34.4348° N, 81.0284° W

CHARLESTON

Most Famous People Born in Charleston, United States

Notable people
749
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1920
Most distinctive
Baseball 4.5×

Charleston's profile is frozen in antebellum amber: an outsized Lawyer and Judge class built by the planter bar that dominated South Carolina politics from secession through Reconstruction, with an Officer bench propped up by the Citadel and the Confederate officer corps. The smaller, stranger note is the Novelist thread — Charleston Renaissance writers like DuBose Heyward, whose Porgy became the seed for American opera.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1940s with 63 notable births.

What Charleston Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Charleston's biggest profession — 22% of all notables (166).

Charleston over-indexes on baseball4.5× the global rate.

Charleston under-produces writer — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Politician166
  2. Football58
  3. Lawyer52
  4. Actor48
  5. Baseball38
  6. Basket27
  7. Painter19
  8. Music18
  1. Baseball384.5×
  2. Lawyer524.0×
  3. Judge123.4×
  4. Novelist103.4×
  5. Officer153.0×
  6. Basket272.9×
  7. Politician1661.9×
  8. Music181.7×
  1. Writer150.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All749
Sort By

749 notable people

0301 SINGER

Thomas Miller (pastor)

Born 1970

Preview
0302 DIPLOMAT

William Elliott Gonzales

1866 - 1937

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0303 FOOTBALL

Dave Meggett

Born 1966

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0304 LAWYER

James Edwin Belser

1805 - 1859

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0305 POLITICIAN

John Rutledge Jr.

1766 - 1819

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0306 LAWYER

Julius Waties Waring

1880 - 1968

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0307 HISTORIAN

Barbara J. Fields

-

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0308 PAINTER

Georgette Seabrooke

1916 - 2011

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0309 MUSIC

Pete Briggs

Born 1904

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0310 POLITICIAN

John Linscom Boss Jr.

1780 - 1819

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0311 WRITER

Randy Cohen

-

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0312 HISTORIAN

John E. Ferling

Born 1940

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0313 BASEBALL

Matt Whiteside

Born 1967

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0314 FOOTBALL

Walt Easley

1957 - 2013

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0315 BASEBALL

Chris McGuiness

Born 1988

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0316 CHEMIST

Jakob August Lorent

1813 - 1884

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0317 FOOTBALL

Bryan Randall

Born 1983

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0318 LAWYER

Peter Manigault

1731 - 1773

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0319 FOOTBALL

De'Angelo Henderson

Born 1992

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0320 DAUGHTER

Martha Laurens Ramsay

1759 - 1811

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0321 EXECUTIVE

William H. Danforth

1870 - 1955

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0322 FOOTBALL

Pierson Prioleau

Born 1977

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0323 POLITICIAN

Nicholas Eveleigh

1748 - 1791

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0324 POLITICIAN

Adam Brown Littlepage

1859 - 1921

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0325 FOOTBALL

Dennis Harrah

Born 1953

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0326 PAINTER

Merton Simpson

1928 - 2013

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0327 LAWYER

Charles Henry Simonton

1829 - 1904

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0328 POLITICIAN

John G. Hutchinson

Born 1935

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0329 ARTIST

Charles Gaines (artist)

Born 1944

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0330 NOVELIST

Grady Hendrix

-

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0331 POLITICIAN

Rich T. Buckler

1865 - 1950

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0332 PRESBYTER

Benjamin M. Palmer

1818 - 1902

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0333 SUFFRAGETTE

Anita Pollitzer

1894 - 1975

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0334 POLITICIAN

Theodore A. Peyser

1873 - 1937

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0335 FOOTBALL

Ovie Mughelli

Born 1980

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0336 BASEBALL

Jeff Gossett

Born 1957

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0337 SINGER

Jeremy Messersmith

-

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0338 JOURNALIST

Jack Hitt

-

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0339 POLITICIAN

William Davidson (congressman)

1778 - 1857

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0340 LAWYER

Bruce Howe Hendricks

Born 1957

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0341 BASEBALL

Tom Martin (baseball)

Born 1970

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0342 SCREENWRITER

Karey Dornetto

-

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0343 PHILOLOGIST

Ainsworth O'Brien-Moore

1897 - 1936

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0344 POLITICIAN

Charles I. du Pont

1797 - 1869

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0345 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

James David Barber

1930 - 2004

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0346 ETCHER

Elizabeth O'Neill Verner

1883 - 1979

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0347 COMPOSER

Andy Kubiszewski

Born 1961

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0348 POLITICIAN

William Valk

1806 - 1879

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0349 FOOTBALL

Clay Matthews Sr.

