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Famous people · Woburn

31 famous people were born in Woburn, more of them scientists and doctors than in most towns

The best known is the American-Born British physicist and inventor Benjamin Thompson, with articles in 45 languages. Second and third on the list are Christopher J. Coyne and Lyle R. Wheeler. Over 334 years of births, the list goes from James Converse (1645) to Courtney Kennedy (1979). 13 of them were born in the age of mills and railroads, more than in any other period.

#1 best knownBenjamin ThompsonScience & Medicine · 1753–1814
+27more
Born here
31
notable people
Best known
Benjamin Thompson
in 45 Wikipedia languages
First
1645
James Converse
Youngest
1979
Courtney Kennedy
Most common field
Sports
11 people

What stands out about Woburn’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Woburn is known for

Woburn has 2.2× the usual share of scientists and doctors.

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 Woburn

By how many languages cover them, Benjamin Thompson comes first (45), then Christopher J. Coyne (14) and Lyle R. Wheeler (13).

Benjamin Thompson#1
Science & Medicine

Benjamin Thompson

1753–1814

American-born British physicist and inventor

45 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Christopher J. Coyne#2
Faith

Christopher J. Coyne

born 1958

Roman Catholic archbishop in the United States

14 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Lyle R. Wheeler#3
Film, TV & Stage

Lyle R. Wheeler

1905–1990

American art director

13 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When Woburn’s famous people were born

More were born in the 1950s than in any other decade: 4.

Colonial daysA new nationMills & railroadsThe American century16501700175018001850190019502000Christopher J. CoynePhilemon WrightHerbert L. Clarke
SportsWriting & ArtsScience & MedicinePolitics & LawFaithNotableFilm, TV & StageMusicBusiness

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

Everyone

Everyone else born in Woburn

Here are 28 more, born from 1645 to 1979.

CK

Courtney Kennedy

born 1979

American ice hockey player

Philemon Wright

Philemon Wright

1760–1839

Canadian businessman

William Emmett Dever

William Emmett Dever

1862–1929

American mayor

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
RA

Rachel Blodgett Adams

1894–1982

American mathematician

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
GZ

George S. Zimbel

1929–2023

American-Canadian documentary photographer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
GF

Glenn Foley

born 1970

American football player

RD

Raymond Dodge

1871–1942

American psychologist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
DM

Doc McMahon

1886–1929

American baseball player

ES

Ellen Eddy Shaw

1874–1960

American writer, editor, and teacher on gardening and farming

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
JD

John Doherty

born 1951

American baseball player, born 1951

LM

Loretta McLaughlin

1928–2018

American journalist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
RP

Ron Porter

1945–2019

American football player

SB

Samuel Blodgett

1724–1807

Early American lawyer, industrialist, and financier

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BL

Buddy LeRoux

1930–2008

United States Marine

DC

Dawn Clements

1958–2018

American contemporary artist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
DM

Disappearance of Melanie Melanson

born 1974

Missing teenager from Woburn, Massachusetts, United States

DM

Dominic Mulrenan

1893–1964

Major League Baseball pitcher

JC

Jocko Conlon

1897–1987

American baseball player

JM

John J. McEleney

1895–1986

American Roman Catholic priest

KW

Ken Weafer

1913–2005

American baseball player

MC

Mike Clancy

1924–1988

American professional wrestler

SK

Samuel Knight

1731–1804

American judge

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
TT

Tom Toner

1950–1990

American football player

The town’s pick

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Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Of the towns nearby, 6 have famous names listed.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Woburn 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)