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Famous people from your (small) hometown
#1
This is mostly for people from small towns.

I was raised in Franklin OH, but I have not lived there since 1981. The population was around 11,000 when I lived there. I just saw an episode of the ESPN show "Backstory" that dealt with Pete Rose. At one point they showed a list of all calls made from the Reds clubhouse (Marge Schott demanded a print out because she felt there were excessive calls). Several of the calls were to Franklin numbers. Pete's bookie, Ron Peters, ran a restaurant in Franklin called "Jonathans", and a girl I went to high school with actually dated Ron for a while.

So this got me looking to see what other "famous" people came from Franklin.

-Franklin's first mayor was Dr. Absalom Death who later became the director of a medical school in Cincinnati. He is not really famous, but how could I leave "Dr. Death" of this list.

-Professional Golfer Frank Lickliter won 2 PGA tour events and finished 4th in the 1998 PGA Championship.

-NBA player Luke Kennard was McDonalds All-American in high school, 2nd team All-American at Duke, this year he is the second leading scorer for the Detroit Pistons. I knew his dad Mark Kennard very well, we went to the same church and he was in my class in high school. he set all sorts of scoring records that Luke would break. Luke's mon, Suzi Hammock, was a year behind us. My freshman year in college I had moved to Tennessee, but I took road trip to watch Mark play for Georgetown (Kentucky, not D.C.), but after that I never kept in contact with him.

So no real famous people, but it is interesting to see how over many years even a small town will produce some people who have a national impact.
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#2
My hometown is Union City and is split by the Indiana/Ohio line. Once an important hub for the railroad and a robust economy with large factories like Sheller Globe (GM), Westinghouse, Union City Body Company (manufactured trucks for the USPS). It drew much attention with the likes of Al Capone and his crew and several others. We even had our own ***** house called the Branham Hotel (which ironically was turned into a "House of Flavor's" ice cream shop in the 70's). It's a small town with 2 stop lights. That's it! We had 6 bars and as many churches when I was growing up.

Union City, Indiana population in 2018 was 3,452. Union City, Ohio was 1,662 in 2011. Pretty small town even combined. Each side has their own school system (different states). In 1937, the population may have been slightly higher http://www.dcoweb.org/randolph/UCHistory.html but hasn't really changed much.

Notables from Union City, Indiana:



The McCoys were a rock group formed in Union City, Indiana, United States, in 1962.[1] They are best known for their 1965 hit single "Hang on Sloopy".[1] Their name was changed from Rick and the Raiders to The McCoys, taken from the B-side of The Ventures' hit record "Walk, Don't Run" titled "The McCoy".

Hugh Thompson Reid (1811–1874) was a lawyer, president of the Des Moines Valley Railroad and Union general during the American Civil War. Born in Union City, Indiana October 18th, 1811.


Donald Ray Atkinson (February 10, 1940, in Union City, Indiana–January 11, 2008, in Santa Barbara, CA) was an American counseling psychologist and professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He was known for his extensive work in multicultural counseling psychology. He was the director of training for UCSB's Counseling Psychology Program for ten years (1979-1989), and previously as Assistant Dean of the Department of Education there for four years (1975-1979).



Isaac Pusey Gray (October 18, 1828 – February 14, 1895) was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate. He became a Democrat following the corruption of the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant but was regularly stymied by his Democratic adversaries who constantly referred to his tactics while a Republican, earning him the nickname "Sisyphus of the Wabash." Not born in Union City, but moved here in 1855.



Christopher Allen Hawkey (born December 25, 1970) is a country music artist who was a member of the Minneapolis band Rocket Club and is the vocalist of the Chris Hawkey Band. He lives in the Twin Cities and also produces and co-hosts a sports radio morning show, Power Trip Morning Show. He also holds the Minnesota State record in bobbing apples out of the toilet with 27 apples per minute. Chris ( Dimebag) Hawkey was born a twin whose brother didn't survive their birth[1] and raised in Union City, Indiana, where he graduated from Mississinawa Valley High School. Starting in 1989 he attended a broadcasting school in Dayton, Ohio, pursuing careers in both radio and music.



Earle Raymond Hedrick (September 27, 1876 – February 3, 1943), was an American mathematician and a vice-president of the University of CaliforniaHedrick was born in Union CityIndiana. After undergraduate work at the University of Michigan, he obtained a Master of Arts from Harvard University.



