List of people from Utica, New York explained

This article lists notable people from Utica, New York.

Nineteenth century and earlier

• Amariah Brigham  - psychiatrist
• Alexander Bryan Johnson  - prominent Utica banker; self-taught philosopher and political writer; married to the granddaughter of president John Adams
• Francis Marion Burdick  - legal scholar; a mayor of Utica (1882-1883), (born at De Ruyter, New York)
• John T. Clark  - civil engineer and politician
• Jane Elizabeth Dexter Conklin  - poet, journalist, and religious writer
• Roscoe Conkling  - U.S. Senator and Republican Stalwart political leader; a mayor of Utica; is buried there^[1]
  • Marianne Cope  - religious sister and Roman Catholic saint Arthur Bowen Davies  - artist, born in Utica
• Harold Frederic  - author and journalist, born and raised in Utica; buried in Utica's Forest Hill Cemetery
• Grace May North  - author, born in Utica
• Pádraig Phiarais Cúndún (1777 - 1856)  - Irish-American homesteader and composer of American poetry in the Irish language; arrived in Utica in 1826; buried there
• Horatio Seymour  - New York State Governor and Democratic presidential candidate; native of Utica; buried there^{[2] [3]}
• Carrie Babcock Sherman  - James Schoolcraft Sherman's wife, born in Utica
• James Schoolcraft Sherman  - U.S. vice president; born in Utica; buried there^[4]
• Gerrit Smith  - social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist; born in Utica
• Benjamin Walker  - Revolutionary War soldier; lived the last 20 years of his life in Utica^[5]
• Chandler J. Wells  - former mayor of Buffalo, New York, born in Utica

Twentieth and twenty-first century

Arts and entertainment

• Kim Bass  - screenwriter, producer, and director
• Mark Bodé  - artist; born in Utica; son of Vaughn Bodē
• Vaughn Bodē  - artist, born in Utica^[6] and graduated from Proctor High School;^[7]
• Joe Bonamassa  - blues musician^[8]
• Steven Brill  - film producer, director and screenwriter^[9]
• Neave Brown  - London-based architect and artist
• Dick Clark  - lived briefly in Utica and began his television career there, hosting a country music show on WKTV^[10]
• Daryl Cobb  - children's book author and national children's educational presenter,^[11] born in Utica^[12]
• Fran Cosmo  - musician of the band Boston^[13]
• Tommy DeCarlo  - musician of the band Boston^[14]
• Debbie Friedman  - singer-songwriter of Jewish religious-themed songs, born in Utica^[15]
• Annette Funicello  - actress and singer; born in Utica; poked mild fun at the city in her^[16] song "The Promised Land".^[17] Funicello also makes reference to Utica in the 1960 Sherman Brothers-authored song "Hawaiian Love Talk", singing: "I think that you're much cuter than the day we met in Utica".
• Lincoln Holroyd  - performer, bandleader and music educator in Utica from 1905 until his death in 1961
• Angela Johnson  - singer; born and raised in Utica^[18]
• moe.  - jam rock band
• Ron O'Neal  - actor, born in Utica
• Tiffany Pollard  - actress and television personality, known for Flavor of Love and I Love New York

Sports

• George Burns  - former Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Giants, born in Utica
• Dave Cash  - Major League Baseball infielder and three-time All-Star, was born in Utica
• Robert Esche  - National Hockey League goalie and sports executive affiliated with the Utica Comets
• Chris Garrett  - running back in Canadian Football League grew up in Utica
• Jim Jackson – play by play broadcaster for the Philadelphia Flyers
• Mark Lemke  - former Major League Baseball player was born in Utica
• Art Mills  - Major League Baseball pitcher and coach of the 1945 World Series champion Detroit Tigers, born in Utica
• Len Rossi  - pro wrestler
• Will Smith  - NFL defensive end and New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame member graduated from Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica
• Andy Van Slyke  - former Major League Baseball outfielder, born in Utica

Business

• Harry H. Bassett (1874–1926)  - auto maker, president of Buick (1920–1926), born in Utica
• Kenny Friedkin (1915-1962)  - founder of Pacific Southwest Airlines, born in Utica
• Steve Wynn  - real estate developer, hotel and casino mogul^[19]

Politicians

See also: List of mayors of Utica, New York.

