Famous People from Virginia

Virginia Biographies, Famous People from Virginia

Alexander McGillivray

Arthur Ashe (1943 - 1993) Famous tennis player; born in Richmond.

Warren Beatty (1937 - ) Director, actor, producer, writer; born in Richmond.

Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888 - 1957) Explorer and first man to fly over North and South poles; born in Winchester.

Roy Clark (1933 - ) Country music artist; born in Meherrin.

Ella Fitzgerald (1917 - 1996) Jazz singer; born in Newport News.

William Henry Harrison (1773 - 1841) Ninth president of the U.S.; born in Berkeley.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) Third president of the U.S.; born in Albermarle County.

Meriwether Lewis (1774 - 1809) and William Clark (1770 - 1838) Led a famous expedition to the Pacific ocean; both born in Virginia.

James Madison (1751 - 1836) Fourth president of the U.S.; born in Orange County.

James Monroe (1758 - 1831) Fifth president of the U.S.; born in Westmoreland County.

Edgar Allen Poe (1809 - 1849) Author of works such as The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher; lived in Richmond.

Zachary Taylor (1784 - 1850) 12th president of the U.S.; born in Orange County.

John Tyler (1790 - 1862) Tenth president of the U.S.; born in Charles City County.

Booker T. Washington (1856 - 1915) African-American educator and founder of Tuskegee Institute; born on a small farm in the Virginia backcountry.

George Washington (1732 - 1799) First president of the U.S.; born in Westmoreland county.

James E. West (1931 - ) Inventor of the Foil Electret Microphone; born in Prince Edward County.

Woodrow Wilson (1856 - 1924) 28th president of the U.S.; born in Stauton.

More Famous People of Virginia

Richard Arlen actor, Charlottesville

Pearl Bailey singer, Newport News

Russell Baker columnist, Loudoun Cty

George Bingham painter, Augusta Cty

Willa Cather author, Winchester

William Clark explorer, Caroline Cty

Henry Clay statesman, Hanover Cty

Joseph Cotten actor, Petersburg

Patrick Henry statesman, Hanover Cty

Sam Houston political leader, Rockbridge Cty

Robert E. Lee Confederate general, Stratford

Shirley MacLaine actress, Richmond

John Marshall jurist, Germantown

Cyrus Hall McCormick inventor, Rockbridge Cty

James Monroe U.S. president, Westmoreland

Opechancanough Powhatan leader

John Payne actor, Roanoke

Walter Reed army surgeon, Gloucester Cty

Matthew Ridgway Army Chief of Staff, Fort Monroe

Bill Bojangles Robinson dancer, Richmond

George C. Scott actor, Wise

Sam Snead golfer, Hot Springs

James Jeb Stuart Confederate army officer, Patrick Cty

Thomas Sumter General, Hanover Cty

Nat Turner leader of slave uprising, Southhampton Cty

Tom Wolfe journalist, Richmond

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