List of people from Elgin, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Elgin, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Elgin, Illinois.

Authors and academics

E.C. "Mike" Alft, historian, author, and former mayor of Elgin
Nina Burleigh, journalist and author^{[citation needed]}
Paul Flory, chemist; Nobel Prize winner (1974)
Lloyd Hall, chemist
Donella Meadows, environmentalist
Jessica Mink, astronomer; co-discover of the rings around the planet Uranus
John Platt, computer scientist
Tom Shales, journalist; Pulitzer Prize winner (1988)
Carleton Washburne, educator; author^{[citation needed]}
Dwight Smith Young, physicist with the Manhattan Project

Business and invention

Max Adler, vice-president of Sears & Roebuck; benefactor of Adler Planetarium
Lawrence B. Hamlin, Hamlin's Wizard Oil purveyor
Lysander Hamlin, co-originator with John Austen Hamlin of Hamlin's Wizard Oil
Earl "Madman" Muntz, marketer, car stereo and 4-track cartridge pioneer
James Roche, chairman of General Motors
James P. Liautaud, industrialist, inventor and business theorist

Media and arts

Dan Andriano, musician^[1]
BarlowGirl, Christian rock band
Joe Becker, musician^{[citation needed]}
Bruce Boxleitner, actor
Josh Caterer, songwriter, musician, singer^{[citation needed]}
Daniel de Marbelle, songwriter who wrote When They Ring Those Golden Bells
Citizen Way, Christian rock band
Jim Gaffigan, comedian, actor, and author
Mitzi Gaynor, actress and entertainer, lived in Elgin
George Hamlin, opera singer and son of John Austin Hamlin^[2]
John Austin Hamlin, magician
Matt Hoffman, contestant on Big Brother 12
Charles Ingalls, father of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie); spent part of his childhood in the nearby Campton Township
Laurence Kaptain, recording artist; Dean at the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, Louisiana State University
William LeBaron, playwright and movie producer
Kevin Martin, musician
Norman Mayell, musician (Sopwith Camel, Blue Cheer, Norman Greenbaum)^[3]
Paleo, born David Strackany, folk singer-songwriter
Jane Peterson, painter and artist^{[citation needed]}
John Qualen, actor
Courtney Reed, stage actress, original Princess Jasmine in Aladdin on Broadway
Marie Sidenius Zendt, singer

Military

Harry Chamberlin, U.S. Army brigadier general and Olympic medalist in equestrian events^[4]

Politics and law

Ray Barnhart, Texas State Representative
Robert L. Bergman (1948-2013), Illinois State Representative^[5]
DeGoy B. Ellis (1876-1949), Illinois state representative and lawyer^[6]
Thomas W. Ferry (1843-1845) Acting Vice President, US Senator
Peter Fitzgerald, US senator (R-IL)
Barbara Giolitto, Illinois State Representative^[7]
Adam Neylon, Wisconsin legislator^[8]
Jeanette Ward, member of the Wyoming House of Representatives. She lived in Elgin until moving to Casper, Wyoming in 2021.^[9]

Sports

Charlene Barnett (1928-1979), baseball player
Ko Chandetka (born 1971), bodybuilder
Earl Britton (1903-1973), football player
Bethany Goldsmith (1927-2004), baseball player
Harry Hanson (1896-1966), baseball player
Hunkey Hines (1867-1928), baseball player
Tony Kaufmann (1900-1982), baseball player
Scott Kellar (born 1963), football player
Ed McDonough (1886-1926), baseball player
Lou North (1891-1974), baseball player
Brian Oldfield (born 1945), Olympic shot putter
David Otunga (born 1980) wrestler
Erwin Renfer (1891-1957), baseball player
Flynn Robinson (born 1941), basketball player
Rick Short (born 1972), baseball player
Roger Smithberg (born 1966), baseball player
Ray Whipple (1893-1973), football player

References

^ Althea Legaspi (March 1, 2010). "Alkaline Trio gets back to its roots in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-06-15. Singer-guitarist Matt Skiba and singer-bassist Dan Andriano took turns on mic ...
^ White, James Terry (ed.) (1924). "Hamlin, George John". The National Cyclopædia of American Biography, Vol. 19, pp. 59–60. James T. White and Company
^ Norman Mayell Autobiography; sopwithcamel.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
^ Historical and Pictorial Review, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Division. Baton Rouge, LA: The Army and Navy Publishing Company. 1941. p. 27 – via FamilySearch.
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1977=1998.' Biographical Sketch of Robert L. Bergman, pg. 96
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1919-1920,' Biographical Sketch of DeGoy B. Ellis, pg. 198-199
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1993-1994,' Biographical Sketch of Barbara Giolitto, pg. 99
^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2013-2014,' Biographical Sketch of Adam Neylon, pg. 85
^ LaChance, Brendan (2022-07-01). "Candidate Questionnaire: Jeanette Ward for House District 57". Oil City News. Retrieved 2023-01-18.

[twsI35-1] Althea Legaspi (March 1, 2010). "Alkaline Trio gets back to its roots in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-06-15. Singer-guitarist Matt Skiba and singer-bassist Dan Andriano took turns on mic ...

[NCAB-2] White, James Terry (ed.) (1924). "Hamlin, George John". The National Cyclopædia of American Biography, Vol. 19, pp. 59–60. James T. White and Company

[3] Norman Mayell Autobiography; sopwithcamel.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.

[Review-4] Historical and Pictorial Review, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Division. Baton Rouge, LA: The Army and Navy Publishing Company. 1941. p. 27 – via FamilySearch.

[5] 'Illinois Blue Book 1977=1998.' Biographical Sketch of Robert L. Bergman, pg. 96

[6] 'Illinois Blue Book 1919-1920,' Biographical Sketch of DeGoy B. Ellis, pg. 198-199

[7] 'Illinois Blue Book 1993-1994,' Biographical Sketch of Barbara Giolitto, pg. 99

[8] 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2013-2014,' Biographical Sketch of Adam Neylon, pg. 85

[9] LaChance, Brendan (2022-07-01). "Candidate Questionnaire: Jeanette Ward for House District 57". Oil City News. Retrieved 2023-01-18.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]