# List of people from Ottawa, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Ottawa, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Ottawa, Illinois.

## Academics and scientists

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Stephen L. Brusatte | | Apr 24, 1984 | | Paleontologist | Born in Ottawa | |
| Tom Flanagan | | Mar 5, 1944 | | Political scientist | Born in Ottawa | |

## Arts and culture

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Scotty Bowers | Jul 1, 1923 | Oct 13, 2019 | Author, Sex worker | Born and raised in Ottawa | https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/fashion/scotty-bowers-and-his-sexual-tell-all-of-old-hollywood.html?pagewanted=all |
| Keith Clark | | | Conductor and founder of the Pacific Symphony | Raised in Ottawa | |
| Santiago Durango | 1957 | | Musician | | |
| Kim Howard Johnson | Aug 6, 1955 | | Author of Monty Python books | Born in Ottawa | |
| Maria Kanellis | Feb 25, 1982 | | WWE wrestler, actress | Born in Ottawa | |
| George R. Lawrence | Feb 24, 1868 | Dec 15, 1938 | Photographer | Born in Ottawa | |
| Russell Lee | Jul 21, 1903 | Aug 28, 1986 | Photographer | Born in Ottawa | |
| Terrence Malick | Nov 30, 1943 | | Film writer and director | Born in Ottawa | |
| Johnston McCulley | Feb 2, 1883 | Nov 23, 1958 | Author of short stories, novels, and screenplays, creator of "Zorro" | Born in Ottawa | |
| Bob McGrath | Jun 13, 1932 | Dec 4, 2022 | Actor (Sesame Street) | Born in Ottawa | |
| Walt Willey | Jan 26, 1951 | | Actor (All My Children) | Born in Ottawa | |
| Alexander Wilson | May 25, 1953 | Oct 26, 1993 | Writer and activist | Born in Ottawa | |
| Mary Lee Wooters | Oct 24, 1924 | Jun 6, 1996 | Big band singer, film actress | Born in Centralia, Illinois, raised in Ottawa | |
| Brad Miller | 1981 | | Chef and TV Personality | Born in Ottawa | |

## Crime

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| John Patrick Looney | | 1865 | 1947 | Gangster, basis for character in Road to Perdition | Born in Ottawa | |

## Military

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| George H. Cameron | Jan 8, 1861 | Jan 28, 1944 | World War I commander of 4th Infantry Division and V Corps | Born in Ottawa |
| Theophilus Lyle Dickey | Oct 12, 1811 | Jul 22, 1885 | Federal judge and Mexican–American War cavalry officer | Resided in Ottawa |
| Frederic Dahl Evans | Jun 29, 1866 | May 1, 1953 | World War I brigadier general | Born in Ottawa |
| Reed G. Landis | Jul 17, 1896 | May 30, 1975 | World War I ace and National Commander of the American Legion | Born in Ottawa |
| Arthur L. Wagner | Mar 16, 1853 | Jun 17, 1905 | US Army brigadier general; born in Ottawa | Born in Ottawa |
| W. H. L. Wallace | Jul 8, 1821 | Apr 10, 1862 | Union Army brigadier general in the US Civil War | Practiced law in Ottawa |

## Medicine and academia

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Cornelia Chase Brant | | Dec 16, 1863 | Mar 9, 1959 | Quaker woman who began a medical career as a mature student; Dean of New York Medical College and Hospital for Women | Born in Ottawa | |

## Politics and law

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| William Reddick | Oct 31, 1812 | Mar 8,1885 | Businessman, Politician, Sheriff, Philanthropist | Served 47 Years in Ottawa |
| William D. Boyce | Jun 16, 1858 | Jun 11, 1929 | Founder of the Boy Scouts of America | |
| John Edward Cassidy | Jan 31, 1896 | Mar 25, 1984 | Illinois Attorney General 1938-41 | Born in Ottawa |
| Tom Corcoran | May 23, 1939 | | US congressman | Born in Ottawa |
| William Cullen | Mar 4, 1826 | Jan 17, 1914 | US congressman | |
| Harry Kelly | Apr 19, 1895 | Feb 8, 1971 | 39th governor of Michigan | Born in Ottawa |
| Maurice T. Moloney | Jul 26, 1849 | Mar 9, 1917 | Attorney General of Illinois and Mayor of Ottawa | |
| Charles Edgar Woodward | Dec 1, 1876 | May 15, 1942 | Federal judge United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois | |

## Sports
### Baseball

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Michael Hermosillo | Jan 17, 1995 | | Outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels | Born in Ottawa | Baseball Reference |
| Guy Hoffman | Jul 9, 1956 | | Pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers | Born in Ottawa | Baseball Reference |
| Ed Mickelson | Sep 9, 1926 | | First baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago Cubs; born in Ottawa | Born in Ottawa | Baseball Reference |
| Charlie Jaeger | Apr 17, 1875 | Sep 27, 1942 | Pitcher for the Detroit Tigers | Born in Ottawa | Baseball Reference |

### Football

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Aaron Shea | | Dec 5, 1976 | | Tight end and fullback for the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers | Born in Ottawa | |

### Golf

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Tim Finchem | | Apr 19, 1947 | | Golf commissioner | Born in Ottawa | |