List of people from Mansfield, Ohio

The following is a list of people from Mansfield, Ohio. These people were born, lived, or worked in and around the city.

Architecture

• Paul Gilger, architect, set designer and playwright
• Friedrich Ferdinand Schnitzer, architect with many structures on the National Register of Historic Places; principal architect and superintendent of construction for Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield

Astronauts

• Michael L. Gernhardt, astronaut

Athletics

• Ernie Beam, former pitcher in the National League for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1895
• AJ Blubaugh, pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB} for the Houston Astros (2025–present)
• Hugh Douglas, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end
• Jamie Feick, former NBA player
• Pete Henry, professional football player
• Natalie Hershberger, six-time National Olympic-style Taekwondo champion
• Mary Holda, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Taylor Huff, professional soccer player, Bay FC
• Dick Logan, professional football player
• Terry McDaniel, professional football player for the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks
• Ricky Minard, professional basketball player
• Don Nehlen, former head football coach
• Bill Peterson, former head football coach: Florida State, Mansfield Senior High, Rice University, and Houston Oilers
• Ryan Pore, professional soccer player, Major League Soccer, Kansas City Wizards
• Marc Wilkins, former MLB pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1996—2001)

Authors and writers

• Jacob Brinkerhoff, jurist, congressman, and author
• Roeliff Brinkerhoff, lawyer; editor and owner of the Mansfield Herald; later a bank president
• Louis Bromfield, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Stacy Dittrich, true crime author and mystery novelist
• Natalie Hershberger, author
• Terry Hertzler, poet and writer
• Mary Bigelow Ingham, educator, writer, social reformer
• Christopher Moore, author

Entertainment

• Lee Adams, stage lyricist
• Jenni Barber, actress, The Electric Company
• John Bishop, playwright and film writer
• James Lapine, playwright and director
• Michael McConnohie, voice actor
• Sylvia McNair, operatic soprano
• Luke Perry, actor (television), Beverly Hills, 90210
• Daniel Roemer, film director, screenwriter
• Robert F. Simon, actor

Entrepreneurs

• Homer Lee, engraver, artist, entrepreneur, founder of Homer Lee Bank Note Company

Military

• Matthias W. Day, US Army Medal of Honor recipient
• Frank Purdy Lahm, first Army aviator
• Mark Matthews, veteran

Musicians and bands

• Music Explosion, rock group; James "Jamie" Lyons (singer, percussion), Donald Atkins (guitar), Richard Nesta (guitar), Burton Stahl (bass), Robert Avery (drums); top ten hit in 1967, "Little Bit O'Soul"
• Ohio Express, rock group; Doug Grassel (rhythm guitar), Dale Powers (lead guitar), Dean Kastran (bass), Jim Pfahler (keyboards), and Tim Corwin (drums)
• Switch, Motown R&B/soul group

Politicians

• Charlie Brown, West Virginia attorney general
• Sherrod Brown, U.S. senator for Ohio
• Jay Goyal, member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• William Johnston, U.S. representative for Ohio
• Lovana Jones, member of the Illinois House of Representatives
• Winfield S. Kerr, U.S. representative for Ohio
• B. F. Langworthy, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Robert Byington Mitchell, governor of the New Mexico Territory 1866–1869
• William Patterson, U.S. representative for Ohio
• Mark Romanchuk, member of the Ohio Senate

Scientists

• Paul Parmalee, zooarchaeologist

Other

• Rebecca Gernhardt Cox (born c. 1955), assistant secretary of transportation; public liaison director for President Reagan; senior vice president, Continental Airlines
• Shawn Grate, serial killer
• Rose Knox, née Markward (1857–1950), businesswoman (Knox Gelatin Factory)
• Roy Repp (1882–1934), stunt driver

References