#1Famous people · Scotch Plains Township
From 1768 to 2000, Scotch Plains Township was the birthplace of 18 famous people
Thomas W. Osborn, the union United States Army officer, is the most widely known, written about in 9 languages. 8 of them were born since 1970, more than in any other period. Athletes make up the largest group, 9 of them. Fewer than a quarter of the 436 towns in New Jersey with famous people list more.
Born here
18
notable people
Best known
Thomas W. Osborn
in 9 Wikipedia languages
First
1768
Ezra Darby
Youngest
2000
John Murphy
Most common field
Sports
9 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
What stands out about Scotch Plains Township’s famous people
★ What stands out · Through the years
When Scotch Plains Township’s famous people were born
The 1990s top the chart, with 5 births in the decade.
SportsPolitics & LawScience & MedicineWriting & ArtsMilitaryBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Scotch Plains Township
By how many languages cover them, Thomas W. Osborn comes first (9), then Abraham Coles (8) and Bryan Meredith (8).
#1
#2
#3Known for
What Scotch Plains Township is known for
Scotch Plains Township has 1.4× the usual share of athletes.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Scotch Plains Township
15 more names, born between 1768 and 2000.
Samuel Swan
1771–1844Member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Scotch Plains Township home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Scotch Plains Township, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Scotch Plains Township?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
No picks yet
Be the first to say who Scotch Plains Township’s most famous person is.
Or tell us
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, the fullest list is Plainfield’s, at 37 names.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Scotch Plains Township 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 (13)
- Thomas W. Osborn: Mathew Benjamin Brady / Levin Corbin Handy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Abraham Coles: Engraved by A.H. Ritchie, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bryan Meredith: Noah Salzman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Murphy: Kivo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ashton Gibbs: Itsshannymac, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brian Iwata: Javier Virués Ortega, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Vincent Racaniello: Vincent Racaniello, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Evans: Steve Schapiro, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Virginia Apgar: March of Dimes, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Scott M. Gimple: Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Laura Prepon: Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank Spaziani: Thomsonmg2000, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Derrick Caracter: Bridget Samuels, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons