#1Famous people · Amherst Town
Of the 29 famous people born in Amherst Town, none is better known than Emily Dickinson
The American poet Emily Dickinson is written about in 147 languages. The list has 3.1 times the usual share of writers and artists, 9 in all. The oldest name on the list belongs to Gideon Lee, born in 1778, the newest to Michael Hixon, born in 1994. Fewer than a quarter of the 338 towns in Massachusetts with famous people list more.
Born here
29
notable people
Best known
Emily Dickinson
in 147 Wikipedia languages
First
1778
Gideon Lee
Youngest
1994
Michael Hixon
Most common field
Writing & Arts
9 people
Also called it home
5
notable residents
What stands out about Amherst Town’s famous people
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Amherst Town
Emily Dickinson, Helen Hunt Jackson and Julie McNiven are written about in 147, 23 and 22 languages.
#1
#2Writing & Arts
Helen Hunt Jackson
1830–1885American novelist, poet, writer, activist
23 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Known for
What Amherst Town is known for
Writers and artists stand out most, at 3.1 times the usual share.
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 Amherst Town’s famous people were born
Births peak in the 1960s, with 4 people born in that decade.
Writing & ArtsPolitics & LawSportsFilm, TV & StageScience & MedicineMusicNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Amherst Town
26 more, from 1778 to 1994.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Amherst Town home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Amherst Town, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Amherst Town?
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The longest list nearby is South Hadley’s, with 13.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Amherst Town 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 (22)
- Emily Dickinson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Helen Hunt Jackson: Charles F. Conly / Adam Cuerden, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Julie McNiven: TheDelphi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- J Mascis: Alex Ramon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael E. Mann: Greg Grieco, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Nitze: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Hixon: Agência Brasil Fotografias, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stuart Symington: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Lessey: Edison Manufacturing Company, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ifeoma Dieke: Anders Henrikson, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Silas Wright: Brady-Handy Photograph Collection (Library of Congress), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gideon Lee: New York Public Library, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hubert Lyman Clark: United States federal government, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Steele Commager: Fawcett World Library, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gavin Andresen: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE / Web Summit, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Herbert Mead: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert S. Woodworth: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Hooker: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Abby Kelley Foster: Abby Kelley Foster, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Herbert Baxter Adams: Mathew Benjamin Brady / Levin Corbin Handy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Zenas Ferry Moody: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Erastus Salisbury Field: Erastus Salisbury Field, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons