List of people from Dayton, Ohio

Last updated September 03, 2025

The following is a list of people from Dayton, Ohio .

Actors, entertainers, and models

Martin Sheen Martinsheennavy.jpg — Martin Sheen

Tom Aldredge (1928–2011), actor
Ralph Byrd (1909–1952), actor
Nancy Cartwright (born 1957), voice artist
Damian Chapa (born 1963), actor
Max Charles (born 2003), actor
Mystro Clark (born 1966), actor, comedian, and TV host
Willis "Bing" Davis (born 1937), visual artist and teacher
Dr. Creep aka Barry Hobart (1941–2011), actor
Charles Michael Davis (born 1984), actor
Mel Epstein (1910–1994), film producer
Dorothy Gish (1898–1968), silent actress
Luke Grimes (born 1984), actor
Dorian Harewood (born 1950), actor
Drew Hastings (born 1954), comedian, actor, writer
Allison Janney (born 1959), actress
Ken Jenkins (born 1940), actor
Toccara Jones (born 1981), fashion model and TV personality
Gordon Jump (1932–2003), actor
Chad Lowe (born 1968), actor
Rob Lowe (born 1964), actor
Aaron O'Connell (born 1986), actor
Maulik Pancholy (born 1974), actor, voice actor, author
Dan Patrick (born 1957), sports anchor
Wendy Pepper (1964–2017), reality TV star and fashion designer
Keith Prentice (1940–1992), actor
Ted Ross (1934–2002), actor
Gary Sandy (born 1945), actor
Sherri Saum (born 1974), actress
Martin Sheen (born 1940), actor
Beth Stelling (born 1986), comedian
Andrea Thompson (born 1960), actress
De'Angelo Wilson (1979–2008), actor
Jonathan Winters (1925–2013), comedian and actor
Vincent M. Ward (born 1971), actor
Katt Williams (born 1971), comedian and actor

Athletes

Deveon Everhart Aikens (born 1994), pro wrestler
Will Allen (born 1982), NFL safety
Michael Bennett (born 1993), NFL defensive tackle
Pauline Betz (1919–2011), Hall of Fame tennis player, four-time U.S. Open champion
Howie Brown (1922–1975), NFL guard
Molly Bruggeman (born 1992), Olympic women's eights rower
David Bruton (born 1987), NFL strong safety
Tonja Buford-Bailey (born 1970), Olympic 400m hurdler
Derek Bunch (born 1961), NFL linebacker
Keith Byars (born 1963), NFL running back
Roosevelt Chapman (born 1962), basketball hall of famer and all-time leading scorer at the University of Dayton
Roger Clemens (born 1962), MLB pitcher
Stefan Cleveland (born 1994), soccer player^[1]
Norris Cole (born 1988), NBA player
Kurt Coleman (born 1988), NFL safety
Marco Coleman (born 1969), NFL defensive tackle
Cris Collinsworth (born 1959), NFL wide receiver, sports commentator
Daequan Cook (born 1987), NBA player
Greg Cook (1946–2012), NFL quarterback^[2]
Charles Daniels (1885–1973), Olympic freestyle swimmer
Megan Duffy (born 1984), WNBA player
Rob Dyrdek (born 1974), skateboarder, Alien Workshop
Claire Falknor (born 1993), professional soccer player
Doug France (1953–2016), NFL Player
Nikki Fuller (born 1968), professional bodybuilder
Na'Shan Goddard (born 1983), NFL offensive lineman
Jeff Graham (born 1969), NFL receiver
Joe Greene (born 1967), two-time Olympic bronze medalist long jumper
Andy Harmon (born 1969), NFL player
Ron Harper (born 1964), basketball player
A. J. Hawk (born 1984), NFL linebacker
Victor Heflin (born 1960), NFL defensive back
Vince Heflin (born 1959), NFL wide receiver
John Henderson (born 1943), NFL wide receiver
Kirk Herbstreit (born 1969), Ohio State quarterback, football analyst
Chris Hero (born 1979), pro wrestler
Brady Hoke (born 1958), Ball State University linebacker
Todd Hollandsworth (born 1973), baseball player
Bill Hosket Sr. (1911–1956), basketball player
Bill Hosket Jr. (born 1946), basketball player
Darrell Jackson (born 1978), NFL wide receiver
Will Johnson (born 1988), football player
Kerry Kittles (born 1974), NBA player
Dave Krynzel (born 1981), MLB player
Frank Lockhart (1903–1928), race car driver Indy 500 Winner
Ron Lyle (1941–2011), boxer
Holley Mangold (born 1989), Olympic weightlifter
Nick Mangold (born 1984), NFL offensive lineman
Justin Masterson (born 1985), baseball pitcher
Don May (born 1946), NBA player
Brandon McKinney (born 1983), NFL nose tackle
Mike Mickens (born 1987), NFL defensive back
Braxton Miller (born 1992), NFL wide receiver
Mike Mohler (born 1968), baseball pitcher
Edwin C. Moses (born 1955), Olympic gold medalist hurdler
Sean Murphy (born 1994), MLB Catcher
Josh Myers (born 1998), NFL center
Mike Nugent (born 1982), NFL kicker
Ifeadi Odenigbo (born 1994), NFL Defensive End
Jim Paxson Jr. (born 1957), NBA player and executive
John Paxson (born 1960), basketball player, coach, manager, broadcaster
Peerless Price (born 1976), NFL wide receiver
Scott Rettich (1984–2022), racing driver
Javon Ringer (born 1987), NFL running back
Chris Rolfe (born 1983), soccer player
Brett Salisbury (born 1968), quarterback
Joe Schilling (born 1984), kickboxer
Mike Schmidt (born 1949), Hall of Fame baseball player
Bryan Sellers (born 1982), race car driver
Donald Smith (born 1951), NBA player
Scott Stamper (born 1959), NFL running back
Joe Thomasson (born 1993), basketball player
Al Tucker, Jr (1943–2001), NBA basketball player
T. J. Turner (1978–2014), NFL player
Sam Underhill (born 1996), English Rugby Union player
Salt Walther (1947–2012), Indy car driver
Taylor Ward (born 1993), baseball player
Dan Wilkinson (born 1973), NFL defensive tackle
Tamika Williams (born 1980), WNBA player
Jerel Worthy (born 1990), NFL defensive end
Chris Wright (born 1988), NBA forward
Steve Yeager (born 1948), MLB player