Randy Jo Hobbs (March 22, 1948 – August 5, 1993) was an American musician born in [/url]Winchester, Indiana. Hobbs played bass for The McCoys during the 1965-1969 period and in the bands of the brothers Edgar Winter and [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Winter]Johnny Winter during 1970-1976.

He played bass with Jimi Hendrix on some 1968 live sessions which were later released unofficially as Woke Up This Morning and Found Myself Dead (1980) and New York Sessions (1998), and officially as Bleeding Heart (1994). He joined up with a later version of Montrose, appearing on the Jump on It album, released in 1976. That same year, he also played bass on Rick Derringer's album with Dick Glass, Glass Derringer.
Randy Jo Hobbs was found dead of heart failure, aged 45, in a hotel room in Dayton, Ohio, in 1993 and is buried in his hometown of Union City, Indiana.



Henry Everett Jackson was a Major League Baseball player. He played in 10 games for the 1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers of the National League. He was born in Union City, Indiana June 23, 1861.




*********** Now for Union City, OHIO**************

Curtis Thomas Enis (born June 15, 1976) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for Penn State University, and earned All-American honors. Enis was a first-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears and Cleveland BrownsEnis was born in Union City, Ohio. He attended Mississinawa Valley High School in Union City, where he was named a Parade magazine high school All-American, and voted Ohio's Mr. Football Award by the Associated Press. He was a three-time all-state selection at linebacker, and Most Valuable Player of the 1994 Big 33 Football Classic. He spent one year at The Kiski School in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania.


Harley Dog: Legend!  Cool


Some of these notables I knew of, some not. Mostly all information from Wikipedia. There are a few unlisted, but I can't remember enough information about them to post anyway.



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#3
I grew up in Xenia, Ohio. Trent Cole from the Philadelphia Eagles, and country musician Earl Thomas Conley also grew up there. The Shawnee chief Tecumseh was also born there. I currently live 20 minutes away from Dave Chappelle's farm.

My buddy's wife grew up with John Legend in Springfield.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
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#4
(07-10-2020, 08:12 PM)jason Wrote: I grew up in Xenia, Ohio. Trent Cole from the Philadelphia Eagles, and country musician Earl Thomas Conley also grew up there. The Shawnee chief Tecumseh was also born there. I currently live 20 minutes away from Dave Chappelle's farm.

My buddy's wife grew up with John Legend in Springfield.

When I think of Xenia, all I can think of is, "The Tornado!" I was only 7 when this happened, but I still remember it all over the news and fearing that it could happen here. Of course, I've seen some episodes on TV from people explaining how it was so calm before the tornado hit. Ironically, everytime it stormed, then the sun came out and it was dead calm, people feared for the worse. The calm before the storm.






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#5
(07-10-2020, 08:36 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: When I think of Xenia, all I can think of is, "The Tornado!" I was only 7 when this happened, but I still remember it all over the news and fearing that it could happen here. Of course, I've seen some episodes on TV from people explaining how it was so calm before the tornado hit. Ironically, everytime it stormed, then the sun came out and it was dead calm, people feared for the worse. The calm before the storm.




That was 6 months before I was born. It wiped out half the neighborhood I grew up in, and my earliest memories are of construction sites. So of course we heard about it all the time. So I grew up afraid of them. Fast forward to memorial day 2019, and I finally had the pleasure of having a big one rip right past my house... I always knew one would come for me eventually. A month or so ago I was also caught on 71 south of Columbus with a small one somewhere near me.

But yes... They're amazingly calm right after them too. Last year I could "All clear" over and over again from WPAFB. A few minutes before all you heard was the sound of a freight train, and power lines exploding.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
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#6
(07-10-2020, 01:34 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This is mostly for people from small towns.

I was raised in Franklin OH, but I have not lived there since 1981.  The population was around 11,000 when I lived there.  I just saw an episode of the ESPN show "Backstory" that dealt with Pete Rose.  At one point they showed a list of all calls made from the Reds clubhouse (Marge Schott demanded a print out because she felt there were excessive calls).  Several of the calls were to Franklin numbers.  Pete's bookie, Ron Peters, ran a restaurant in Franklin called "Jonathans", and a girl I went to high school with actually dated Ron for a while.

So this got me looking to see what other "famous" people came from Franklin.

