List of people from Jacksonville, Illinois

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

Authors and academics

• Dr. Greene Vardiman Black (1836–1915), considered the "father of modern dentistry"; first to use nitrous oxide gas for extracting teeth without pain
• Martha Capps Oliver (1845–1917), poet, hymnwriter
• Everett Dean Martin (born and raised in Jacksonville), writer, lecturer, social psychologist, and an advocate of adult education Final Director of the People's Institute of Cooper Union in New York City 1922–1934
• Frank Haven Hall, inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devices^[1]
• Bell Elliott Palmer (1873–1947), playwright, born and died in Jacksonville
• Willis Polk, architect
• J. F. Powers (1917–1999), Roman Catholic short story author and novelist; born in Jacksonville^[2]
• Alfred Henry Sturtevant (1891–1970), geneticist; constructed the first genetic map of a chromosome (1913)
• Wilson "Bob" Tucker (1914–2006), mystery, adventure, and science fiction writer; lived in Jacksonville^[3]
• Jonathan Baldwin Turner (1805–1899), classical scholar, botanist, and political activist
• Janice May Udry (1928–), Caldecott Medal-winning children's author, born in Jacksonville
• Bari Wood (1936–), science fiction, crime and horror author, born in Jacksonville

Media and arts

• Marjorie Best (1903–1997), Academy Award-winning costume designer; born in Jacksonville
• Roger Deem (1958-2020), photographer
• William Fitzsimmons, folk singer; lived in Jacksonville
• Richard Moore (1925–2009), cinematographer and co-founder of Panavision; born in Jacksonville
• Kyra Phillips, correspondent for CNN and HLN, raised in Jacksonville
• Frank Reaugh (1860–1945), western artist
• Liam Sullivan, actor; born in Jacksonville

Military

• Benjamin Grierson (1826–1911), Civil War era general; commanded the all-Black 10th Cavalry known as Buffalo Soldiers; music teacher from Jacksonville
• John J. Hardin (1810–1847), congressman; killed as a colonel leading the First Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War
• Martin Davis Hardin (1837–1923), brigadier general during the Civil War; born in Jacksonville

Politics and law

• James M. Barnes (1899–1958), U.S. congressman
• William H. Barnes, jurist
• William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), lawyer and politician; ran for US president; known for his involvement in the Scopes Trial
• J. Edward Day (1914–1996), U.S. Postmaster General
• Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), U.S. senator and presidential candidate; settled in Jacksonville
• Joseph Duncan (1794–1844), sixth governor of Illinois
• Nancy Farmer (1956–), Missouri State Treasurer
• Paul Findley (1921–2019), U.S. congressman
• Hugh Green (1887–1968), Illinois legislator and lawyer
• Edward E. Johnston (1918–2011), high commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
• Ruth Bryan Owen (1885–1954), U.S. congresswoman, ambassador to Denmark and Iceland, daughter of William Jennings Bryan
• Mary Louise Preis (1941–), state congressman from Maryland
• Harris Rowe (1923–2013), politician, lawyer, and businessman
• Richard Yates Rowe (1888–1973), politician and businessman
• Andrew Russel (1854–1934), Illinois politician and businessman
• Paul Samuell (1886–1938), Illinois Supreme Court justice
• Wiley Scribner (1840–1889), politician and acting governor of Montana Territory
• Owen P. Thompson (1852–1933), judge of the Seventh Judicial District of Illinois and a delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois in 1904
• Richard Yates (1818–1873), U.S. congressman (1851–1855) and senator (1865–1871); 13th governor of Illinois (1861–1865)
• Richard Yates Jr. (1860-1936), 22nd Governor of Illinois (1901-1905)

Sports

• Jerry Barber (1916–1994), golfer with the PGA Tour, winner of 1961 PGA Championship
• Doug Brady (1969–), second baseman for the Chicago White Sox
• Red Dorman (1900–1974), outfielder for the Cleveland Indians
• Jim Hackett (1877–1961), pitcher and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
• "Blake" Hance (1996–), offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns
• Mabel Holle (1920–2011), third basewoman and outfielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League; born in Jacksonville
• Milton McPike (1939–2008), tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, educator and community leader; born in Jacksonville
• Brett Merriman (1966–), pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
• Ken Norton (1943–2013), boxer; broke Muhammad Ali's jaw in a historical heavyweight fight
• Ken Norton, Jr. (1966–), linebacker for Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, defensive coordinator for Oakland Raiders; first NFL player to win three consecutive Super Bowls; born in Jacksonville
• Henry Eli "Harry" Staley (1866–1910), pitcher for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Beaneaters, and Pittsburgh Pirates; born in Jacksonville
• F. Calvert "Cal" Strong (1907–2001), Olympic water polo bronze medalist; born in Jacksonville
• Luther Haden "Dummy" Taylor (1875–1958), coach and pitcher for New York Giants and Cleveland Bronchos; died in Jacksonville