42.3449° N, 71.0753° W

BOSTON

Most Famous People Born in Boston, United States

Notable people
3,663
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1926
Most distinctive
Novelist 3.5×

America's oldest civic intelligentsia. Boston's notables are unusually concentrated in the 1700s and 1800s by American standards, and the distinctive shelves still read like a Yankee almanac — novelists, lawyers, military officers, mathematicians, and diplomats, the trades of a city where Harvard, the State House, and the Old North Church share a few square miles. The modern half tilts more conventionally toward Red Sox baseball, actors, and a deep college-bred music scene.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Boston during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 348 notable births.

What Boston Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Boston's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (314).

Boston over-indexes on novelist3.5× the global rate.

Boston under-produces football — only 0.2× the global rate.

  1. Actor314
  2. Politician312
  3. Writer149
  4. Lawyer135
  5. Baseball110
  6. Painter106
  7. Music102
  8. Football87
  1. Novelist503.5×
  2. Baseball1102.6×
  3. Officer632.6×
  4. Mathematician452.5×
  5. Lawyer1352.1×
  6. Music1021.9×
  7. Diplomat371.7×
  8. Actor3141.6×
  1. Football870.2×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Boston's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All3,663
Sort By

3,663 notable people

1201 POLITICIAN

Leonard Jarvis

1781 - 1854

Preview
1202 PHYSICIST

Nicholas Christofilos

1916 - 1972

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1203 LAWYER

James G. Maguire

1853 - 1920

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1204 BANK

T. Jefferson Coolidge

1831 - 1920

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1205 EXPLORER

Caspar Whitney

1864 - 1929

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1206 MOUNTAINEER

Barbara Washburn

1914 - 2014

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1207 CRITIC

Kerin O'Keefe

-

Preview
1208 MUSIC

Joshua Abrams (musician)

-

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1209 BOTANIST

Henry Winthrop Sargent

1810 - 1882

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1210 ORGANIST

Leonardo Ciampa

Born 1971

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1211 PHYSICIAN

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff

1810 - 1874

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1212 BOXER

Paddy Duffy

1864 - 1890

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1213 PHYSICIAN

Harriot Kezia Hunt

1805 - 1875

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1214 ENTREPRENEUR

Doug Carlston

Born 1947

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1215 BANK

Richard Whitney (financier)

1888 - 1974

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1216 ACTOR

Susan Webb Cushman

1822 - 1859

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1217 MUSIC

Ray Santisi

1933 - 2014

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1218 CULTURE-CORE

William Starling Burgess

1878 - 1947

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1219 JUDGE

James Monk

1745 - 1826

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1220 METALLURGIST

Henry Marion Howe

1848 - 1922

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1221 PIANIST

Yara Bernette

1920 - 2002

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1222 ENTREPRENEUR

Nova Spivack

Born 1969

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1223 MATHEMATICIAN

Sumner Byron Myers

1910 - 1955

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1224 SCULPTOR

Karl Gerhardt

1853 - 1940

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1225 ROWER

Anne Marden

Born 1958

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1226 PAINTER

Charles Codman

1800 - 1842

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1227 PHYSICIAN

Amos Binney

1803 - 1847

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1228 COMPOSER

Anne Caldwell

1867 - 1936

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1229 POLITICIAN

James Parker (Massachusetts)

1768 - 1837

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1230 BOTANIST

William Dandridge Peck

1763 - 1822

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1231 ACTOR

Estelle Hemsley

1887 - 1968

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1232 POLITICIAN

George H. Tinkham

1870 - 1956

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1233 JOURNALIST

William Coleman (editor)

1766 - 1829

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1234 HOCKEY

Kevin Regan

Born 1984

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1235 POET

Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton

1759 - 1846

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1236 DIPLOMAT

Maxwell M. Rabb

1910 - 2002

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1237 NOVELIST

Matthew F. Jones

Born 1967

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1238 ACADEMIC

Barrett Wendell

1855 - 1921

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1239 POLITICIAN

John W. Candler

1828 - 1903

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1240 LINGUIST

Alexander Haggerty Krappe

1894 - 1947

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1241 WIFE OF

Louise Taft

1827 - 1907

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1242 PRODUCER

Emily Andras

-

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1243 FENCER

Joseph Levis

1905 - 2005

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1244 MERCHANT

Samuel Waldo

1696 - 1759

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1245 PHYSICIAN

Priscilla White (physician)

