LW#1
Science & Medicine
Lilian Welsh
1858–1938American physician, educator, and suffragist
9 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Columbia
From 1824 to 1961, Columbia was the birthplace of 13 famous people
With articles in 9 languages, Lilian Welsh is the most widely known. The American operatic soprano Florence Hinkle ranks second, ahead of Mary Reeser. The largest group, 5, was born between 1920 and 1969. Only 107 of the 976 towns in Pennsylvania with anyone on record list more.
Born here
13
notable people
Best known
Lilian Welsh
in 9 Wikipedia languages
First
1824
Thomas Welsh
Youngest
1961
Suzanne Westenhoefer
Most common field
Writing & Arts
3 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
The best known
Born in Columbia
Three names lead: Lilian Welsh (9 languages), Florence Hinkle (7) and Mary Reeser (6).
#2
#3Notable
Mary Reeser
1884–1951Suspected victim of spontaneous human combustion
6 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years
When Columbia’s famous people were born
More were born in the 1880s than in any other decade: 2.
Writing & ArtsNotableMilitaryPolitics & LawScience & MedicineMusicSportsFilm, TV & Stage
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for
What Columbia is known for
Columbia has 2.3× the usual share of writers and artists.
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 Columbia
The other 10 span the years 1824 to 1961.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Columbia home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Columbia, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Columbia?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Columbia 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 (8)
- Florence Hinkle: Bain, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mary Reeser: Richard Reeser (1911-1998), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Welsh: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack Kiefer: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Winifred Kirkland: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Augustus High: Rogers, A. D. .mw-parser-output .messagebox{margin:4px 0;width:auto;border-collapse:collapse;border:2px solid var(--border-color-progressive,#6485d1);background-color:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#fbfcff);color:var(--color-base,#202122);box…, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Stephen Atkins Swails: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Zach Miller: Gianina Lindsey, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons