43 Notable Natives of the Macomb, Illinois Area

An amazing total of 43 Notable Natives are from the Macomb area! These famous folks, covering a long history, have been identified and featured by the Visit Forgottonia/Macomb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for your convenience in learning more about all 43.

What is “Forgottonia”?

The lore of “Forgottonia” was created in what is the very heart of the republic – Macomb, IL. “Forgottonia” is the name given to a fourteen-county region in West Central Illinois in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Learn more!

What Livelihoods/Careers are included in the 43 Notable Natives?

These 43 famous folks made their livelihoods in a wide variety of ways…

Musicians, sports figures and coaches (including Super Bowl and Olympic medal winners), civil rights pioneers, war veterans, military leaders, business experts and hoteliers, philanthropists, politicians and government leaders, cartoonists and illustrators, artists and sculptors, scientists and inventors, preachers and orators, journalists, entertainment managers, actors, authors and screen writers.

  1. “BIG” AL SEARS – ROCK & ROLL PROGENITOR
  2. “KELLY” WAGLE – THE BOOTLEGGER
  3. “RED” MILLER – NFL CHAMPION COACH
  4. BENNY KIM – ACCLAIMED VIOLINIST
  5. BURL IVES – SINGER/ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTOR
  6. C.T. VIVIAN – CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER
  7. C.V. CHANDLER – BUSINESSMAN / WAR VETERAN / PHILANTHROPIST
  8. CHARLES C. CHAPMAN – FIRST MAYOR OF FULLERTON, CA
  9. CHARLES KUHN – CARTOONIST
  10. CYRUS WALKER – PIONEER LAWYER & JUDGE
  11. DR. RUTH TUNNICLIFF – BACTERIOLOGIST/DEVELOPED THE FIRST INOCULATION FOR MEASLES
  12. EARL HOMER SHEELY – MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER / MANAGER
  13. ELIZABETH “LIZZIE” MAGIE – INVENTOR OF THE GAME “MONOPOLY”
  14. ELIZABETH TUMULTY – CBS TELEVISION NETWORK PRESIDENT
  15. ERNEST J. STEVENS – MILLIONAIRE HOTELIER AND BUSINESSMAN
  16. GEORGE FRANCIS CHASE – BRIGADIER GENERAL U.S. ARMY
  17. GEORGE W. SWINK – BUSINESSMAN & POLITICIAN
  18. JAMES B. FIELDS- PREACHER / ORATOR / BUSINESSMAN
  19. JAMES K. MAGIE – JOURNALIST
  20. JOE GARNER – BEST SELLING AUTHOR
  21. JOHN MAHONEY – TONY AWARD WINNING ACTOR
  22. LAWRENCE YATES SHERMAN – U.S. SENATOR
  23. LEE CALHOUN – TWO-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNER
  24. LOU SABIN – NFL/AFL CHAMPION PLAYER/COACH
  25. MARCUS DUNSTAN – SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR
  26. MARY MATALIN – POLITICAL CONSULTANT
  27. MICHAEL BOATMAN – ACTOR/WRITER
  28. MIKE WAGNER – NFL SUPER BOWL CHAMPION
  29. NAGEL BROTHERS – INVENTORS OF ROLLED OATS
  30. OLAN SOULÉ- ACTOR
  31. PETER NEWELL – ILLUSTRATOR
  32. PHIL BRADLEY – MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER
  33. PRESTON JACKSON – ARTIST / SCULPTOR
  34. RAY “ROCK” HANSON – WAR HERO / ATHLETIC COACH
  35. REP. NORINE HAMMOND – 93RD DISTRICT
  36. RICK & PAUL REUSCHEL – MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS
  37. RICK JOHNSON – JOURNALIST
  38. RODNEY HARRISON – NFL SUPER BOWL CHAMPION / SPORTS BROADCASTER
  39. SEN. KIMBERLY LIGHTFORD – POLITICIAN
  40. SEN. KIRK DILLARD – POLITICIAN
  41. STABBING WESTWARD – CHRISTOPHER HALL & WALTER FLAKUS
  42. TODD S. PURDUM – JOURNALIST/AUTHOR
  43. WILLIAM H. RANDOLPH – POLITICIAN / HOTELIER

Learn More About Our Notable Natives

Check out the headshots of all 43 notable natives and read their stories. You will learn what town they are from in the greater Macomb, IL area and read about their livelihoods/careers. If visiting Macomb, IL you can personally stop by the Unforgettable Forgottonia / MACVB offices at the Train Depot, 120 E. Calhoun St., Macomb, IL 61455 for additional information. Or call (309) 833-1315 or email [email protected].