List of people from Lowell, Massachusetts

As one of the largest and oldest cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Lowell has produced many notable people in various fields:

Politicians

• Charles Herbert Allen, Representative to U.S. Congress, 4 March 1885 – 3 March 1889, Secretary of the Navy 1898–1900, Governor of Puerto Rico 1900–1902^[1]
• Adelbert Ames, Governor 1868–1870,1874–1876 and Senator from Mississippi 1870–1874, Union general in the Civil War and the Spanish–American War, son-in-law of Benjamin Franklin Butler^[2]
• Benjamin Franklin Butler, Congressman 1867–1879, Union general in the Civil War, Governor of Massachusetts 1883–1884, and Greenback Party presidential candidate 1884, for whom the Butler School is named^[3]
• Loren W. Collins, Minnesota jurist and legislator^[4]
• Benjamin Dean, Congressman 1878–1879^[5]
• Frederic Thomas Greenhalge, Congressman 1889–1891, for whom the Greenhalge Elementary School is named.^[6]
• Allen Hobbs, Charles H. Allen's grandson, 32nd Governor of American Samoa 1944–1945, 35th Hydrographer of the United States Navy 1948–1950s
• Marty Meehan, Congressman 1993–2007, current Chancellor of UMass/Lowell^[7]
• Rady Mom, Massachusetts House of Representatives
• Frank B. Morse, Republican; Congressman 1961–1972, for whom the Morse Elementary School is named^[8]
• Patrick O. Murphy, the youngest Mayor in the city's history, elected at age 29 in January 2012.^[9]
• John Jacob Rogers, Republican; Congressman 1913–1925^[10]
• Parlan Semple, Wisconsin State Assemblyman 1869–1871
• Ezekiel A. Straw, Governor of New Hampshire 1872–1874
• Paul Tsongas, Congressman 1975–1979, United States Senator 1979–1985, and Democratic presidential candidate 1992, for whom the Tsongas Arena is named^[11]

Inventors and business founders

• James Taylor Ames, born in Lowell, noted manufacturer^[12]
• Frederick Ayer (1822), industrialist, investor, first president of the American Woolen Company
• Dr. James Cook Ayer (1818), industrialist, patent medicine tycoon
• Kirk Boott (1790–1837), industrialist, for whom the Boott Mills and Kirk Street are named
• Milton Bradley, founded the Milton Bradley Company, developed board games
• Fred C. Church, founder of Fred C. Church Insurance
• Telemachus & George Demoulas, grocery store tycoons
• James B. Francis, pioneer of American civil engineering for whom the Francis Locks are named
• Daniel Gage, Gage Ice Company, for whom Gage Park and Gage Street are named
• Ted Leonsis, billionaire who worked at Wang labs
• Augustin Thompson, a physician, businessman and philanthropist who created the Moxie soft drink
• An Wang, inventor and businessman, for whom the Wang Middle School is named

Astronauts and astronomers

• George Bassett Clark, astronomer (reflective telescope)
• Helen Sawyer Hogg, astronomer
• Richard M. Linnehan,^[13] NASA astronaut 1992–present; five space missions to date, including Hubble Space Telescope upgrades and repairs

Authors and entertainers

• Michael Ansara, actor
• Nicholas A. Basbanes, author and cultural historian (A Gentle Madness, On Paper)
• Michael Casey, poet
• Michael Chiklis, Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor
• Bette Davis, Academy Award-winning actress
• George Washington Dixon, entertainer and newspaper editor
• Olympia Dukakis, Academy Award-winning actress (Moonstruck)
• Mark Goddard, actor (Lost in Space)
• Ray Goulding, radio comedian (of Bob & Ray)
• Deborah Hopkinson, children's author
• Nancy Kelly, Tony Award-winning actress, nominated for Academy Award and Emmy Awards (36 movies)
• Jack Kerouac, writer (On the Road), for whom the downtown park is named
• Elinor Lipman, writer, columnist The Boston Globe
• Ed McMahon, entertainer
• Matt Mira, comedian, The Nerdist Podcast
• Louis Phillips, author, poet, and dramatist^[14]
• Tom Sexton, writer
• Paul Sullivan, sports radio personality WBZ and columnist for Lowell Sun
• Robert Tessier, actor and stuntman
• Vince Vouyer, porn star

