#1Famous people · Sterling
Of the 27 famous people born in Sterling, an unusual share are writers and artists
Most widely known is Paul Flory, the American chemist, with articles in 60 languages. 13 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. Births span 1871 to 1991, from Jesse Lynch Williams to Austin Hubbard. Half or more of the towns in Illinois have no one on record, but this one has 18.3 for every 10,000 residents.
Born here
27
notable people
Best known
Paul Flory
in 60 Wikipedia languages
First
1871
Jesse Lynch Williams
Youngest
1991
Austin Hubbard
Most common field
Writing & Arts
6 people
What stands out about Sterling’s famous people
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Sterling
By how many languages cover them, Paul Flory comes first (60), then Terry Brooks (29) and Jesse Lynch Williams (13).
#1
#2
#3Known for
What Sterling is known for
Compared with the usual town, writers and artists are the most over-represented field, at 2.2 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 Sterling’s famous people were born
Births peak in the 1870s, with 5 people born in that decade.
Writing & ArtsSportsPolitics & LawScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StageNotableMusicMilitary
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Sterling
The other 24 span the years 1872 to 1991.
John H. Ebersole
1925–1993American pioneer in submarine medicine and radiation oncology, Captain US Navy
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
The town’s pick
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, the fullest list is Rock Falls’, at 7 names.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Sterling 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 (12)
- Paul Flory: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Terry Brooks: Joe Peacock, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jesse Lynch Williams: Hall's Studio, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Roy Clements: James and Bushnell, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Stanton: Monogram Pictures, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Foltynewicz: EricEnfermero, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Don Edward Fehrenbacher: Cubs Fan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Birch: AKSenMajority, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Berta E. Baker: This media: Weatherman90 ; Original work: ? ;, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John H. Ebersole: U.S. Navy photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Walter Farrington Moses: Walter Farrington Moses, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Louie Bellson: Wojciech Soporek, CC0, Wikimedia Commons