List of people from Adrian, Michigan

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Adrian, Michigan.

Academics and engineering

• William James Beal, botanist; cofounder of Collegeville (later known as East Lansing); born in Adrian^[1]
• Norman Bel Geddes, theatrical and industrial designer (1939 New York World's Fair pavilion "Futurama"); born in Adrian^[2]
• Garry Wills, prolific Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, journalist, and historian, grew up in Adrian^[3]

Business

• Orville D. Merillat, founder of Merillat Kitchens, later Merillat Industries; moved to Adrian as a young man

Media and music

• Byron Darnton, war correspondent for the New York Times during World War II; born in Adrian^[4]
• Phil Donahue, talk show host; program director WABJ in Adrian (1959)^[5]
• Allen Lee Haff, television personality (Auction Hunters); born in Adrian^[6]
• Tanner Mayes, adult film star; born in Adrian^[7]
• Matt Noveskey, bass player for Blue October; born in Adrian^[8]
• James Royce Shannon (1881-1946), composer and lyricist; born in Adrian^[9]

Politics and law

• Fernando C. Beaman, former US Congressman; lived in Adrian and was Mayor in 1856^[10]
• Jerome B. Chaffee, US Senator from Colorado; lived in Adrian where he was a teacher and local businessman^[11]
• Thomas M. Cooley, 25th Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court; lived in Adrian^[12]
• Charles Croswell, 17th Governor of the Michigan; lived in Adrian^[13]
• William L. Greenly, fifth Governor of the Michigan; lived in Adrian^[14]
• Chris Gregoire, 22nd Governor of Washington; born in Adrian^[15]
• Haviland H. Lund, inspector of home settlement projects for the United States Department of the Interior; born in Adrian^[16]
• Laura Smith Haviland, superintendent and stationmaster on the Underground Railroad; buried in Adrian^[17]

Crime

• Sile Doty, infamous criminal gang leader; lived in Adrian^[18]

Sports

Baseball

• Bud Fowler, African-American baseball player who co-founded the Page Fence Giants in Adrian^[19]
• Home Run Johnson, African-American baseball player who co-founded the Page Fence Giants in Adrian^[20]
• Rube Kisinger (1876-1941), pitcher for the Detroit Tigers; born in Adrian^[21]
• Mike Marshall, pitcher with 9 different Major League Baseball teams; 2× All-Star (1974, 1975); recipient of the Cy Young Award (1974); born in Adrian^[22]
• Frank Navin (1871–1935), principal owner of the Detroit Tigers (1909-1935); vice president and acting president of the American League; born in Adrian^[23]
• Honus Wagner, Hall of Fame shortstop, manager, and coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates; World Series Champion (1909); played 16 games for the Adrian Demons in 1895

Coaching

• William Reid, basketball player, led Adrian High School to 1912 state title, coach at Colgate University, NCAA administrator and member of Basketball Hall of Fame
• Dale R. Sprankle, championship coach at Adrian College^[24]

Football

• Marcus Benard, linebacker for Arizona Cardinals; born in Adrian^[25]
• Kellen Davis, tight end for New York Jets, formerly for Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns; born in Adrian^[26]
• Dorne Dibble, wide receiver for the Detroit Lions; 2x NFL Champion (1953, 1957); born in Adrian^[27]
• John Maulbetsch, All-American football halfback; played for Adrian College in 1911^[28]
• Bob Westfall (1919–1980), All-American football fullback; played for Michigan 1939-1941; played for Detroit Lions 1945 All-pro; inducted into to College Football Hall of Fame in 1987; lived in Adrian^[29]

References

1. Beal, William James Bea (1915). History of the Michigan Agricultural College: And Biographical Sketches of Trustees and Professors. Agricultural college. p. 414.
2. Magill, Frank N. Magill (2013). The 20th Century A-GI: Dictionary of World Biography, Volume 7. Routledge. p. 1319.
3. Garry Wills, Why I Am A Catholic (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002), 14-16.
4. UM Libraries (1942). https://books.google.com/books?id=u_rhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA139&dq=Byron+Darnton+adrian+mi&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EOQMU7yNGca2yAHlyYGACw&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Byron%20Darnton%20adrian%20mi&f=false. UM Libraries. p. 139. External link in |title= (help)
5. "PHIL DONAHUE". Archive of American Television. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
6. "Allen Lee Haff Biography". TV.com. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
7. Stephen, Kersey (Jan 18, 2014). "How Courtney Glover Has Turned Tanner Mayes Into a Star". Every Joe. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
8. "Blue October Matt Noveskey". Spirit of Metal Webzine. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
9. History of Ireland, p. PA21, at Google Books
10. "BEAMAN, Fernando Cortez, (1814 - 1882)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
11. "CHAFFEE, Jerome Bunty, (1825 - 1886)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
12. "Thomas M Cooley". The University of Michigan Law School. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
13. "Charles M. Croswell". Governors of Michigan. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
14. GENERAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. 1873. p. 703.
15. "Chris Gregoire (D)". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
16. "Man Governed World Criticized By Women". Reading Eagle. November 11, 1921. Retrieved 2011-11-29. ... at the sessions of the National Council of Women by Mrs. Haviland Haines Lund, inspector of home settlement projects in the Department of the Interior. ...
17. Lisa Tendrich Frank, Lisa Tendrich (2008). Women in the American Civil War, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 325.
18. "Silas Doty made early entry in state history". Ludington Daily News. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
19. Laing, Jeffrey Michael (2013). Bud Fowler: Baseball's First Black Professional. McFarland. p. 130.
20. "Page Fence Giants". Baseball History Daily. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
21. "Rube Kisinger". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
22. "Mike Marshall". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
23. "Frank Navin". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
24. "Football Game-by-Game Results". Adrian College Bulldogs. Retrieved February 32, 2014. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
25. "Marcus Benard #59 LB". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
26. "Kellen Davis #89 TE". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
27. "Dorne Dibble". NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
28. "Johnny Maulbetsch". National Football Foundation. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
29. "Bob Westfall". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 24, 2014.