List of people from Jacksonville, Illinois

Authors and academics

• Dr. Greene Vardiman Black, considered the "father of modern dentistry"; first to use nitrous oxide gas for extracting teeth without pain
• Martha Capps Oliver, poet, hymnwriter
• Everett Dean Martin, Writer, lecturer, social psychologist, and an advocate of adult education. Final Director of the People's Institute of Cooper Union in New York City from 1922-1934.
• Frank Haven Hall, inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devices
• Bell Elliott Palmer, playwright, born and died in Jacksonville
• Willis Polk, architect
• J. F. Powers, Roman Catholic short story author and novelist; born in Jacksonville
• Alfred Henry Sturtevant, geneticist; constructed the first genetic map of a chromosome
• Wilson "Bob" Tucker, mystery, adventure, and science fiction writer; lived in Jacksonville
• Jonathan Baldwin Turner classical scholar, botanist, and political activist

  Media and arts

• Marjorie Best, Academy Award-winning costume designer; born in Jacksonville
• William Fitzsimmons, folk singer; lived in Jacksonville
• Richard Moore, cinematographer and co-founder of Panavision; born in Jacksonville
• Kyra Phillips, correspondent for CNN and HLN, raised in Jacksonville
• Frank Reaugh, western artist
• Brian Sherwin, art critic; born in Jacksonville
• Liam Sullivan, actor; born in Jacksonville

  Military

• Benjamin Grierson, Civil War era general; commanded the all-Black 10th Cavalry known as Buffalo Soldiers; music teacher from Jacksonville
• John J. Hardin, congressman; killed as a colonel leading the First Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War
• Martin Davis Hardin, brigadier general during the Civil War; born in Jacksonville

  Politics and law

• James M. Barnes, US congressman
• William H. Barnes, jurist
• William Jennings Bryan, lawyer and politician; ran for US president; known for his involvement in the Scopes Trial
• J. Edward Day, US Postmaster General
• Stephen A. Douglas, US senator and presidential candidate; settled in Jacksonville
• Joseph Duncan, sixth governor of Illinois
• Nancy Farmer, Missouri State Treasurer
• Paul Findley, US congressman
• Hugh Green, Illinois legislator and lawyer
• Edward E. Johnston, high commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
• Ruth Bryan Owen, U.S. congresswoman, ambassador to Denmark and Iceland, daughter of William Jennings Bryan
• Mary Louise Preis, state congressman from Maryland
• Harris Rowe, politician, lawyer, and businessman
• Richard Yates Rowe, politician and businessman
• Andrew Russel, Illinois politician and businessman
• Paul Samuell, Illinois Supreme Court justice
• Wiley Scribner, politician and acting governor of Montana Territory
• Richard Yates, US congressman and senator ; 13th governor of Illinois

  Sports

• Jerry Barber, golfer with the PGA Tour, winner of 1961 PGA Championship
• Doug Brady, second baseman for the Chicago White Sox
• Red Dorman, outfielder for the Cleveland Indians
• Jim Hackett, pitcher and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Mabel Holle, third basewoman and outfielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League; born in Jacksonville
• Milton McPike, tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, educator and community leader; born in Jacksonville
• Brett Merriman, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
• Ken Norton, boxer who broke Muhammad Ali's jaw in an epic heavyweight fight
• Ken Norton, Jr., linebacker for Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, defensive coordinator for Oakland Raiders; first NFL player to win three consecutive Super Bowls; son of Ken Norton; born in Jacksonville
• Henry Eli "Harry" Staley, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Beaneaters, and Pittsburgh Pirates; born in Jacksonville
• F. Calvert "Cal" Strong, Olympic water polo bronze medalist; born in Jacksonville
• Luther Haden "Dummy" Taylor, coach and pitcher for New York Giants and Cleveland Bronchos; teacher and administrator at the Illinois School for the Deaf; died in Jacksonville