Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Alton

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Famous people · Alton

Alton, birthplace of Miles Davis and 64 more famous people

Miles Davis has articles in 99 languages. Second and third on the list are Robert Wadlow and Ricochet. Between 1920 and 1969, 30 were born, the most of any period. Scientists and doctors are unusually common here: 8, 2.1 times the usual share.

#1 best knownMiles DavisMusic · 1926–1991
+61more
Born here
65
notable people
Best known
Miles Davis
in 99 Wikipedia languages
First
1837
Arthur Gilman
Youngest
1994
Dakota Mermis
Most common field
Sports
14 people

What stands out about Alton’s famous people

★ What stands out · The best known

Born in Alton

By how many languages cover them, Miles Davis comes first (99), then Robert Wadlow (58) and Ricochet (26).

Miles Davis#1
Music

Miles Davis

1926–1991

American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer

99 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Robert Wadlow#2
Notable

Robert Wadlow

1918–1940

American who was the tallest recorded person in history

58 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Ricochet#3
Sports

Ricochet

born 1988

American professional wrestler

26 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for

What Alton is known for

The field furthest above the usual share is scientists and doctors, at 2.1 times.

The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.

Through the years

When Alton’s famous people were born

More were born in the 1940s than in any other decade: 8.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American centuryToday1850190019502000Miles DavisRicochet
SportsPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsScience & MedicineNotableFilm, TV & StageMusicBusinessFaith

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in Alton

Another 62, the earliest born in 1837.

Don "The Dragon" Wilson

Don "The Dragon" Wilson

born 1954

American kickboxer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
EW

Edward Weisenburger

born 1960

American Catholic Archbishop

AS

Andrew Schlafly

born 1961

American lawyer, founder of Conservapedia

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
CL

Carlyle A. Luer

1922–2019

American botanist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
JJ

Jon Jerde

1940–2015

American architect

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
WS

William Sears

born 1939

1939- American activist

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jesse White

Jesse White

born 1934

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Richard Lee Metcalfe

Richard Lee Metcalfe

1861–1954

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
TS

Thomas N. Scortia

1926–1986

American writer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
BJ

Brian Jun

born 1979

Film director, writer, Editor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Craig Hentrich

Craig Hentrich

born 1971

Player of American football

IF

Inglis Fletcher

1879–1969

American novelist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
JW

Joey Wright

born 1968

American basketball player/coach in Australia

VB

Vaneta Becker

born 1949

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
William Jesse Goad Land

William Jesse Goad Land

1865–1942

U.S. botanist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
William Sachtleben

William Sachtleben

1868–1953

American journalist, lecturer and touring cyclist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Arthur Gilman

Arthur Gilman

1837–1909

United States writer and educator

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
WH

William R. Haine

1944–2021

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Carolyn Conant Van Blarcom

Carolyn Conant Van Blarcom

1879–1960

1879-1960 , nurse and midwife

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

Who’s the most famous person from Alton?

Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Town Square →
Your pick
No picks yet

Be the first to say who Alton’s most famous person is.

Or tell us
Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Nearby, Godfrey has the most on record, with 3.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Alton and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.

Photo credits (32)