• Mike Arcuri  - former U.S. Congressman
• Sherwood Boehlert  - former U.S. Congressman
• Anthony Brindisi  - former U.S. Congressman
• Fred J. Douglas  - former U.S. Congressman
• Rufus Elefante  - Democratic political boss
• Charles A. Talcott  - former U.S. Congressman

Other

• Daniel Barwick  - author, fundraiser, journalist, podcaster, higher education administrator, and teacher
• Elizabeth E. Farrell (1870 - 1932)  - educator
• Asa Jennings  - Utica YMCA worker who organized the evacuation of refugees from the Great Fire of Smyrna
• Michael Kernan  - former Washington Post journalist
• Paul Krugman  - economist, professor at City University of New York, columnist for the New York Times
• Cherilla Storrs Lowrey (1861–1918)  - clubwoman in Hawaii, born in Utica
• John D. MacDonald  - best-selling crime novelist, grew up in Utica
• Dan Senor  - columnist, writer, and political advisor to Mitt Romney
• John Zogby  - political pollster

Fictional characters

• Gary Chalmers  - Superintendent of Springfield School District on the television cartoon series The Simpsons
• Karen Filippelli  - Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Utica Branch on the television comedy The Office
• Uncle Leo  - Alice Kramden's uncle in The Honeymooners

References

1. https://www.nndb.com/people/241/000050091/ NNDB
2. http://www.oneidacountyfreedomtrail.com/who-s-who.html Oneida County Freedom Trail
3. Web site: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY. Mrs. Mecomber. June 14, 2008. New York Traveler. 2010-09-13.
4. https://www.nndb.com/people/263/000093981/ NNDB
5. Web site: WALKER, Benjamin, (1753 - 1818). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Office of the Historian, United States Congress. June 23, 2013.
6. Web site: Feature Artist: Vaughn Bode. A&H Magazine. December 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131212233323/http://www.aandhmag.com/feature-artist-vaughn-bode/. December 12, 2013. dead.
7. Web site: Happy Herbs. Art and Architecture – San Francisco. December 9, 2013.
8. News: Browning. Tamara. May 3, 2012. Guitarist Joe Bonamassa born to play the blues. State Journal-Register. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190829234700/https://www.sj-r.com/x1942603046/Born-to-play-the-blues. August 29, 2019.
9. [John Zogby|Steve Brill]
10. Web site: Dick Clark Could Rock, But He Started Out Country . Chuck Dauphin . April 19, 2012 . Billboard . February 28, 2017.
11. Web site: Bostwick. Joanne. Author Visits by Daryl Cobb. Author Visits by Daryl Cobb. Daryl Cobb Production. June 26, 2015. Joanne Bostwick.
12. Web site: Bostwick. Joanne. About Daryl Cobb - Scrap Book. authorvisitsbydarylcobb.com/aboutme.html. Daryl Cobb Productions. July 3, 2015. author visits by daryl cobb.
13. Web site: 2010-10-14 . Utica native finds musical home on independent label . 2023-01-12 . Utica Observer Dispatch . en-US.
14. Web site: Derminio . Andrew. Todd. Nicole . Utica Native And Boston Singer, Coming To Stanley Theatre . 2023-01-12 . WIBX 950 . en.
15. Web site: Debbie Friedman, self-taught Jewish folk singer, dies at 59. Elaine Woo. 11 January 2011. Los Angeles Times. 11 September 2013.
16. Web site: Music. Annette Connection. Promised Land, a song she and her husband, Glen Holt wrote together telling the story of her and her family's journey from New York to California.. June 23, 2013.
17. Web site: Was Annette Funicello Making Fun Of Utica In 1983 With The Song "The Promised Land"?. Davey Jones. April 8, 2013. WODZ 96.1 AM. June 23, 2013.
18. Web site: Angela Johnson: A one-woman soul band.
19. News: Steve Wynn: Raising the stakes in Vegas. John Arlidge. January 11, 2009. Sunday Times. 2011-01-20.