Writers and cartoonists

Patrick Nagel Portrait-of-Patrick-Nagel.jpg — Patrick Nagel

Natalie Babbitt (1932-2016), author and illustrator
Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972), playwright, poet and novelist
Eva Best (1851–1925), story writer, poet, music composer, dramatist
Erma Bombeck (1927–1996), columnist and author
Richard H. Brodhead (born 1947), author and president of Duke University
Si Burick (1909–1986), sports editor and columnist
Milton Caniff (1907–1988), cartoonist
Ritter Collett (1921–2001), sports editor and columnist
Charlotte Reeve Conover (1855–1940), historian
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906), early African-American poet
Cathy Guisewite (born 1950), cartoonist
Marj Heyduck (1913–1969), journalist, columnist, editor
Hunter Lewis (born 1947), author
Hal McCoy (born 1940), baseball writer
Patrick Nagel (1945-1984), artist and illustrator
Terry Oroszi (born 1966), terrorism researcher and author
Clarence Page (born 1947), journalist and syndicated columnist
Maulik Pancholy (born 1974), author
Mike Peters (born 1943), opinion cartoonist
Robert W. Russell, pen name Nas'Naga (1941–2021), poet and novelist^[3]
Timothy Snyder (born 1969), historian
Tim Waggoner, horror and fantasy writer
Roz Young (1912–2005), columnist

Entrepreneurs

Larry Augustin (born 1962), member of the OpenSource community
Larry Connor (born 1950), founder of The Connor Group
Edward A. Deeds (1874–1960), engineer, inventor, industrialist
Philip Haas (1874–1927), inventor, plumbing specialties manufacturer
George Huffman (1862–1897), founder of Huffy Corporation
Paul Iams (1915–2004), Iams founder
Charles Kettering (1876–1958), inventor of the automobile self-starter
Carl Lindner, Jr. (1919–2011), businessman
Nancy Lynn (c. 1956–2006), business owner, pilot, flight instructor, and public speaker
John H. Patterson (1844–1922), founder of National Cash Register
James Ritty (1836–1918), inventor of the cash register
Katharine Wright Haskell (1874–1929), suffragist, teacher, assisted the Wright brothers
the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, inventors of the airplane