1900 - 1989

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1246 HISTORIAN

Frances D. Fergusson

Born 1944

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1247 ARTIST

Jonas Wood

Born 1977

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1248 FILM

Matthew Greenfield

Born 1968

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1249 PAINTER

Katharine Lane Weems

1899 - 1989

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1250 ACTOR

Marie Jansen

1857 - 1914

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1251 SINGER

Marcia Hines

Born 1953

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1252 ACTOR

Anthony Carrigan (actor)

Born 1983

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1253 MATHEMATICIAN

Isaac Greenwood

1702 - 1745

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1254 ACTOR

Bernard Kates

1922 - 2010

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1255 WRITER

Edmund Quincy (1808–1877)

1808 - 1877

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1256 WRITER

Jacob Slichter

Born 1961

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1257 ENGINEER

Charles Gordon Curtis

1860 - 1953

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1258 LAWYER

Henry Sherman Boutell

1856 - 1926

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1259 SINGER

Ada Adini

1855 - 1924

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1260 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Catherine McArdle Kelleher

Born 1939

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1261 BOXER

Sal Bartolo

1917 - 2002

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1262 WRITER

Joani Blank

1937 - 2016

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1263 DIPLOMAT

Ken Hackett

Born 1947

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1264 PHYSICIAN

Horatio Storer

1830 - 1922

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1265 ARCHITECT

Jane Holtz Kay

1938 - 2012

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1266 POET

Ellen Sturgis Hooper

1812 - 1848

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1267 FILM

Peter Del Vecho

Born 1966

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1268 HISTORIAN

Robert Vincent Daniels

1926 - 2010

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1269 SKATER

Gretchen Merrill

1925 - 1965

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1270 BASKET

Dan Mavraides

Born 1988

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1271 HISTORIAN

Benjamin Arthur Quarles

1904 - 1996

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1272 PHILOLOGIST

Charles Segal

1936 - 2002

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1273 FOOTBALL

Charles Brickley

1891 - 1949

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1274 LAWYER

Boyce F. Martin Jr.

1935 - 2016

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1275 BISHOP

Robert P. Reed

Born 1959

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1276 POLITICIAN

Fred Richmond

1923 - 2019

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1277 HISTORIAN

Mason Hammond

1903 - 2002

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1278 ILLUSTRATOR

Thomas Canty

Born 1952

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1279 ACTIVIST

Reina Gossett

Born 1983

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1280 PAINTER

Fannie Hillsmith

1911 - 2007

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1281 PRIEST

John Geoghan

1935 - 2003

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1282 FILM

David Ian Salter

Born 1966

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1283 HOCKEY

Jim Vesey

Born 1965

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1284 BOTANIST

George Richardson Proctor

1920 - 2015

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1285 PHYSICIAN

Joseph F. Fraumeni Jr.

Born 1933

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1286 MATHEMATICIAN

Rudolf Ernest Langer

1894 - 1968

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1287 ARTIST

Robert Berks

1922 - 2011

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1288 ACTOR

Henry E. Dixey

1859 - 1943

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1289 COSTUME DESIGNER

Rita Ryack

-

Preview
1290 POLITICIAN

Baruch Marzel

Born 1959

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1291 AUTHOR

Joseph Nassise

Born 1968

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1292 HOCKEY

Patrick Mullen (ice hockey)

Born 1986

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1293 MUSIC

Lloyd Trotman

1923 - 2007

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1294 WRITER

Wallace Tripp

1940 - 2018

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1295 PAINTER

George Albert Frost

1843 - 1907

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1296 SCREENWRITER

Maurice Hurley

1939 - 2015

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1297 PIANIST

Milt Raskin

1916 - 1977

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1298 HOCKEY

Fred Ahern

Born 1952

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1299 PAINTER

Ben Aronson

Born 1958

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1300 MUSIC

Bobby Donaldson

1922 - 1971

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1301 SKIER

Kenza Tazi

Born 1996

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1302 SONGWRITER

Harvey Mason Jr.