1928 - 2017

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0350 MILITAR

Arthur Middleton Manigault

1824 - 1886

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0351 MUSIC

Keg Purnell

1915 - 1965

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0352 BASEBALL

J. R. House

Born 1979

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0353 POET

Samuel Henry Dickson

1798 - 1872

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0354 POLITICIAN

Isaac Motte

1738 - 1795

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0355 NOVELIST

Josephine Pinckney

1895 - 1957

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0356 MARINE

Ralph H. Johnson

1949 - 1968

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0357 CHEMIST

St. Julien Ravenel

1819 - 1882

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0358 BOTANIST

Francisco Adolfo Sauvalle

1807 - 1879

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0359 POLITICIAN

Mitch Carmichael

Born 1960

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0360 PHYSICIAN

Robert Wilson Gibbes

1809 - 1866

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0361 PHOTOGRAPHER

Keri Pickett

Born 1959

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0362 BASEBALL

Jeremy Cummings

Born 1976

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0363 PAINTER

William Melton Halsey

1915 - 1999

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0364 ACADEMIC

Tony Brown (journalist)

Born 1933

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0365 BASEBALL

Drew Meyer

Born 1981

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0366 PAINTER

Alice Ravenel Huger Smith

1876 - 1958

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0367 PAINTER

Charles Fraser (artist)

1782 - 1860

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0368 OFFICER

Percival Drayton

1812 - 1865

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0369 PRIEST

Paul Washington

1921 - 2002

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0370 COMPOSER

Chris Smith (composer)

1879 - 1949

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0371 POLITICIAN

William Mayrant

1765 - 1832

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0372 FOOTBALL

Ryan Robinson (American football)

Born 1990

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0373 POLITICIAN

William Bull (governor)

1683 - 1755

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0374 PHYSICIAN

Samuel P. Moore

1813 - 1889

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0375 NOVELIST

Josephine Humphreys

Born 1945

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0376 POLITICIAN

Barnard E. Bee Sr.

1787 - 1853

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0377 FOOTBALL

Dick Huffman

1923 - 1992

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0378 POLITICIAN

Ruth Samuelson

1959 - 2017

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0379 BASEBALL

Jim Lett

Born 1951

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0380 POLITICIAN

Burnet R. Maybank Jr.

1924 - 2016

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0381 LAWYER

H. Rodgin Cohen

Born 1944

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0382 BASEBALL

John Bass (baseball)

1848 - 1888

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0383 BASEBALL

Bryce Florie

Born 1970

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0384 BASEBALL

Marty Pattin

1943 - 2018

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0385 FOOTBALL

Tracy White

Born 1981

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0386 LAWYER

Michael P. Mills

Born 1956

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0387 WRITER

Henry Clay Lewis

1825 - 1850

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0388 POLITICIAN

John Kean (South Carolina politician)

1756 - 1795

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0389 FOOTBALL

Will Demps

Born 1979

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0390 FOOTBALL

Malcolm Barnwell

Born 1958

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0391 POET

Penina Moise

1797 - 1880

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0392 POLITICIAN

Francois P. Giraud

1818 - 1877

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0393 ACTOR

Jesse Johnson (politician)

Born 1959

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0394 FOOTBALL

Alex Parsons (American football)

Born 1987

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0395 HISTORIAN

Harlan Greene

Born 1953

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0396 MILITAR

Robert C. Richardson Jr.

1882 - 1954

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0397 ARCHITECT

Gabriel Manigault

1758 - 1809

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0398 SOCIOLOGIST

Paul Root Wolpe

Born 1957

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0399 ACTOR

Jamie Costa

Born 1990

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0400 DEPUTY

E. Henry Knoche

1925 - 2010

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0401 PRIEST

Henry P. Northrop

1842 - 1916

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0402 LAWYER

Raphael J. Moses

1812 - 1893

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0403 PHYSICIAN

Legrand G. Capers

1834 - 1877

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0404 FOOTBALL

Oronde Gadsden

Born 1971

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0405 HISTORIAN

Dunbar Rowland

1864 - 1937

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0406 PIANIST

Dick Zimmerman

Born 1937

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0407 PUBLISHER

Harriet McDougal

Born 1939

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0408 JOURNALIST

Dina Rabinovitch

1963 - 2007

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0409 RAPPER

DJ Speedy

Born 1976

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0410 ARCHITECT

Albert Simons

1890 - 1980

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0411 ENGINEER

James R. Fair

1920 - 2010

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0412 POLITICIAN

Eric Nelson (West Virginia politician)