Musicians

• George Whitefield Chadwick, composer
• Rosalind Elias, opera singer
• Hell Within, hardcore/metal band from Lowell
• Boney James, jazz saxophonist
• Edward "Ned" Kendall, bandleader and musician (keyed bugle)
• PVRIS, alternative rock band

Designers and artists

• Charles H. Allen, painter
• Margaret Foley (1820–1877), sculptor
• Adelia Sarah Gates (c. 1823–1912), botanical illustrator and watercolorist
• Thomas B. Lawson (1807–1888), landscape painter
• Christopher Makos (1948- ), photographer, artist
• Willard Leroy Metcalf (1858–1925), Impressionist painter
• David Dalhoff Neal (1838–1915), portrait painter
• Alfred Ordway (1821–1897), landscape painter
• William Preston Phelps (1848–1917), landscape painter
• Frederick W. Stickney (1854–1918), architect^[15] master of stone architecture
• James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), painter and etcher
• Sarah W. Whitman (1842–1904), artist, illustrator, stained glass designer, and author

Sports

Gridiron football

• Steve Alexakos,^[16] lineman for Denver Broncos 1970, New York Giants 1971
• Bill Cooke,^[16] defensive line for Green Bay Packers 1975, San Francisco 49ers 1976–77, Detroit Lions 1978, and Seattle Seahawks 1978–1980
• John Blake Galvin, Jr.,^[16] linebacker for New York Jets 1988–1991
• Bruce Laird,^[16] Pro Bowl cornerback for Baltimore Colts 1972–1983
• Menil Mavraides,^[16] offensive lineman for Philadelphia Eagles 1954, 1957
• Ray McLean,^[16] halfback for Chicago Bears 1940–1948, Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers 1953,1958
• John Miller,^[16] lineman for Washington Redskins 1956–1960
• Anthony Prior, gridiron football player^[17]
• Ray Riddick,^[16] end for the Green Bay Packers from 1940–1946, for whom the High School Gymnasium is named
• Billy Sullivan, owner of New England Patriots from 1960–1988^[18]
• Robert Joseph Sullivan,^[16] running back for San Francisco 49ers 1948

Baseball

Many professional baseball players came out of Lowell in the late 1800s, including

• Charlie Snow (1874)^[19]
• Denny Driscoll (1880–1884)^[19]
• Frank McLaughlin (1882–1884)^[19]
• John Grady (1884)^[19]
• Jack Corcoran (1884)^[19]
• John Firth (1884)^[19]
• Art Sladen (1884)^[19]
• Bill Conway (1884–1886)^[19]
• Dick Conway (1886–1888)^[19]
• Marty Sullivan (1887–1891)^[19]
• Ed "Sleepy" Flanagan (1887–1889)^[19]
• Frank Bonner (1894–1903)^[19]
• Bill Merritt (1891–1899)^[19]
• Bob Ganley (1905–1909)^[19]

Modern Era:

• Mike Balas, pitched one game for the Boston Bees in 1938^[20]
• Johnny Barrett, outfielder for the Pittsburg Pirates, 1942–1946^[21]
• Skippy Roberge, infielder for the Boston Braves, 1941–1942, 1946^[22]

Hockey

• Jon Morris, center for New Jersey Devils 1984–1992, Boston Bruins 1993^[23]

Boxing

• Dicky Eklund, pro boxer 1975–1985, welterweight^[24]
• Tommy Ellis, boxer, 1952–1962, known for a long series of epic showdowns on Dumont Network Thursday Night Fights in Lowell against Tony "The Bus" Gilbrecki ^[25]
• Ralph Lally, New England Golden Gloves Champion, Light Heavyweight-175lbs., 1970^[26]
• Micky Ward, pro boxer 1985–2003, junior welterweight^[27]

