List of Famous people born in Massachusetts, United States of America
Barbara W. Snelling
Barbara Tuttle Snelling was elected the 78th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont in 1992 and served two terms (1993–1997), suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in 1996 while campaigning for governor. She was elected to the Vermont State Senate in 1998, where she served until she suffered a second stroke; she resigned in 2002.
Abigail May Alcott Nieriker
Abigail May Alcott Nieriker was an American artist and the youngest sister of Louisa May Alcott. She was the basis for the character Amy in her sister's semi-autobiographical novel Little Women (1868). She was named after her mother, Abigail May, and first called Abba, then Abby, and finally May, which she asked to be called in November 1863 when in her twenties.
Thomas Nickerson
Thomas Gibson Nickerson was an American sailor and author. In 1819, when he was fourteen years old, Nickerson served as cabin boy on the whaleship Essex. On this voyage, the ship was sunk by a whale it was pursuing, and the crew spent three months at sea before the survivors were rescued. In 1876 he wrote The Loss of the Ship "Essex," an account of the ordeal and of his subsequent experiences at sea. The manuscript was lost until 1960, and was first published in 1984.
Josh Greenfeld
Josh Greenfeld was an author and screenwriter mostly known for his screenplay for the 1974 film Harry and Tonto along with Paul Mazursky, which earned them an Academy Award nomination and its star, Art Carney, the Oscar itself for Best Actor. Greenfeld also wrote Oh, God! Book II and the TV special Lovey and is the author of several books about his autistic son, Noah Greenfeld.
Wendell Corey
Wendell Reid Corey was an American actor and politician. He was President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was a board member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Tabitha Babbitt
Sarah "Tabitha" Babbitt was an early American Shaker purported to be a tool maker and inventor. Inventions credited to her by the Shakers include the circular saw, the spinning wheel head, and false teeth. She was a member of the Harvard Shaker community.
John P. Riley, Jr.
John Patrick Riley was an American ice hockey player and coach. The hockey coach at West Point for more than 35 years, Riley coached the United States to the gold medal at the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, during which he cut future Olympic coach Herb Brooks at the last minute. He played for the U.S. Olympic team at the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics.
Mary Watson Whitney
Mary Watson Whitney was an American astronomer and for 22 years the head of the Vassar Observatory where 102 scientific papers were published under her guidance.
Geoffrey Bowers
Geoffrey Francis Bowers was the plaintiff in one of the first HIV/AIDS discrimination cases to go to public hearing.
Maribel Vinson
Maribel Yerxa Vinson-Owen was an American figure skater and coach. She competed in the disciplines of ladies' singles and pair skating. As a single skater, she was the 1932 Olympic bronze medalist, a two-time World medalist, the 1937 North American champion, and a nine-time U.S. national champion. As a pair skater, she was the 1935 North American champion and four-time national champion with George Hill. She also won two national titles with Thornton Coolidge. She was the first female sportswriter at The New York Times, and continued competing and winning medals while working as a full-time reporter.