Born 1960

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0413 POLITICIAN

Herbert Fielding

1923 - 2015

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0414 POET

Atsuro Riley

-

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0415 POLITICIAN

Bill Crosby (politician)

Born 1937

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0416 LAWYER

David A. Faber

Born 1942

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0417 ARCHITECT

William Martin Aiken

1855 - 1908

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0418 FOOTBALL

Zola Davis

Born 1975

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0419 FOOTBALL

Eldra Buckley

Born 1985

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0420 POLITICIAN

Mark Hunt (politician)

Born 1960

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0421 FOOTBALL

Shawn Lemon

Born 1988

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0422 POLITICIAN

Thomas Ravenel

Born 1962

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0423 POLITICIAN

John Moultrie (politician)

1729 - 1798

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0424 ACTOR

Joyce Ingalls

1950 - 2015

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0425 DRIVER

Anthony Lazzaro (racing driver)

Born 1963

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0426 POLITICIAN

Sarah Davis (Texas politician)

Born 1976

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0427 POLITICIAN

Christine Johnson (Utah politician)

Born 1968

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0428 VIOLIN

Daniel D. (violinist)

Born 1989

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0429 ACTOR

Margaret Anne Florence

Born 1978

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0430 BASEBALL

Mike Cook (baseball)

Born 1963

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0431 FOOTBALL

Darrion Scott

Born 1981

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0432 JUDGE

Edwin Warren Moïse

1810 - 1868

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0433 JUDGE

M. Blane Michael

1943 - 2011

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0434 FOOTBALL

John Adams (offensive lineman)

1921 - 1969

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0435 DRIVER

Josh White (racing driver)

Born 1991

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0436 POLITICIAN

Chauncey H. Browning Jr.

1934 - 2010

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0437 FOOTBALL

Nick Noble

Born 1984

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0438 MEDICINE

Francis Kinloch Huger

1773 - 1855

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0439 LAWYER

Benjamin Cudworth Yancey Jr.

1817 - 1891

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0440 SENATE

Mignon Clyburn

Born 1962

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0441 PHOTOGRAPHER

Stella F. Simon

1878 - 1973

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0442 MUSIC

Bill Benford

1902 - 1994

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0443 CANOE

Maylon Hanold

Born 1963

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0444 ACADEMIC

Elías L. Rivers

1924 - 2013

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0445 HISTORIAN

Alexander Smith Taylor

1817 - 1876

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0446 POLITICIAN

Moses Cohen Mordecai

1804 - 1888

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0447 LAWYER

Margaret Workman

Born 1947

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0448 PHILOLOGIST

William James Rivers

1822 - 1909

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0449 ATHLETIC

Harold Houston

Born 1990

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0450 NOVELIST

William Tester

Born 1960

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0451 POLITICIAN

Mike Phillips (Montana politician)

Born 1958

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0452 LAWYER

Frederick Grimke

1791 - 1863

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0453 CONDUCTOR

Benjamin Hutto

1947 - 2015

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0454 LAWYER

John Thomas Copenhaver Jr.

Born 1925

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0455 ACTOR

Jeramie Rain

Born 1948

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0456 MAGAZINE

Herbert L. Stone

1871 - 1955

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0457 POLITICIAN

Isaac Holmes

1758 - 1812

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0458 CHOREOGRAPHER

Robert North

Born 1945

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0459 LAWYER

Leon Stavrinakis

-

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0460 OFFICER

Charles C. Tew

1827 - 1862

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0461 ANTHROPOLOGIST

John Izard Middleton

1785 - 1849

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0462 SINGER

Miss Amy

Born 1962

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0463 POLITICIAN

Charlotte Pritt

Born 1949

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0464 POLITICIAN

Chip Limehouse

Born 1962

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0465 POLITICIAN

Chris Walters

Born 1986

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0466 POLITICIAN

John Hopper

1923 - 1996

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0467 JUDGE

Thomas McCants Stewart

1853 - 1923

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0468 POLITICIAN

Mary Margaret Oliver

Born 1948

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0469 ARMY

Charles Q. Williams

1933 - 1982

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0470 BASKET

John Arigo

Born 1978

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0471 MILITAR

John W. Mitchell (United States Air Force)

