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Famous people · Westfield

From 1832 to 1960, Westfield was the birthplace of 9 famous people

At the top of the list is the American mathematician John Wrench, covered in 8 languages. The list’s best known name, John Wrench, dates from 1911. For every 10,000 residents there are 20.1 on the list, well above the typical New York town’s 3.9. The longest list of any town in New York belongs to New York City, with 99.

#3 best knownMarion DickermanNotable · 1890–1983
+5more
Born here
9
notable people
Best known
John Wrench
in 8 Wikipedia languages
First
1832
Alexander Wilson
Youngest
1960
Robert Weathers
Most common field
Science & Medicine
2 people
The best known

Born in Westfield

John Wrench has articles in 8 languages, Alexander Wilson in 3 and Marion Dickerman in 3.

JW#1
Science & Medicine

John Wrench

1911–2009

American mathematician

8 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
AW#2
Politics & Law

Alexander Wilson

1832–1888

American lawyer

3 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Marion Dickerman#3
Notable

Marion Dickerman

1890–1983

American educator

3 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When Westfield’s famous people were born

The 1890s saw the most births of any decade: 2.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American century185019001950Charles G. GroatJohn H. HaightMarion Dickerman
Science & MedicinePolitics & LawSportsNotableWriting & ArtsMilitary

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

Known for

What Westfield is known for

The largest field is Science & Medicine, with 2 people.

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 Westfield

6 more, from 1841 to 1960.

George E. Matthews

George E. Matthews

1855–1911

President of the J. N. Matthews Co., publisher of the Buffalo Courier-Express

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
RW

Robert Weathers

born 1960

American football running back

Charles G. Groat

Charles G. Groat

1940–2025

American geologist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
GB

Gloria Vitanza Basile

1929–2004

American writer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

The longest list nearby is Ripley’s, with 4.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Westfield 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 (7)
  • Marion Dickerman: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • George E. Matthews: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • Vincent Powers: Public domain, c. 1909, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • Charles G. Groat: USGS, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • John H. Haight: Beyer, W. F. and O. F. Keydel. “Deeds of Valor from Records in the Archives of the United States Government: How American Heroes Won the Medal of Honor”, Vol. I: “Three Deeds of Valor”, p. 28. Detroit, Michigan: The Perrien-Keydel Company, 1907. URL…, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • Richard T. Ely: Published in the United States prior to 1923, public domain., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
  • Michael John LaChiusa: AbramsArtistsAgency, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons