Ohio Famous People

Famous Americans: History and Biographies

Links to histories and biographies of the famous people of Ohio. Many famous people of Ohio have made significant contributions to the history of our nation and the state of Ohio. These famous Americans, famous entertainers, famous players, famous scientist, famous singers, famous statesmen, famous women, heroes, great explorers, and others Ohio famous Americans have all made Ohio their home. This list includes Ohio historical figures, celebrities and those individuals of Ohio who have influenced the lives of others.

• Neil Armstrong (1930 - ) The first astronaut to walk on the moon; born in Wapakoneta.
• Daniel Beard (1850 - 1941) Founded the Boy Scouts of America; born in Cincinnati.
• Halle Berry (1966 - ) Famous Actress; born in Cleveland.
• Drew Carey - (1958 - ) Actor, Writer, Comedian; born in Cleveland.
• Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931) Only American inventor with more than 1,000 patents; born in Milan.
• Clark Gable (1901-1960) Actor known for his role in Gone with the Wind; from Cadiz.
• James A. Garfield (1831 - 1881) The 20^th President of the United States; born in Cuyahoga County.
• John Glenn (1921 - ) The first American to orbit the Earth; born in Cambridge
• Ulysses S. Grant (1822 - 1885) The 18^th President of the United States; born in Point Pleasant.
• Zane Grey (1872 - 1939) Western novel author; born in Zanesville.
• Arsenio Hall (1958- ) Actor and former late-night talk show host; born in Cleveland
• Warren G. Harding (1865 - 1923) The 29^th President of the United States; born near Marion.
• Benjamin Harrison (1833 - 1901) The 23^rd President of the United States; born near Cincinnati.
• Rutherford B. Hayes (1822 - 1893) The 19^th President of the United States; born in Delaware, Ohio.
• Bob Hope (1903 - 2003) Actor/Dancer/Singer/Comedian/Entertainer; Grew up in Cleveland.
• William McKinley (1843 - 1901) The 25^th President of the United States; born in Niles.

• Annie Oakley (1860 - 1926) Sharpshooter and entertainer. She performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.

• Jesse Owens (1913 - 1980) Winner of four gold medals in the 1936 Summer Olympic Games; lived in Cleveland.
• Judith Resnik (1949 - 1986) Astronaut. She was the second American woman to go into space; born in Akron.
• Pete Rose (1941 - ) Baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds that broke the all-time hitting record in 1985; born in Cincinnati.
• William Sherman (1820 - 1891) General of the Civil War that led "Sherman's March" through Georgia destroying Southern hope; born in Lancaster.
• Steven Spielberg (1947 - ) Director of E.T., Schindler's List, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many other famous movies; born in Cincinnati.
• R.L. Stine (1943 - ) Author of the popular Goosebumps series; native of Bexley.
• William Howard Taft (1857 - 1930) The 27^th President of the United States; born in Cincinnati.
• Wilbur Wright (1867 - 1912) & Orville Wright (1871-1948) Brothers who invented the first airplane; born in Indiana and Dayton respectively.

More Famous People of Ohio

• George Bellows painter, lithographer, Columbus
• Willard H. Bennett inventor, Findlay
• Ambrose Bierce journalist, Meigs County
• Albert J. Beveridge political leader, Highland
• Erma Bombeck columnist, humorist, Dayton
• Bill Boyd / Hopalong Cassidy actor, Cambridge
• William Jennings Bryan US presidential candidate, Salem
• William Meriam Burton inventor, Cleveland
• Milton Caniff cartoonist, Hillsboro
• Nancy Cartwright voice of Bart Simpson, Kettering
• John R. Commons economist, Hollansburg
• Hart Crane poet, Garrettsville
• George Armstrong Custer army officer, New Rumley
• Dorothy Dandridge actress, Cleveland
• Doris Day singer, actress, Cincinnati
• Clarence Seward Darrow lawyer, Kingsman
• Ruby Dee actress, Cleveland
• Hugh Downs TV broadcaster, Akron
• Thomas Alva Edison inventor, Milan
• John Evans physician, educator, Waynesville
• Clark Gable actor, Cadiz
• James Abram Garfield US president, Cuyahoga County
• Cass Gilbert architect, Zanesville
• Lillian Gish actress, Springfield
• Zane Grey author, Zanesville
• Warren Gamaliel Harding US president, Morrow County
• Charles Martin Hall inventor, Thompson
• Rutherford Hayes US president, Delaware
• Benjamin Harrison US president, North Bend
• Robert Henri painter, Cincinnati
• William Dean Howells author, critic, Martins Ferry
• Charles F. Kettering inventor, Loudonville
• Kenisaw Mountain Landis first baseball commissioner, Millville
• Maya Lin artist, sculptor, Athens
• Dean Martin singer, actor, Steubenville
• William McKinley US president, Niles
• Toni Morrison author, Lorain
• George W. Norris US Senator, Sandusky
• Paul Newman actor, Cleveland
• Jack Nicklaus golfer, Columbus
• Annie Oakley markswoman, Darke County
• Norman Vincent Peale clergyman, Bowersville
• Roy J. Plunkett chemist, New Carlisle
• Tyrone Power actor, Cincinnati
• Eddie Rickenbacker aviator, Columbus
• Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. historian, Columbus
• William Tecumseh Sherman army general, Lancaster
• Gloria Steinem feminist, Toledo
• Donalee L. Tabern inventor, Bowling Green
• Joyce Kimberly Tatro educator, Toledo
• Tecumseh Shawnee Indian chief, Oldtown
• Ted Turner broadcasting, Cincinnati
• Lowell Thomas commentator, author, Woodington
• James Thurber author, cartoonist, Columbus
• Ernest H. Volwiler inventor, Hamilton
• Raymond Elwin Weber webmaster, Toledo
• Cy Young baseball player, Gilmore