1915 - 1995

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0472 DESIGNER

Jessica Hische

Born 1984

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0473 FOOTBALL

Langston Moore

Born 1981

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0474 ACTOR

Joseph Attles

1903 - 1990

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0475 OFFICER

Thomas Saltus Lubbock

1817 - 1862

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0476 WRITER

Frances Elizabeth Barrow

1822 - 1894

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0477 POLITICIAN

Ray Canterbury

Born 1969

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0478 LAWYER

Harriet C. Babbitt

Born 1947

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0479 FOOTBALL

Charlie Brown (wide receiver)

Born 1958

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0480 LAWYER

Patrick Michael Duffy

Born 1943

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0481 ENGINEER

Eugene Figg

1936 - 2002

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0482 LAWYER

Booth Goodwin

Born 1971

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0483 SOLDIER

Thomas M. Logan

1840 - 1914

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0484 POLITICIAN

John P. Grace

1874 - 1940

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0485 BASEBALL

Larry Carter

Born 1965

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0486 POLITICIAN

Bill Workman

1940 - 2019

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0487 EXECUTIVE

Damon Wilson

-

Preview
0488 POET

Jon Pineda

Born 1971

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0489 BASKET

Ricky Frazier

Born 1958

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0490 ACTOR

Kristen Ruhlin

Born 1984

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0491 PHYSICIAN

Mitchell Campbell King

1815 - 1901

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0492 POLITICIAN

Wendell Gilliard

Born 1954

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0493 POLITICIAN

William Ashmead Courtenay

1831 - 1908

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0494 POLITICIAN

Elias Horry

1773 - 1834

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0495 PRIEST

Christopher Edwards Gadsden

1785 - 1852

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0496 JUDGE

Akim Anastopoulo

Born 1960

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0497 WRITER

Helena Wells

1761 - 1824

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0498 FOOTBALL

Cedric Minter

Born 1958

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0499 MINISTER

Jehu Jones

1786 - 1852

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0500 POLITICIAN

Tim Armstead

Born 1965

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0501 ESSAYIST

Elena Passarello

Born 1978

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0502 POET

James Matthews Legaré

1823 - 1859

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0503 BASEBALL

Harry Young (American football)

1893 - 1977

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0504 POLITICIAN

Carolyn Tomei

Born 1936

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0505 LAWYER

Charlie Condon

-

Preview
0506 FOOTBALL

Sam Bartholomew

1917 - 1999

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0507 MISSING

William May Wightman

1808 - 1882

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0508 PRIEST

Samuel David Ferguson

1842 - 1916

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0509 POLITICIAN

Charles Macbeth

1805 - 1881

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0510 FOOTBALL

Garrett Chisolm

Born 1988

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0511 FOOTBALL

Jordan Roberts (American football)

Born 1990

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0512 PIANIST

Anne Gamble Kennedy

1920 - 2001

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0513 PAINTER

Thomas Wightman

1811 - 1888

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0514 LAWYER

Thomas Lee (South Carolina)

1769 - 1839

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0515 ASTRONOMER

R. Jay GaBany

Born 1954

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0516 FILM

Hunter Via

Born 1976

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0517 POLITICIAN

Danny Wells (politician)

Born 1940

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0518 NUN

Harriet Starr Cannon

1823 - 1896

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0519 POLITICIAN

Bob Ashley

Born 1953

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0520 POLITICIAN

Ernest T. Eaton

1877 - 1957

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0521 PHOTOGRAPHER

Elise Forrest Harleston

1891 - 1970

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0522 FOOTBALL

Bobbie Howard

Born 1977

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0523 FOOTBALL

Tyrone Goard

Born 1990

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0524 MILITAR

John N. McLaughlin

1918 - 2002

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0525 SCULPTOR

Willard Hirsch

1905 - 1982

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0526 FOOTBALL

Ryan Steed

Born 1990

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0527 LAWYER

Jess H. Dickinson

Born 1947

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0528 POLITICIAN

David Walker (West Virginia politician)

Born 1952

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0529 POLITICIAN

Betty Ireland

Born 1946

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0530 LAWYER

Franklin J. Moses Sr.