-Franklin's first mayor was Dr. Absalom Death who later became the director of a medical school in Cincinnati.  He is not really famous, but how could I leave "Dr. Death" of this list.

-Professional Golfer Frank Lickliter won 2 PGA tour events and finished 4th in the 1998 PGA Championship.

-NBA player Luke Kennard was McDonalds All-American in high school, 2nd team All-American at Duke, this year he is the second leading scorer for the Detroit Pistons.  I knew his dad Mark Kennard very well, we went to the same church and he was in my class in high school.  he set all sorts of scoring records that Luke would break.  Luke's mon, Suzi Hammock, was a year behind us.  My freshman year in college I had moved to Tennessee, but I took road trip to watch Mark play for Georgetown (Kentucky, not D.C.), but after that I never kept in contact with him.

So no real famous people, but it is interesting to see how over many years even a small town will produce some people who have a national impact.
Your boy bfine worked with the Middletown Journal in the early 90s and I remember the buzz around Johnathans. At least you didn't live in Carlisle, those folks were crazy.

As to fame: you can add Franklin is the place wher bfine married MS bfine (courthouse).

As to me: My family is from Central KY (Washington, Marion Country). We have the respectable folks such as Phil Sims from Washington County and we have folks such as Turtle Man and Cornbread Mafia on the other side.  
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#7
(07-10-2020, 11:08 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Your boy bfine worked with the Middletown Journal in the early 90s and I remember the buzz around Johnathans. At least you didn't live in Carlisle, those folks were crazy.

As to fame: you can add Franklin is the place wher bfine married MS bfine (courthouse).

As to me: My family is from Central KY (Washington, Marion Country). We have the respectable folks such as Phil Sims from Washington County and we have folks such as Turtle Man and Cornbread Mafia on the other side.  

Nice










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#8
Wait . . .

Isaac Pusey Gray?

Who names their kid “Isaac”?

Pusey Gray, I get. But, Isaac? C’mon.
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#9
(07-11-2020, 12:56 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Wait . . .

Isaac Pusey Gray?

Who names their kid “Isaac”?

Pusey Gray, I get. But, Isaac? C’mon.



"I. P. Gray."

"You should see a doctor about that."
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#10
I grew up in Greenhills Ohio, which is a small community just North of Cincinnati.. The most famous person associated is the person of which the origin was created, that being FDR. Greenhills is one of three communities in the country established as a green belt. It is the result of a work program in the 30's where farm land was used to create a community. All four sides are surrounded by Winton Woods, which also has a lake.
The most famous person is probably Joe Frederick who played guard for Notre Dame and might be their best 3 point shooter ever. I knew his older brother, and was actually a camp counselor one year when Joe was very young..i'd say elementary. Pretty sure Joe works now at WLW in a GM capacity.
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#11
It's not my hometown (that's Cincinnati as far as I'm concerned) but I live in Smithfield NC. Ava Gardner is probably the most famous person from here.
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#12
I'm probably the most famous person from my town, but the town adjacent is home to Alben Barkley, who the term "Veep" was coined for. He also ended things pretty amazingly.
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#13
(07-12-2020, 06:21 AM)Benton Wrote: I'm probably the most famous person from my town, but the town adjacent is home to Alben Barkley, who the term "Veep" was coined for. He also ended things pretty amazingly.

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#14
(07-10-2020, 08:36 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: When I think of Xenia, all I can think of is, "The Tornado!" I was only 7 when this happened, but I still remember it all over the news and fearing that it could happen here. Of course, I've seen some episodes on TV from people explaining how it was so calm before the tornado hit. Ironically, everytime it stormed, then the sun came out and it was dead calm, people feared for the worse. The calm before the storm.




A great aunt of mine died in that tornado. I was at her house like a couple weeks before it happened. Every time I see or hear anything about Xenia I think about it. 

Anyways, Roy Rogers spent a large part of his early years growing up not to far from my home town. Gene Tenace again grew up very near me, his dad worked with my dad for a time. I've still got a baseball he got signed for me by most of the 1972 A's.

Don Gullet grew up right across the Ohio river from me. Larry Hisle and All Oliver are from Portsmouth. As is Kathleen Battle. Earl Thomas Conley is from West Portsmouth.

