#1Most of the 19 famous people born in Charleston came into the world between 1920 and 1969
Articles in 33 languages make the American cinematographer Gregg Toland the best known. Close behind are Charles Clary and Charlotte Martin. Only 66 of the 759 towns in Illinois with anyone on record list more. More are athletes than anything else, 8 in all.
Born in Charleston
Gregg Toland, Charles Clary and Charlotte Martin are written about in 33, 19 and 12 languages.
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#3When Charleston’s famous people were born
The 1940s alone account for 4 of the births charted here.
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
What Charleston is known for
Share of Charleston’s famous people in each field.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone else born in Charleston
Another 16, the earliest born in 1858.






No one matches both filters.
Also called Charleston home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Charleston, though born elsewhere.
Who’s the most famous person from Charleston?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Be the first to say who Charleston’s most famous person is.
Famous people from the towns next door
The longest list nearby is Mattoon’s, with 23.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Charleston 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 (10)
- Gregg Toland: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Clary: Photoplayers Studio, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charlotte Martin: Justin Higuchi, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ronald W. Davis: Mark Tuschman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jeff Gossett: Mr. Hero, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henrietta Bromwell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Marty Pattin: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Eli Ethelbert Rosebraugh: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Carlos Talbott: US Air Force, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Patricia Harris: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
