List of people from Elgin, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born in 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-discoverer of the rings around Uranus
• John Platt, computer scientist
• Tom Shales, journalist; Pulitzer Prize winner (1988)
• Dwight Smith Young, physicist with the Manhattan Project
• Carleton Washburne, educator; author^{[ citation needed ]}

Business and invention

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

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 ]}
• Citizen Way, Christian rock band
• Daniel de Marbelle, songwriter; wrote When They Ring Those Golden Bells
• Erik Foss, artist and curator ^[2]
• Jim Gaffigan, comedian, actor, and author
• Mitzi Gaynor, actress and entertainer; lived in Elgin
• George Hamlin, opera singer; son of John Austin Hamlin ^[3]
• John Austin Hamlin, magician
• Matt Hoffman, contestant on Big Brother 12
• Charles Ingalls, father of Laura Ingalls Wilder ( Little House on the Prairie ); lived in nearby Campton Township
• Laurence Kaptain, recording artist; Dean at the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, Louisiana State University
• William LeBaron, playwright and film producer
• Kevin Martin, musician
• Norman Mayell, musician (Sopwith Camel, Blue Cheer, Norman Greenbaum) ^[4]
• Paleo (David Strackany), folk singer-songwriter
• Jane Peterson, painter and artist^{[ citation needed ]}
• John Qualen, actor
• Courtney Reed, stage actress; originated the role of Jasmine in Aladdin on Broadway
• Marie Sidenius Zendt, singer

Military

• Harry Chamberlin, U.S. Army brigadier general and Olympic medalist in equestrian events ^[5]

Politics and law

• Ray Barnhart, Texas State Representative
• Robert L. Bergman (1948–2013), Illinois State Representative ^[6]
• DeGoy B. Ellis (1876–1949), Illinois state representative and lawyer ^[7]
• Thomas W. Ferry (1827–1896), acting President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate and U.S. Senator
• Peter Fitzgerald, U.S. Senator from Illinois
• Barbara Giolitto, Illinois State Representative ^[8]
• Adam Neylon, Wisconsin State Representative ^[9]
• Jeanette Ward, member of the Wyoming House of Representatives; lived in Elgin until moving to Casper, Wyoming in 2021 ^[10]

Sports

• Charlene Barnett (1928–1979), baseball player
• 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

1. Legaspi, Althea (March 1, 2010). "Alkaline Trio gets back to its roots in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
2. Palma, Rubén (January 6, 2023). "A Conversation with Erik Foss". Overstandard. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
3. White, James Terry, ed. (1924). The National Cyclopædia of American Biography. Vol. 19. James T. White and Company. pp. 59–60.
4. "Norman Mayell Autobiography". SopwithCamel.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
5. Historical and Pictorial Review, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Division. Baton Rouge, LA: The Army and Navy Publishing Company. 1941. p. 27 – via FamilySearch.
6. Illinois Blue Book 1977–1978. State of Illinois. p. 96.
7. Illinois Blue Book 1919–1920. State of Illinois. pp. 198–199.
8. Illinois Blue Book 1993–1994. State of Illinois. p. 99.
9. Wisconsin Blue Book 2013–2014. State of Wisconsin. p. 85.
10. LaChance, Brendan (July 1, 2022). "Candidate Questionnaire: Jeanette Ward for House District 57". Oil City News. Retrieved January 18, 2023.