Going back to baseball Branch Rickey is from Portsmouth as well.  Reds fans will recognize Gene Bennett longtime Reds scout. 
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#15
(07-12-2020, 08:10 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: A great aunt of mine died in that tornado. I was at her house like a couple weeks before it happened. Every time I see or hear anything about Xenia I think about it. 

Anyways, Roy Rogers spent a large part of his early years growing up not to far from my home town. Gene Tenace again grew up very near me, his dad worked with my dad for a time. I've still got a baseball he got signed for me by most of the 1972 A's.

Don Gullet grew up right across the Ohio river from me. Larry Hisle and All Oliver are from Portsmouth. As is Kathleen Battle. Earl Thomas Conley is from West Portsmouth.

Going back to baseball Branch Rickey is from Portsmouth as well.  Reds fans will recognize Gene Bennett longtime Reds scout. 

Oh we've got a dispute here... My dad was friends with Earl Thomas Conley in highschool. He went by Tommy Conley back then. Actually it's probably not a dispute as he probably was born there, but spent his formative years in and around Xenia and Jamestown.

Isn't Keith Whitley from right across the river from Portsmouth too?
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
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#16
(07-13-2020, 12:46 AM)jason Wrote: Oh we've got a dispute here... My dad was friends with Earl Thomas Conley in highschool. He went by Tommy Conley back then. Actually it's probably not a dispute as he probably was born there, but spent his formative years in and around Xenia and Jamestown.

Isn't Keith Whitley from right across the river from Portsmouth too?

Conley spent some time in West Portsmouth, I'm not sure when ? They've got a park named after him. And yes I think Whitley was from N. Kentucky somewhere ? Billy Ray Cyrus grew up in Flatwoods Kentucky fairly close. He hang out in his early days around Ironton Ohio and Huntington W.V. A buddy of mine, Ohio St. Trooper, arrested him for DUI one night coming out of some honky tonk.

The Judds I believe grew up in N. Kentucky.
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#17
(07-13-2020, 02:38 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Conley spent some time in West Portsmouth, I'm not sure when ? They've got a park named after him. And yes I think Whitley was from N. Kentucky somewhere ? Billy Ray Cyrus grew up in Flatwoods Kentucky fairly close. He hang out in his early days around Ironton Ohio and Huntington W.V. A buddy of mine, Ohio St. Trooper, arrested him for DUI one night coming out of some honky tonk.

The Judds I believe grew up in N. Kentucky.

John Michael Montgomery owned a farm adjacent to my Grandmother's (Washington County). He only used it to hunt deer and if my uncle's front door was open he'd stop in for Breakfast after he was done. My uncle said he drove a beat up Chevy pickup and was very "down home". I never got the chance to meet him. 
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#18
(07-13-2020, 02:38 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Conley spent some time in West Portsmouth, I'm not sure when ? They've got a park named after him. And yes I think Whitley was from N. Kentucky somewhere ? Billy Ray Cyrus grew up in Flatwoods Kentucky fairly close. He hang out in his early days around Ironton Ohio and Huntington W.V. A buddy of mine, Ohio St. Trooper, arrested him for DUI one night coming out of some honky tonk.

The Judds I believe grew up in N. Kentucky.

Yeah... The Judds are from the same town as Keith Whitley (Ashland... Further away from Portsmouth than I thought) I do believe. I just passed through it last year... It's not too far from Huntington, WVA. But yeah; I looked it up... Conley was born in Portsmouth then moved to the Xenia/Jamestown area when his dad was outta work.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
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#19
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Radio, not Cuba Gooding Jr.
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#20
My parents moved around when I was a child. I actually spent a chunk of my childhood in Alliance, OH just northeast of Canton which was my first taste of football...But I was born and raised close to Moundsville, WV.

Famously CMT performer of the year Brad Paisley is from Glen Dale, WV. Moundsville and Glen Dale are not sperate towns even locals barely know where one begins and the other ends.

Infamously even though he was born in Cincinnati Charles Manson spent most of his childhood in McMechen, WV which is the same area. I even went to the same elementary school though a few decades apart from him. When he was arrested in California he wanted to be transferred back to the old Moundsville, WV Prison Manson said it was because it was home but I'm guessing it was because how absurdly easy it was to escape lol.

Edit: This isn't the same area but I had the chance to guard Lebron James in high school.
I have the Heart of a Lion! I also have a massive fine and a lifetime ban from the Pittsburgh Zoo...

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