1804 - 1877

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0531 ARCHITECT

David Hyer

1875 - 1942

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0532 FOOTBALL

Eric Smedley

Born 1973

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0533 FOOTBALL

Ray Fisher (defensive lineman)

Born 1934

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0534 LAWYER

Elizabeth Virginia Hallanan

1925 - 2004

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0535 MUSIC

Ronnie Free

Born 1936

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0536 REAL ESTATE

James Boon Lankershim

1850 - 1931

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0537 PRIEST

Thomas Grace (Bishop of Saint Paul)

1814 - 1897

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0538 ACTOR

Urylee Leonardos

1910 - 1986

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0539 AVIATOR

Frank Trenholm Coffyn

1878 - 1960

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0540 ACTOR

Russ McCubbin

1935 - 2018

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0541 BASKET

Jonathan Moore (basketball)

Born 1958

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0542 LAWYER

Edward McCrady

1802 - 1892

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0543 LAWYER

Thomas E. Johnston

Born 1967

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0544 ACTOR

Margaret Vale

Born 1878

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0545 FOOTBALL

John Cannady

1923 - 2002

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0546 POLITICIAN

Nancy Jacobs

Born 1951

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0547 MARTIAL ART

Glenn E. Trowbridge

Born 1943

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0548 POLITICIAN

Gary Stubblefield

Born 1951

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0549 POLITICIAN

Corey Palumbo

Born 1972

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0550 PAINTER

John Beaufain Irving

1825 - 1877

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0551 LAWYER

John A. Field Jr.

1910 - 1995

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0552 LAWYER

Meshea Poore

Born 1975

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0553 POLITICIAN

Malcolm Graham (politician)

Born 1963

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0554 LAWYER

George Hughes Revercomb

1929 - 1993

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0555 EXECUTIVE

Vicky Hamilton

Born 1958

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0556 POLITICIAN

Steve Harrison (politician)

Born 1966

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0557 BASEBALL

Ernie Nevel

1918 - 1988

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0558 MUSIC

Mother Juan Aviance

Born 1963

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0559 SKATER

Lisa Ervin

Born 1977

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0560 FOOTBALL

Luther Broughton

Born 1974

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0561 FOOTBALL

Chase Page

Born 1983

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0562 FILM

Sergio Myers

Born 1969

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0563 POLITICIAN

William Dennison Porter

1810 - 1883

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0564 FOOTBALL

Shane Beamer

Born 1977

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0565 BASEBALL

Otis Davis (baseball)

1920 - 2007

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0566 BASEBALL

Bill Cox (baseball)

1913 - 1988

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0567 CARTOONIST

B. B. Sams

Born 1944

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0568 SCRIPT

Tracy Scott

1969 - 2016

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0569 BUSINESS

John Tecklenburg

Born 1955

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0570 COACH

George C. Rogers

1889 - 1964

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0571 OFFICER

Daniel Augustus Joseph Sullivan

1884 - 1941

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0572 OFFICER

Thomas M. Wagner

1824 - 1862

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0573 WRITER

Jeffrey W. Hayzlett

Born 1960

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0574 DRIVER

Bud Moore (racing driver)

1941 - 2017

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0575 FOOTBALL

Orlando Ruff

Born 1976

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0576 FOOTBALL

Ron McCartney

Born 1954

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0577 POLITICIAN

John F. Ficken

1843 - 1925

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0578 POLITICIAN

Walter Hundley

Born 1953

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0579 JUDGE

Falcon Black Hawkins Jr.

1927 - 2005

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0580 JUDGE

Joseph H. McGee Jr.

Born 1929

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0581 MINISTER

Edward M. Brawley

1851 - 1923

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0582 POLITICIAN

John A. Cade

1929 - 1996

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0583 BASEBALL

Pat Luby

1869 - 1899

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0584 GAME

Richard Berg

1943 - 2019

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0585 SINGER

Bobby Wright

Born 1942

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0586 OFFICER

Charles P. Snyder (admiral)

1879 - 1964

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0587 ACTIVIST

Bernice Robinson

1914 - 1994

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0588 BASEBALL

Charlie Whitehouse

1894 - 1960

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0589 POLITICIAN

David Mack (politician)

Born 1953

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0590 TEACHER

Sarah Lee Brown Fleming

1876 - 1963

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0591 COMEDIAN

Jeremy McLellan

-

Preview
0592 INVENTOR

Miriam Benjamin

1861 - 1947

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0593 POLITICIAN

Alonzo Gesner

1842 - 1912

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0594 BOXER

Morris Grant

1845 - 1915

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0595 POET

Beatrice Ravenel

1870 - 1956

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0596 POLITICIAN

Gabriel Manigault (merchant)

1704 - 1781

Preview
0597 LAWYER

B. Campbell Thornal

1908 - 1970

Preview
0598 BASKET

Damien Kinloch

Born 1980

Preview
0599 POET

Helen von Kolnitz Hyer

1896 - 1983

Preview
0600 COMPOSER

Alexander Juhan

1765 - 1845

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