List of people from Adrian, Michigan

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Adrian, Michigan.

Academics and engineering

• William James Beal, botanist; co-founder of Collegeville (later known as East Lansing); born in Adrian ^[1]
• Norman Bel Geddes, theatrical and industrial designer (1939 New York World's Fair pavilion "Futurama"); born in Adrian ^[2]
• Myrtle Craig Mowbray, educator and first African American woman to graduate from the Michigan Agricultural College in 1907; born in Adrian ^[3]
• Garry Wills, prolific Pulitzer Prize-winning author, journalist, and historian, grew up in Adrian ^[4]

Business

• Orville D. Merillat, founder of Merillat Kitchens, later Merillat Industries; moved to Adrian as a young man^{[ citation needed ]}

Media and music

• Kirk Baily (1963–2022), actor
• Priscilla Bonner (1899–1996), silent screen movie star; grew up in Adrian
• Byron Darnton, war correspondent for the New York Times during World War II; born in Adrian ^[5]
• Allen Lee Haff, television personality ( Auction Hunters ); born in Adrian ^[6]
• Margaret Wynne Lawless (1847–1926) poet, author, educator, philanthropist ^[7]
• Matt Noveskey, bass player for Blue October; born in Adrian ^[8]
• James Royce Shannon (1881–1946), composer and lyricist; born in Adrian ^[9]

Politics and law

• Fernando C. Beaman, former U.S. Congressman; lived in Adrian and was mayor in 1856 ^[10]
• Jerome B. Chaffee, U.S. Senator from Colorado; lived in Adrian where he was a teacher and local businessman ^[11]
• Thomas M. Cooley, 25th Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court; lived in Adrian ^[12]
• Charles Croswell, 17th Governor of Michigan; lived in Adrian ^[13]
• William L. Greenly, fifth Governor of Michigan; lived in Adrian ^[14]
• Chris Gregoire, 22nd Governor of Washington; born in Adrian ^[15]
• Haviland H. Lund, inspector of home settlement projects for the United States Department of the Interior; born in Adrian ^[16]
• Martha Seger, Former member of the Federal Reserve Board; born in Adrian ^[17]

Crime

• Sile Doty, infamous criminal gang leader; lived in Adrian ^[18]

Sports

Baseball

• Rube Kisinger (1876–1941), pitcher for the Detroit Tigers; born in Adrian ^[19]
• Mike Marshall (1943-2021), pitcher with 9 different Major League Baseball teams; 2× All-Star (1974, 1975); recipient of the Cy Young Award (1974); born in Adrian ^[20]
• Frank Navin (1871–1935), principal owner of the Detroit Tigers (1909–1935); vice president and acting president of the American League; born in Adrian ^[21]

Coaching

• William Reid, basketball player, led Adrian High School to 1912 state title, coach at Colgate University, NCAA administrator and member of Basketball Hall of Fame
• Dale R. Sprankle, championship coach at Adrian College ^[22]

Football

• Marcus Benard, linebacker for Arizona Cardinals; born in Adrian ^[23]
• Kellen Davis, tight end for New York Jets, formerly for Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns; born in Adrian ^[24]
• Dorne Dibble, wide receiver for the Detroit Lions; 2x NFL Champion (1953, 1957); born in Adrian ^[25]
• John Maulbetsch, All-American football halfback; played for Adrian College in 1911 ^[26]
• Bob Westfall (1919–1980), All-American football fullback; played for Michigan 1939–1941; played for Detroit Lions 1945 All-pro; inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987; lived in Adrian ^[27]

Military

• John Hack, awarded the Medal of Honor; grew up in Adrian and joined the Union Army there

References

1. Beal, William James Bea (1915). History of the Michigan Agricultural College: And Biographical Sketches of Trustees and Professors. Agricultural college. p.  414. William James Beal adrian mi.
2. Magill, Frank N. Magill (2013). The 20th Century A-GI: Dictionary of World Biography, Volume 7. Routledge. p. 1319. ISBN   978-1136593345.
3. Widder, Keith R. (2005). Michigan Agricultural College: The Evolution of a Land-Grant Philosophy, 1855-1925. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. pp. 94, 346–348. ISBN   0870137344.
4. Garry Wills, Why I Am A Catholic (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002), 14-16.
5. "World War correspondent killed at New Guinea". The Michigan Alumnus. UM Libraries. 1942. p. 139.
6. "Allen Lee Haff Biography". TV.com. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
7. Curtis, Georgina Pell; Elder, Benedict (1911). The American Catholic Who's who. Vol. 1 (Public domain ed.). NC News Service. pp. 359–.
8. "Blue October Matt Noveskey". Spirit of Metal Webzine. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
9. History of Ireland , p. PA21, at Google Books
10. "BEAMAN, Fernando Cortez (1814 - 1882)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
11. "CHAFFEE, Jerome Bunty (1825 - 1886)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
12. "Thomas M Cooley". The University of Michigan Law School. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
13. "Charles M. Croswell". Governors of Michigan. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
14. GENERAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 1873. p. 703.
15. "Chris Gregoire (D)". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
16. "Man Governed World Criticized By Women". Reading Eagle . November 11, 1921. Retrieved November 29, 2011. ... at the sessions of the National Council of Women by Mrs. Haviland Haines Lund, inspector of home settlement projects in the Department of the Interior. ...
17. Center, © Michigan Women's Historical; Fame, Hall of; Lansing; Michigan. "Martha R. Seger". www.federalreservehistory.org. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
18. "Silas Doty made early entry in state history". Ludington Daily News. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
19. "Rube Kisinger". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
20. "Mike Marshall". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
21. "Frank Navin". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
22. "Football Game-by-Game Results". Adrian College Bulldogs. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
23. "Marcus Benard #59 LB". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
24. "Kellen Davis #89 TE". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
25. "Dorne Dibble". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
26. "Johnny Maulbetsch". National Football Foundation. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
27. "Bob Westfall". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 24, 2014.