Born 1968

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1303 PENCILLER

Bob Wood (comics)

1918 - 1962

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1304 PRIEST

John Joseph Williams

1822 - 1907

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1305 LAWYER

William Dummer Powell

1755 - 1834

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1306 BUSINESS

Gardiner Greene

1753 - 1832

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1307 HOCKEY

Sean Sullivan (ice hockey)

Born 1984

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1308 RABBI

Levi Yitzchak Horowitz

1921 - 2009

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1309 AUTHOR

Daniel Pierce Thompson

1795 - 1868

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1310 POLITICIAN

Samuel Miller Quincy

1832 - 1887

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1311 ACADEMIC

James Barr Ames

1846 - 1910

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1312 POET

Ellen Hinsey

Born 1960

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1313 GYNECOLOGIST

James Read Chadwick

1844 - 1905

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1314 COMPOSER

Michael Friedman (composer)

1975 - 2017

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1315 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Edward Robinson (curator)

1858 - 1931

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1316 HISTORIAN

R. B. Merriman

1876 - 1945

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1317 NOVELIST

Charles Einstein

1926 - 2007

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1318 POET

Thomas William Parsons

1819 - 1892

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1319 COMPOSER

Archibald Thompson Davison

1883 - 1961

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1320 ACTOR

Jujubee (drag queen)

Born 1984

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1321 BUSINESS

Jim Davis (businessman)

Born 1943

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1322 COACH

John Cunniff

1944 - 2002

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1323 ASTRONOMER

Martha P. Haynes

Born 1951

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1324 COMPOSER

Samuel Parkman Tuckerman

1819 - 1890

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1325 WRITER

Adam Begley

Born 1959

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1326 MATHEMATICIAN

Joel Lee Brenner

1912 - 1997

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1327 LIBRARIAN

Charles Evans (librarian)

1850 - 1935

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1328 BUSINESS

Stanton Griffis

1887 - 1974

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1329 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Robert C. Lieberman

Born 1964

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1330 DIPLOMAT

Alan Solomont

Born 1957

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1331 LAWYER

Laurence Curtis

1893 - 1989

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1332 PAINTER

Louis Kronberg

1872 - 1965

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1333 PHYSICIAN

Vanessa Kerry

Born 1976

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1334 ENGINEER

Joseph Slepian

1891 - 1969

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1335 POLITICIAN

Robert Semple (Canada)

1777 - 1816

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1336 GEOGRAPHER

Sidney Edwards Morse

1794 - 1871

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1337 MUSIC

Johnny Rae

Born 1934

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1338 ZOOLOGIST

John Witt Randall

1813 - 1892

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1339 MUSIC

Edward Downes (American musicologist)

1911 - 2001

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1340 DIPLOMAT

Carolina Barco

Born 1951

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1341 MODEL

Susan Bottomly

Born 1950

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1342 ACTOR

Gilman Rankin

1911 - 1993

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1343 NOVELIST

Donald Moffitt

1931 - 2014

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1344 SAXOPHONIST

Dan Higgins

Born 1955

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1345 THEOLOGIAN

Thomas Thayer

1812 - 1886

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1346 POLITICIAN

Theodore Lyman (militiaman)

1792 - 1849

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1347 ATHLETE

Richard W. Mayo

1902 - 1996

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1348 PRIEST

Robert Edward Mulvee

1930 - 2018

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1349 FILM

Lester Dorr

1893 - 1980

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1350 WRITER

Peiter Zatko

Born 1970

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1351 MUSIC

Turk Van Lake

1918 - 2002

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1352 POLITICIAN

Peter Francis Tague

1871 - 1941

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1353 SCULPTOR

Kahlil Gibran (sculptor)

1922 - 2008

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1354 EDITOR

Mark Mangini

-

Preview
1355 MARTIAL ART

Cathal Pendred

Born 1987

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1356 METEOROLOGIST

Edward Everett Hayden

1858 - 1932

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1357 COMPOSER

Donal Fox

Born 1952

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1358 LAWYER

Earl J. Silbert

Born 1936

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1359 POET

Stephen Ratcliffe

Born 1948

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1360 SCULPTOR

Richard Saltonstall Greenough

1819 - 1904

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1361 PRELATE

Robert Joseph Banks

Born 1928

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1362 MATHEMATICIAN

Harry Pollard (mathematician)

1919 - 1985

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1363 ACTOR

Lulu Devine

Born 1955

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1364 LAWYER

Joseph Walsh (Massachusetts)

1875 - 1946

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1365 MONK

Maura O'Halloran

1955 - 1982

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1366 MUSIC

Chadwick Stokes Urmston

Born 1976

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1367 POLITICIAN

William Francis Murray

1881 - 1918

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1368 AUTHOR

Matthew B. J. Delaney

-

Preview
1369 DIPLOMAT

Henry Percival Dodge

1870 - 1936

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1370 NOVELIST

A. David Lewis

Born 1977

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1371 COMPOSER

Francis Boott (composer)