Olympic athletes

• Ethan Thomas Brown, 2007 and 2008 U23 Triathlon National Champion^[28] 2012 USA Olympic development team roster^[29]
• Shelagh Donohoe, 1992 Barcelona, took silver medal in rowing (Women's Coxless Fours),^[30] current URI head coach
• Ernest N. Harmon, 1924 Paris, finished 31st in Modern Pentathlon (5th in shooting); U.S. Army Major General in World War II; President of Norwich University 1950–1956
• Nathaniel Jenkins, 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics Berlin 2009; 7th in 2008 USA Olympic Team trials^[31]
• Alfons Mello Travers, 1924 Paris, finished 5th in Men's Welterweight Boxing, turned pro and finished 37/10 with 18 KOs; retired as a restaurant owner in Lowell^[32]

Other sports

• Louis Cyr, French-Canadian strongman, lived in Lowell from 1878 to 1883
• Billy Pappas, professional foosball player
• Manny Santiago, professional skateboarder

Others

• Frederick Aiken, lawyer and Civil War veteran, defense attorney for Mary Surratt
• Reverend Frederick Foley,^[33] President of Providence College 1945–1947
• Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler, cartographer^[34]
• Gustavus Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War
• Maurice K. Goddard, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, a driving force in creating 45 Pennsylvania state parks in his 24 years in office
• Mary Hallaren, Director of Women's Army Corps
• Walker Lewis, African-American abolitionist and early Mormon Elder
• John McFarland, Medal of Honor recipient, Civil War, for whom the USS McFarland is named
• David H. McNerney, Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam
• William Henry O'Connell, Cardinal, Archdiocese of Boston
• Alice Parker Lesser, 1880s-1900 lawyer who published many articles, and procured legislation for the property-owning rights of women^[35]
• Ryan M. Pitts, Medal of Honor recipient, Afghanistan ^[36]
• Charles Sweeney, USAF Major who piloted the B-29 Bockscar on its mission to drop the Fat Man nuclear weapon on Nagasaki
• Patrick Scannell, Prominent Union Representative who had a strong influence in collective bargaining laws

References

1. "Charles Herbert Allen". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
2. "Adelbert Ames". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
3. "BUTLER, Benjamin Franklin, (1818 - 1893)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
4. Minnesota State Law Library-Loren W, Collins
5. "Benjamin Dean". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
6. "Frederic Thomas Greenhalge". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
7. "Marty Meehan". Office of the Chancellor. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
8. "Frank B. Morse". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
9. http://www.howlmag.com/index.php/arts/309-love-lowell
10. "John Jacob Rogers". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
11. "Paul Tsongas". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
12. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
13. JSC.NASA.gov
14. Sleeman, Elizabeth, ed. (2003). "Phillips, Louis". International Who's Who in Poetry 2004. London: Europa Publications. p. 260. ISBN 1-85743-1782.
15. Archinform.net
16. Databasfootball.com
17. "ANTHONY PRIOR". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
18. "Billy Sullivan". Lowell Sun. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
19. "Players by birthplace : Massachusetts Baseball Stats and Info | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
20. Baseball-reference.com
21. "Johnny Barrett". Pro-Baseball Reference.com. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
22. "Skippy Roberge". Pro-Baseball Reference.com. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
23. "Jon Morris". Hockey Reference.com. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
24. "Dicky Eklund". http://boxrec.com/. Retrieved 4 January 2014. External link in |publisher= (help)
25. Lowell Sun, May 23, 2-13, 2002, Page 1C
26. Lowell Sun, Dec 15, 1971, Page 52
27. "Micky Ward". http://boxrec.com/. Retrieved 4 January 2014. External link in |publisher= (help)
28. USAtriathlon.org
29. USAtriathlon.org
30. Databaseolympics.com
31. IAAF.org
32. Sports-reference.com
33. Providence.edu
34. "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1902". World Digital Library. 1902. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
35. A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-Seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in all Walks of Life. Edited by Frances E. Willard and Mary A. Livermore, assisted by a corps of able contributors: Buffalo, C. W. Moulton, 1893. p. 557.
36. http://www.cmohs.org/featured-recipients.php

• "Howl Magazine - Music, Art, Life "Come Out and Play". Hhowlmag.com.