction, crime and horror novels. Life and work Wood was born in 1936 in Jacksonville, Illinois, the daughter of Israel S. Prosterman and Gertrude Ritman. She grew up in and aro ...

(1936–), science fiction, crime and horror author, born in Jacksonville

Media and arts

* Marjorie Best (1903–1997), Academy Award-winning costume designer; born in Jacksonville * William Fitzsimmons, folk singer; lived in Jacksonville * Richard Moore (1925–2009), cinematographer and co-founder of Panavision; born in Jacksonville *

Kyra Phillips Kyra Phillips (born August 8, 1968) is a correspondent for ABC News. Early life and career Phillips was born in Illinois, and grew up in the city of Jacksonville. In the fourth grade, she moved to San Diego, California, where her parents became ...

, correspondent for CNN and HLN, raised in Jacksonville * Frank Reaugh (1860–1945), western artist *

Brian Sherwin Brian Sherwin (born January 22, 1980) is an American art critic, writer, and blogger with a degree from Illinois College in 2003. Sherwin is a founding Management Team member of the artist social networking site myartspace, where he also served as ...

, art critic; born in Jacksonville *

Liam Sullivan Liam Sullivan (May 18, 1923 – April 19, 1998) was an American actor and singer, originally from Jacksonville, Illinois. He began acting while a student at Illinois College and continued in theater at Harvard University. In 1951 he began h ...

, actor; born in Jacksonville

Military

Benjamin Grierson Benjamin Henry Grierson (July 8, 1826 – August 31, 1911) was a music teacher, then a career officer in the United States Army. He was a cavalry general in the volunteer Union Army during the Civil War and later led troops in the American O ...

(1826–1911), Civil War era general; commanded the all-Black 10th Cavalry known as Buffalo Soldiers; music teacher from Jacksonville *

John J. Hardin John Jay Hardin (January 6, 1810 – February 23, 1847) was a U.S. Representative and militia general from Illinois. Biography Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, the son of Martin D. Hardin, Hardin pursued classical studies and graduated from Trans ...

(1810–1847), congressman; killed as a colonel leading the First Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War * Martin Davis Hardin (1837–1923), brigadier general during the Civil War; born in Jacksonville

Politics and law

* James M. Barnes (1899–1958), U.S. congressman * William H. Barnes, jurist * William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), lawyer and politician; ran for US president; known for his involvement in the Scopes Trial * J. Edward Day (1914–1996), U.S. Postmaster General *

Stephen A. Douglas Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. A senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party for president in the 1860 presidential election, which wa ...

(1813–1861), U.S. senator and presidential candidate; settled in Jacksonville * Joseph Duncan (1794–1844), sixth governor of Illinois * Nancy Farmer (1956–), Missouri State Treasurer * Paul Findley (1921–2019), U.S. congressman * Hugh Green (1887–1968), Illinois legislator and lawyer * Edward E. Johnston (1918–2011), high commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands *

Ruth Bryan Owen Ruth Baird Leavitt Owen Rohde, also known as Ruth Bryan Owen, (née Bryan; October 2, 1885 – July 26, 1954) was an American politician and diplomat who represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1929 to 1933 and served as ...

(1885–1954), U.S. congresswoman, ambassador to Denmark and Iceland, daughter of William Jennings Bryan * Mary Louise Preis (1941–), state congressman from Maryland * Harris Rowe (1923–2013), politician, lawyer, and businessman *

Richard Yates Rowe Richard Yates Rowe (December 12, 1888 – March 19, 1973) was an American politician and businessman. Biography Born in Jacksonville, Illinois, Rowe served in the United States Navy during World War I. He received his bachelor's degree from U ...

(1888–1973), politician and businessman *

Andrew Russel Andrew Russel (June 17, 1856 – November 22, 1934) was a Republican politician and banker, who twice served as Illinois Treasurer (1909-1911 and 1915-1917) and later as Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts (1917-1925), before being convicted a ...

(1854–1934), Illinois politician and businessman *

Paul Samuell Henry Paul Samuell (October 2, 1886 – March 21, 1938) was an American jurist and lawyer. Born on a farm near Havana, Illinois, in Mason County, Illinois, Samuell went to Illinois College and then received his degree from Illinois Wesleya ...

(1886–1938), Illinois Supreme Court justice *

Wiley Scribner Wiley Smith Scribner (September 6, 1840 – September 28, 1889) was an American politician and acting governor of Montana Territory from 1869 to 1870. Born in Jacksonville, Illinois, Scribner grew up in Fair Play, Grant County, Wisconsin, ...

(1840–1889), politician and acting governor of Montana Territory * Owen P. Thompson (1852–1933), judge of the Seventh Judicial District of Illinois and a delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois in 1904 * Richard Yates (1818–1873), U.S. congressman (1851–1855) and senator (1865–1871); 13th governor of Illinois (1861–1865)

Sports

Jerry Barber Carl Jerome Barber (April 25, 1916 – September 23, 1994) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He had seven wins on tour, including a major title, the PGA Championship in 1961. Born in Woodson, Illinois, Barber was o ...

(1916–1994), golfer with the PGA Tour, winner of

1961 PGA Championship The 1961 PGA Championship was the 43rd PGA Championship, played July 27–31 at the North Course of Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, a suburb south of Chicago. Jerry Barber, age 45, won his only major title in an 18-hole M ...

* Doug Brady (1969–), second baseman for the Chicago White Sox * Red Dorman (1900–1974), outfielder for the Cleveland Indians *

Jim Hackett James Joseph Hackett (October 1, 1877 – March 28, 1961), nicknamed "Sunny Jim", was a Major League Baseball player. He played two seasons in the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals. In , he was primarily a pitcher, appearing in 4 games with a ...

(1877–1961), pitcher and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals * "Blake" Hance (1996–), offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns * Mabel Holle (1920–2011), third basewoman and outfielder in the

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

; born in Jacksonville * Milton McPike (1939–2008), tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, educator and community leader; born in Jacksonville * Brett Merriman (1966–), pitcher for the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

Ken Norton Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. (August 9, 1943 – September 18, 2013) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1967 to 1981, and held the WBC world heavyweight championship in 1978. He is best known for his fights with Muhammad Ali, i ...

(1943–2013), boxer; broke

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

's jaw in a historical heavyweight fight *

Ken Norton, Jr. Kenneth Howard Norton Jr. (born September 29, 1966) is an American football coach and former linebacker who most recently served as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) from 2018 to 2021. He ...

(1966–), linebacker for Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, defensive coordinator for

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...

; first NFL player to win three consecutive

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...

s; born in Jacksonville * Henry Eli "Harry" Staley (1866–1910), pitcher for the St. Louis Browns,

Boston Beaneaters Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- most po ...

, and

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

; born in Jacksonville * F. Calvert "Cal" Strong (1907–2001), Olympic water polo bronze medalist; born in Jacksonville * Luther Haden "Dummy" Taylor (1875–1958), coach and pitcher for

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

and

Cleveland Bronchos The Cleveland Guardians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since 1994, they have played in Progressive Field. The Cleveland team originated in 190 ...

; died in Jacksonville

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:people from Jacksonville, Illinois * Jacksonville Jacksonville