1813 - 1904

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1372 LITERARY

Lucianne Goldberg

Born 1935

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1373 VIOLIN

Ariadne Daskalakis

Born 1969

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1374 SKATEBOARD

Jereme Rogers

Born 1985

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1375 MUSIC

George Lyman Kittredge

1860 - 1941

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1376 MATHEMATICIAN

Robert Morris (cryptographer)

1932 - 2011

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1377 JOURNALIST

James Franklin (printer)

1697 - 1735

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1378 LAWYER

Isaac Parker (Massachusetts judge)

1768 - 1830

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1379 ACTOR

Cariddi Nardulli

Born 1970

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1380 BASKET

Randell Jackson

Born 1976

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1381 ASTRONAUT

Albert Sacco

Born 1949

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1382 LAWYER

Neil Chayet

1939 - 2017

Preview
1383 BASKET

Ike Azotam

Born 1991

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1384 GYMNAST

George Falcke

1891 - 1979

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1385 POLITICIAN

Thomas A. Flaherty

1898 - 1965

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1386 RAILROAD

David L. Gunn

Born 1937

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1387 JOURNALIST

Mark Leibovich

Born 1965

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1388 BIOGRAPHER

John Torrey Morse

1840 - 1937

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1389 SINGER

Fences (band)

Born 1983

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1390 HOCKEY

Jon Coleman

Born 1975

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1391 POLITICIAN

James A. D. Richards

1845 - 1911

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1392 SKIER

Joan Hannah

Born 1939

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1393 PHYSICIST

Jeremy England

Born 1982

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1394 PAINTER

Adelaide Cole Chase

1868 - 1944

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1395 INTERNIST

Louis H. Bauer

1888 - 1964

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1396 ACTOR

Toppsy Curvey

Born 1961

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1397 DIPLOMAT

Walter L. Cutler

Born 1931

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1398 SOCIALITE

Barbara Daly Baekeland

1922 - 1972

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1399 SCREENWRITER

Paul West

1871 - 1918

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1400 POLITICIAN

Edward Dowse

1756 - 1828

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1401 ENTREPRENEUR

Thomas R. DiBenedetto

Born 1949

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1402 SINGER

Jason Chen

Born 1988

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1403 LAWYER

Robert O. Harris

1854 - 1926

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1404 POLITICIAN

John A. Keliher

1866 - 1938

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1405 LAWYER

Marilyn Mosby

Born 1980

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1406 HOCKEY

Mark Bavis

1970 - 2001

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1407 JOURNALIST

Benjamin Wittes

Born 1969

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1408 POLITICIAN

Charles F. Sprague

1857 - 1902

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1409 PRIEST

Tomás Francisco Reilly

1908 - 1992

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1410 FILM

Nietzchka Keene

1952 - 2004

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1411 GERMANIST

Burton Pike

Born 1930

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1412 MODEL

Stephanie Lee

Born 1993

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1413 GEOLOGIST

Gordon A. MacDonald

1911 - 1978

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1414 NOVELIST

James Greer

Born 1961

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1415 HOCKEY

Elbridge Ross

1909 - 1980

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1416 MINISTER

Samuel Joseph May

1797 - 1871

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1417 OFFICER

Sir Isaac Coffin, 1st Baronet

1759 - 1839

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1418 ACADEMIC

Edward S. Davidson

Born 1939

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1419 SURGEON

Hermes Grillo

1923 - 2006

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1420 POLITICIAN

Ephraim Wales Bull

1806 - 1895

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1421 POET

Caroline Howard Gilman

1794 - 1888

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1422 BASKET

Harry Barnes (basketball)

Born 1945

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1423 POLITICIAN

Samuel Breck (politician)

1771 - 1862

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1424 SECRETARY

David Powers

1912 - 1998

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1425 DIPLOMAT

Philip Goldberg

Born 1956

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1426 PHOTOGRAPHER

William Lyman Underwood

1864 - 1929

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1427 POLITICIAN

John L. Blake

1831 - 1899

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1428 MATHEMATICIAN

Elliot Koffman

Born 1942

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1429 POET

William Logan (poet)

