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Famous people · Jacksonville

30 famous people were born in Jacksonville, more of them writers and artists than in most towns

Articles in 34 languages make the American boxer Ken Norton the best known. Cal Strong, the American water polo player, comes second, with Marjorie Best third. Half or more of the towns in Illinois have no one on record, but this one has 16.7 for every 10,000 residents. From Jim Savage to Doug Brady, the births on the list run from 1817 to 1969.

#1 best knownKen NortonSports · 1943–2013
+26more
Born here
30
notable people
Best known
Ken Norton
in 34 Wikipedia languages
First
1817
Jim Savage
Youngest
1969
Doug Brady
Most common field
Sports
9 people

What stands out about Jacksonville’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Jacksonville is known for

Compared with the usual town, writers and artists are the most over-represented field, at 1.6 times.

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

The best known

Born in Jacksonville

Athletes take two of the three places.

Ken Norton#1
Sports

Ken Norton

1943–2013

American boxer

34 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
CS#2
Sports

Cal Strong

1907–2001

American water polo player

12 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
MB#3
Notable

Marjorie Best

1903–1997

American Hollywood costume designer

12 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When Jacksonville’s famous people were born

The 1900s saw the most births of any decade: 5.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American century1800185019001950Ken Norton Jr.Paul FindleyKen NortonRuth Bryan Owen
SportsPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsNotableFilm, TV & StageScience & MedicineMilitary

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

Everyone

Everyone else born in Jacksonville

The other 27 span the years 1817 to 1969.

Paul Findley

Paul Findley

1921–2019

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Ruth Bryan Owen

Ruth Bryan Owen

1885–1954

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
ES

Edgar Howard Sturtevant

1875–1952

American linguist

Edmund J. James

Edmund J. James

1855–1925

American economist, professor, and university administrator

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
J. Edward Day

J. Edward Day

1914–1996

American lawyer and politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Ken Norton Jr.

Ken Norton Jr.

born 1966

American football player and coach

Richard Yates

Richard Yates

1860–1936

American politician, judge and lawyer

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
RM

Richard Moore

1925–2009

American cinematographer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Charles Cleveland Nutting

Charles Cleveland Nutting

1858–1927

American zoologist

JP

J. F. Powers

1917–1999

American writer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
RA

Richard Allan

1923–1999

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
JM

Jerry L. Mitchell

born 1942

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
WG

William H. Gest

1838–1912

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
CD

C. D. Davidsmeyer

born 1962

American politician in Illinois

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
CM

Carl Maston

1915–1992

American architect

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
JH

Jim Hackett

1877–1961

American Major League Baseball pitcher

RD

Red Dorman

1900–1974

American baseball player

WW

William Walton

1909–1994

Journalist and abstract expressionist painter from the United States

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
BM

Brett Merriman

born 1966

Major League Baseball pitcher

CH

Chuck Hull

1924–2000

American boxing ring announcer, sportscaster and actor

GA

George Worthington Adams

1905–1981

American historian

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Jacksonville 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 (8)