List of people from Galesburg, Illinois
Appearance
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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Galesburg, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Galesburg, Illinois.
Educators, scientists, writers, and journalists
- Steven Ballard, chancellor of East Carolina University; born in Galesburg
- Barry Bearak, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Edward Beecher, theologian and abolitionist; brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe; first president of Illinois College
- Jonathan Blanchard, abolitionist, social reformer, and educator; President of Knox and founder of Wheaton College
- Ira Clifton Copley, publisher and statesman, founder of Copley Press
- John Huston Finley, former editor of the New York Times, professor at Princeton University, president of Knox and City College of New York
- Jack Finney, science-fiction author, best known for The Body Snatchers, basis of the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers (lived in Galesburg, Illinois while attending Knox College)
- George Helgesen Fitch, author, humorist, journalist
- George Washington Gale, founder of Knox
- Anna Groff Bryant, vocal teacher at Lombard College
- Robert Hellenga, novelist and George A. Lawrence Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of English at Knox
- George William Hunter, biologist and author of Civic Biology, textbook at heart of famed Scopes Monkey Trial (former professor at Knox)
- Alexander Kuo, author, poet, essayist
- Francis T. McAndrew, evolutionary psychologist and essayist; Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox
- S.S. McClure, Muckraker journalist and founder of McClure's Magazine (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Emily Arnold McCully, children's book author, winner of 1993 Caldecott Medal
- Carl Sandburg, writer and editor; winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, two for poetry and one for biography of Abraham Lincoln; born in Galesburg
- Ellen Browning Scripps, journalist and philanthropist, founder of Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- Robert Seibert, Robert W. Murphy Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Knox and coauthor of Politics and Change in the Middle East
- Chad Simpson, short and flash fiction author[1]
- Marilyn Salzman Webb, activist, author, and journalist
- Mary Allen West, journalist, editor, educator, superintendent of schools, and temperance worker
- Douglas L. Wilson, author, co-director of Lincoln Studies Center; George A. Lawrence Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of English at Knox
- Richard L. Wilson, newspaperman, recipient of 1954 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting; born in Galesburg in 1905[2]
- Quincy Wright, political scientist
- Sewall Wright, evolutionary biologist, a founder of modern population genetics
- Theodore Paul Wright, aeronautical engineer; served as acting president of Cornell University
Business innovators and inventors
- Earnest Elmo Calkins, advertising executive, founder of first modern advertising agency
- George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., inventor of the Ferris wheel
- Whitcomb L. Judson, inventor of the zipper
- Charles Rudolph Walgreen, founder of Walgreens
People in the arts
- Karen Bjornson (born 1952), model; born in Galesburg[3]
- Vir Das, comedian and Bollywood actor (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Mae Shumway Enderly (born 1871), harpist, entertainer born in Galesburg
- Hugh Gillin, actor
- Michael Greer, actor, comedian, and cabaret performer
- Otto Harbach, lyricist and librettist; known for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "Indian Love Call" and "Cuddle up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine" (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Dorsha Hayes, actress
- Mark Nicolson, opera singer
- Tim Piper, visual designer; born in Galesburg
- Stephen Prina, contemporary artist
- George Reeves, actor, played Superman in popular 1950s television show
- Dorothea Tanning, painter, printmaker, sculptor and writer
- Rudy Vaughn, singer-songwriter
- Chris Verene, artist
- Allan Arthur Willman, classical pianist and composer
Military leaders
- Joseph A. Ahearn, US Air Force general
- Mary Ann Bickerdyke, also known as "Mother Bickerdyke"; Civil War nurse for Union Army
- Gustavus Cheyney Doane, US Army officer and explorer
- David P. Fridovich, retired Lieutenant General and Green Beret in US Army, deputy commander of U.S. military's United States Special Operations Command (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Hobart R. Gay, U.S. Army general, served under General George S. Patton
Politics, government, and law
- William Adcock, Illinois state representative and farmer, lived in Galesburg[4]
- Edgar Bancroft, lawyer and diplomat; served as United States Ambassador to Japan
- John Rusling Block, Cabinet member in Ronald Reagan administration; born in Galesburg
- George Radcliffe Colton, US Army colonel; Governor of Puerto Rico (1909–1913)
- Edwin H. Conger, US congressman, diplomat, and lawyer[5]
- Omer N. Custer, Illinois State Treasurer and newspaper editor; lived in Galesburg[6]
- Phil Hare, US congressman representing Illinois's 17th district[7]
- Don Harmon, Illinois State Senator (Lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Carl Hawkinson, Illinois politician; born in Galesburg[8]
- Russell Jump, Mayor of Wichita, Kansas; born in Galesburg[citation needed]
- Charles B. Lawrence, Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court; lived in Galesburg[9]
- John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016, Chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, and Counselor to President Barack Obama; lived in Galesburg while attending Knox
- Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States; lived in Galesburg in his youth
- Don Samuelson, 25th Governor of Idaho
- George L. Shoup, first Governor of Idaho; moved to Galesburg at age 16
- Wallace Thompson, Illinois State Senator; born in Galesburg[10]
- Richard H. Whiting, U.S. Representative 1875-77; lived in Galesburg
Sports figures
- Grover Cleveland Alexander, Hall of Fame pitcher, spent 1909 season with Galesburg Boosters
- Barry Cheesman, former PGA Tour Golfer, born and raised in Galesburg
- Mike Davison, pitcher for San Francisco Giants; born in Galesburg
- Bill Essick, former professional baseball pitcher
- A. J. Fike, driver with NASCAR
- Aaron Fike, driver with NASCAR
- Jimmie Foxx, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer; lived in retirement in Galesburg during the 1960s
- Todd Hamilton, golfer with PGA Tour, 2004 British Open champion; born in Galesburg
- Willie Heston, college football halfback and coach; state judge in Michigan; born in Galesburg
- Irma Hopper, Olympic fencer; born in Galesburg
- Elbert Kimbrough, safety with NFL's Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and New Orleans Saints; born in Galesburg
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator for NFL's Cleveland Browns (lived in Galesburg while attending Knox College)
- Jim Sundberg, catcher with Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers; born in Galesburg
- Art Twineham, catcher for St. Louis Browns; born in Galesburg
- Pete Weber, sports broadcaster, voice of NHL's Nashville Predators; born in Galesburg
References
- ^ Simpson, Chad (June 15, 2006). "Miracle". Smoke Long Quarterly. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ "Pulitzer Prizes". The Pulitzer Prizes: National Reporting. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
- ^ "Karen Bjornson". iconicfocus.com. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1925-1926,' Biographical Sketch of William Adcock, pg. 186-187
- ^ "Edwin H. Conger". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1929–1930,' Biographical Sketch of Omer N. Custer, pg. 96-97
- ^ "HARE, Phil (1949 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ 'Illinois Blue Book 2001–2002, Biographical Sketch of Carl Hawkinson, pg. 118
- ^ Dead, Judge C. B. Lawrence of Illinois Passes Away-Death of Rev B. F. Crocker, Monmouth Evening Gazette, April 10, 1883, pg. 1
- ^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1951–1952,' Biographical Sketch of Wallace Thompson, pg. 232