Born 1950

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1430 ASTRONOMER

Edwin Francis Carpenter

1898 - 1963

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1431 DRUMMER

Ben Graves

1972 - 2018

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1432 SCIENTIST

Margaret Bryan Davis

Born 1931

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1433 POLITICAL

David Bossie

Born 1965

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1434 ACTOR

Gladys Walton

1903 - 1993

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1435 ACTOR

Edd Hall

Born 1958

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1436 ACTOR

Charlie Hides

Born 1964

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1437 POLITICIAN

Sonia Chang-Díaz

Born 1978

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1438 SONGWRITER

Charles E. Henderson

1907 - 1970

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1439 SPORT

Orion Outerbridge

Born 1988

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1440 MISSING

Jeremiah Dummer

1681 - 1739

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1441 CARTOONIST

Mel Casson

1920 - 2008

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1442 SINGER

Fanny Ronalds

1839 - 1916

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1443 GUITAR

Anthony Rossomando

Born 1976

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1444 ART HISTORIAN

Evelyn Welch

Born 1959

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1445 PHOTOGRAPHER

Lorraine O'Grady

Born 1934

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1446 BASKET

Ousmane Drame

Born 1993

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1447 BUSINESS

James T. Bates

1844 - 1914

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1448 PAINTER

Gertrude Fiske

1879 - 1961

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1449 SCREENWRITER

Bree Mills

Born 1981

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1450 ARCHITECT

John Calvin Stevens

1855 - 1940

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1451 PLAYWRIGHT

Sarah Treem

Born 1980

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1452 SOLDIER

Frank Morey

1840 - 1890

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1453 BUSINESS

George Parkman

1790 - 1849

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1454 FOOTBALL

Kareem Smith

Born 1985

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1455 LIBRARIAN

Thaddeus Mason Harris

1768 - 1842

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1456 PHYSICIAN

John Britton (doctor)

1925 - 1994

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1457 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Lida Shaw King

1868 - 1932

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1458 PAINTER

Henry Oliver Walker

1843 - 1929

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1459 JOURNALIST

Melinda Crane

Born 1956

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1460 PRIVATEER

John Halsey (privateer)

Died 1708

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1461 ACTOR

Alicyn Packard

Born 1979

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1462 ACTOR

Amy Farrington

Born 1966

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1463 POLITICAL

Rob Porter

Born 1977

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1464 MUSIC

Craig Finn

Born 1971

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1465 SISTER

Jane Mecom

1712 - 1794

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1466 PAINTER

Margaret Fitzhugh Browne

1884 - 1972

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1467 ACADEMIC

Francis Greenwood Peabody

1847 - 1936

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1468 ACTOR

Donald Keith (actor)

1903 - 1969

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1469 MISSIONARY

Alice Gordon Gulick

1847 - 1903

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1470 PLAYWRIGHT

William Bayle Bernard

1807 - 1875

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1471 DESIGNER

Albert Angus Turbayne

1866 - 1940

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1472 ATHLETE

Emily deRiel

Born 1974

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1473 ARCHITECT

Joseph Nathaniel French

1888 - 1975

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1474 MUSIC

Joe Derrane

1930 - 2016

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1475 BASEBALL

Carlos Castillo (baseball)

Born 1975

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1476 PHOTOGRAPHER

Sean Kenney (actor)

Born 1944

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1477 POLITICIAN

Martin Lomasney

1859 - 1933

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1478 SPORT

Peter Gammons

Born 1945

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1479 PAINTER

Marion Boyd Allen

1862 - 1941

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1480 POET

Diana Lewis Burgin

Born 1943

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1481 CARDIOLOGIST

Louis Wolff

1898 - 1972

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1482 MUSIC

Malakoff Kowalski

Born 1979

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1483 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Karl Sims

-

Preview
1484 PAINTER

Enoch Wood Perry Jr.

1831 - 1915

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1485 ACTOR

Eric Loren

-

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1486 SKELETON

Adam Edelman

Born 1991

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1487 PAINTER

Domenic Cretara

1946 - 2017

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1488 COMICS

Amy Chu

Born 1968

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1489 SINGER

Bettina Bush

Born 1974

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1490 ECONOMIST

William A. Barnett

Born 1941

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1491 PRIEST

Paul Shanley

Born 1931

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1492 PLAYER

Darren Elias

Born 1986

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1493 PAINTER

Edith Barry

1884 - 1960

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1494 ARCHITECT

Jean B. Fletcher

1915 - 1965

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1495 INDEPENDENCE

Thomas Handasyd Perkins

1764 - 1854

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1496 CHEMIST

Charles Loring Jackson

1845 - 1935

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1497 LAWYER

Francis Cabot Lowell (judge)

1855 - 1911

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1498 FILM

Tom Gibson

1888 - 1950

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1499 LAWYER

Joseph F. O'Connell

1872 - 1942

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1500 POLITICIAN

Charles Edward Coffin

1841 - 1912

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