Military

Charles G. Bickham (1867–1944), Medal of Honor recipient
Llewellyn Morris Chilson (1920–1981), United States Army career soldier who served during World War II
Richard E. Cole (1915–2019), Air Force pilot who took part in the Doolittle Raid in 1942
Sammy L. Davis (born 1946), Medal of Honor recipient
Admiral Timothy J. Keating (born 1948), Commander of the United States Pacific Command
Joseph G. Lapointe Jr (1948–1969), Medal of Honor recipient
Jack V. Mackmull (1927–2011), founded the United States Army Aviation Branch ^[4]
Joe C. Paul (1946–1965), Medal of Honor recipient
Sidney Souers (1892–1973), first Director of the CIA
Tony Stein (1921–1945), Medal of Honor recipient

Musicians

Billy Strayhorn BillyStrayhorn1958.jpg — Billy Strayhorn

Little Axe (born 1949), blues musician
Leroy Bonner (1943–2013), musician/producer, The Ohio Players
Stevie Brock (born 1990), pop singer
Kim Deal (born 1961), rock musician, member of Pixies, The Amps, and The Breeders
Kelley Deal (born 1961), rock musician, member of The Amps and The Breeders
Rick Derringer (born 1947), rock musician
Jim Ferguson (born 1948), classical/jazz guitarist, composer, author, educator, and music journalist
Tommy James (born 1947), rock musician and singer of "Mony Mony"
Walter "Junie" Morrison (1954–2017), musician and producer
Vess Ossman (1868–1923), 5-string banjoist
Dottie Peoples (born 1950), gospel singer
M Ross Perkins (born 1987), songwriter
Robert Pollard (born 1957), founder and singer of lo-fi rock band Guided By Voices and other aliases thereof
Harry Reser (1896–1965), banjoist and leader of the Clicquot Club Eskimos
Kim Richey (born 1956), singer/songwriter
John Scofield (born 1951), jazz guitarist
John Schmersal, guitarist/singer for Brainiac, who went on to form Enon
Bud Shank (1926–2009), jazz saxophonist
Margo Smith (1939–2024), country music singer, known for her yodeling
Tyler Smith (born 1986), singer (The Word Alive)
Billy Strayhorn (1915–1967), jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger
Roger Troutman (1951–1999) and Zapp, musicians/producers
Johnnie Wilder Jr. (1949–2006), founder and lead singer, and Keith Wilder, founder, Heatwave, R&B group
Booty Wood (1919–1987), jazz trombonist
Snooky Young (1919–2011), jazz trumpeter

Politicians

Dave Albritton (1913–1994), former Ohio State Representative
Dixie Allen (1935–2019), former Ohio State Representative
Joyce Beatty (born 1950), U.S. representative for Ohio^[5]
Willis Blackshear Jr. (born 1993), Ohio State Representative

James Middleton Cox (1870–1957), Congressman, Ohio governor, 1920 Democratic presidential candidate, founder of Cox Enterprises
Richard Clay Dixon (born 1941), former mayor of Dayton
Dave Hall (1906–1977), former mayor of Dayton
Tony P. Hall (born 1942), former US Congressman
William A. Halteman (1860–1945), member of the Washington House of Representatives in 1895–1897 and 1907–1909
Paul Leonard (born 1943), former mayor of Dayton and lieutenant governor of Ohio
Clayton Luckie (born 1963), former Ohio State Representative
James H. McGee (1918–2006), former mayor of Dayton
C. J. McLin (1921–1988), former Ohio State Representative
Rhine McLin (born 1948), former mayor of Dayton, former Ohio State Representative, former Ohio Senator
Jeffrey J. Mims Jr. (born 1947), mayor of Dayton
Vipal J. Patel, (born 1967 or 1968), acting US Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio ^[6]
Tom Roberts (born 1952), former Ohio State Representative, former Ohio Senator
Mike Rohrkaste (born 1958), Wisconsin State Assemblyman and businessman
Fred Strahorn (born 1965), former Ohio State Representative, former Ohio Senator
Mike Turner (born 1960), US Congressman, former mayor of Dayton
Clement Vallandigham, lawyer and politician who served as the leader of the Copperheads, (1820-1871)

