List of people from Utica, New York

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]^[2]
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
Jane Louisa Hardy – activist and philanthropist
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^[3]^[4]
Carrie Babcock Sherman – James Schoolcraft Sherman's wife, born in Utica
James Schoolcraft Sherman – U.S. vice president; born in Utica; buried there^[5]^[6]
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^[7]
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^[8] and graduated from Proctor High School;^[9]
Joe Bonamassa – blues musician^[10]
Steven Brill – film producer, director and screenwriter^[11]
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^[12]
Daryl Cobb – children's book author and national children's educational presenter,^[13] born in Utica^[14]
Fran Cosmo – musician of the band Boston^[15]
Tommy DeCarlo – musician of the band Boston^[16]
Debbie Friedman – singer-songwriter of Jewish religious-themed songs, born in Utica^[17]
Annette Funicello – actress and singer; born in Utica;^[18] poked mild fun at the city in her^[19] song "The Promised Land".^[20] 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^[21]
moe. – jam rock band^[22]
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
Lou Lazzaro, Racecar driver. Member Greater Utica Hall of Fame

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^[23]

Politicians

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
Bianca Devins – 17-year-old murder victim
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
Nyah Mway – 13-year-old killed by police
Dan Senor – columnist, writer, and political advisor to Mitt Romney
Michael Sweet – author of CUPS, attended SUNY Institute of Technology
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

^ United States Congress. "Roscoe Conkling (id: C000681)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
^ NNDB
^ Oneida County Freedom Trail
^ Mrs. Mecomber (June 14, 2008). "Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY". New York Traveler. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
^ United States Congress. "James Schoolcraft Sherman (id: S000345)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
^ NNDB
^ "WALKER, Benjamin, (1753 - 1818)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Office of the Historian, United States Congress. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
^ "Feature Artist: Vaughn Bode". A&H Magazine. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
^ "Happy Herbs". Art and Architecture – San Francisco. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
^ Browning, Tamara (May 3, 2012). "Guitarist Joe Bonamassa born to play the blues". State Journal-Register. Archived from the original on August 29, 2019.
^ Steve Brill. Festival del Sole. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
^ Chuck Dauphin (April 19, 2012). "Dick Clark Could Rock, But He Started Out Country". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
^ Bostwick, Joanne. "Author Visits by Daryl Cobb". Author Visits by Daryl Cobb. Daryl Cobb Production. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
^ Bostwick, Joanne. "About Daryl Cobb - Scrap Book". authorvisitsbydarylcobb.com/aboutme.html. Daryl Cobb Productions. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
^ "Utica native finds musical home on independent label". Utica Observer Dispatch. October 14, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ Derminio, Andrew; Todd, Nicole. "Utica Native And Boston Singer, Coming To Stanley Theatre". WIBX 950. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
^ Elaine Woo (January 11, 2011). "Debbie Friedman, self-taught Jewish folk singer, dies at 59". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
^ Annette Funicello at IMDb
^ "Music". Annette Connection. Retrieved June 23, 2013. 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.
^ Davey Jones (April 8, 2013). "Was Annette Funicello Making Fun Of Utica In 1983 With The Song "The Promised Land"?". WODZ 96.1 AM. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
^ "Angela Johnson: A one-woman soul band".
^ moe. at AllMusic
^ John Arlidge (January 11, 2009). "Steve Wynn: Raising the stakes in Vegas". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.

[1] United States Congress. "Roscoe Conkling (id: C000681)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

[2] NNDB

[3] Oneida County Freedom Trail

[MrsMecomber-4] Mrs. Mecomber (June 14, 2008). "Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY". New York Traveler. Retrieved September 13, 2010.

[5] United States Congress. "James Schoolcraft Sherman (id: S000345)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

[6] NNDB

[7] "WALKER, Benjamin, (1753 - 1818)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Office of the Historian, United States Congress. Retrieved June 23, 2013.

[8] "Feature Artist: Vaughn Bode". A&H Magazine. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.

[9] "Happy Herbs". Art and Architecture – San Francisco. Retrieved December 9, 2013.

[10] Browning, Tamara (May 3, 2012). "Guitarist Joe Bonamassa born to play the blues". State Journal-Register. Archived from the original on August 29, 2019.

[11] Steve Brill. Festival del Sole. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.

[12] Chuck Dauphin (April 19, 2012). "Dick Clark Could Rock, But He Started Out Country". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2017.

[Author_Visits_by_Daryl_Cobb-13] Bostwick, Joanne. "Author Visits by Daryl Cobb". Author Visits by Daryl Cobb. Daryl Cobb Production. Retrieved June 26, 2015.

[author_visits_by_Daryl_Cobb-14] Bostwick, Joanne. "About Daryl Cobb - Scrap Book". authorvisitsbydarylcobb.com/aboutme.html. Daryl Cobb Productions. Retrieved July 3, 2015.

[15] "Utica native finds musical home on independent label". Utica Observer Dispatch. October 14, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[16] Derminio, Andrew; Todd, Nicole. "Utica Native And Boston Singer, Coming To Stanley Theatre". WIBX 950. Retrieved January 12, 2023.

[17] Elaine Woo (January 11, 2011). "Debbie Friedman, self-taught Jewish folk singer, dies at 59". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 11, 2013.

[18] Annette Funicello at IMDb

[19] "Music". Annette Connection. Retrieved June 23, 2013. 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.

[20] Davey Jones (April 8, 2013). "Was Annette Funicello Making Fun Of Utica In 1983 With The Song "The Promised Land"?". WODZ 96.1 AM. Retrieved June 23, 2013.

[21] "Angela Johnson: A one-woman soul band".

[22] . at AllMusic

[23] John Arlidge (January 11, 2009). "Steve Wynn: Raising the stakes in Vegas". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]