Other

Alice E. Heckler Peters
China P. Arnold (born 1980), convicted murderer serving life without parole for murdering and cooking her daughter, Paris in a microwave
Jordan Anderson (1825–1907), former slave and author of "Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master"
Charles Bassett (1931–1966), astronaut
Jayananda Dasa (1939–1977), pioneer of ISKCON in San Francisco
Phil Donahue (1935–2024), talk-show host, began his eponymous show in Dayton, where he spent over a decade
Derrick L. Foward (born 1968), NAACP Image Award Winning civil rights activist
Ronnie and Donnie Galyon (1951–2020), oldest set of conjoined twins in the world
Steve Gibson (born 1955), computer programmer
George J. Graham, Jr. (1938–2006), political theorist
Ahad Israfil (1972–2019), gunshot victim
Virginia Kettering (1907–2003), philanthropist
William H. Lough (1881–1940s), economist
W. S. McIntosh (1921–1974), civil rights activist
Jessica Moore (born 1982), journalist
Robert R. Nathan, economist
Mike Nawrocki (born 1966), co-creator of VeggieTales
Melvin Lorrel Nichols (1894–1981), emeritus professor of chemistry, Cornell University
Alice E. Heckler Peters (1845-1921), social reformer
Jane Reece (1868–1961), photographer
Amy Schneider (born 1979), Jeopardy! champion, and the first openly transgender contestant to qualify for the Tournament of Champions ^[7]^[8]
Constantine Scollen (1841-1902), renowned Irish missionary and "Whoop-Up Trail" priest among the native peoples of Canada and US.
Howard Dwight Smith (1886–1958), architect of Ohio Stadium
Dorothy Stang (1931–2005), Catholic nun of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and Amazonian activist
Norman Steenrod (1910–1971), mathematician
Strobe Talbott (born 1946), writer and diplomat
Perry Yaney (1931–2025), physicist

References

↑ "Stefan Cleveland". Major League Soccer . Retrieved April 12, 2025.
↑ "Gregory Lynn Cook". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
↑ Allen, Chadwick (2012). "Unsettling the Spirit of '76: American Indians Anticipate the U.S. Bicentennial". Trans-Indigenous: Methodologies for Global Native Literary Studies. University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
↑ Mackmull, Beverly (2011). "Memorial, Jack V. Mackmull". USMA1950.com. West Point, NY: USMA Class of 1950. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
↑ "BEATTY, Joyce". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
↑ Wynn, Sarah (March 1, 2021). "Vipal Patel named acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Ohio". WTTE. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
↑ UPDATE: The reigning 'Jeopardy' champion. Who is Dayton's own Amy Schneider?
↑ Amy Schneider on Twitter: "The Neon Movies, DAI, the Oregon District. I also love how downtown has revived, when I was at C-J in the mid nineties it was a *much* different vibe" / Twitter

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[1] "Stefan Cleveland". Major League Soccer . Retrieved April 12, 2025.

[2] "Gregory Lynn Cook". Pro-Football-Reference.Com. Retrieved October 30, 2012.

[3] Allen, Chadwick (2012). "Unsettling the Spirit of '76: American Indians Anticipate the U.S. Bicentennial". Trans-Indigenous: Methodologies for Global Native Literary Studies. University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved November 22, 2024.

[4] Mackmull, Beverly (2011). "Memorial, Jack V. Mackmull". USMA1950.com. West Point, NY: USMA Class of 1950. Retrieved June 3, 2023.

[5] "BEATTY, Joyce". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 1, 2025.

[6] Wynn, Sarah (March 1, 2021). "Vipal Patel named acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Ohio". WTTE. Retrieved February 21, 2025.

[7] UPDATE: The reigning 'Jeopardy' champion. Who is Dayton's own Amy Schneider?

[8] Amy Schneider on Twitter: "The Neon Movies, DAI, the Oregon District. I also love how downtown has revived, when I was at C-J in the mid nineties it was a *much* different vibe" / Twitter

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