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Monday, July 3, 2023

The "Famous Faces From Lancaster, Pennsylvania - Part II - Story

It was an ordinary day.  The next two tier of famous faces are people who had strong support to make the list of famous residents in Lancaster County.  The next list begins with a newsmaker (literally), a renowned architect, a groundbreaking female athlete and a prominent Black businessman.  Follow along and see how many of this list of well-known Lancastrians you may recognize.  

Tier Level I

John Frederick and James Hale Steinman:  The Steinman brothers seeded private foundations to provide grants that would give back to the community, which paved the way for today's Steinman Foundation.  The many contributions that were given by the Steinman brothers helped the Lancaster community in which they lived.  The brothers many contributions to their community included publishing Lancaster Newspapers Inc. which is the predecessor of LNP Media Group.  They also supported the founding of WGAL Television and working philanthropically with Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster General Hospital and the Lancaster Boys Club and more.

C. Emlen Urban:  Mr. Urban was a prolific Lancaster architect who had a tangible and lasting impact on development still seen in Lancaster's Griest Building, Southern Market House and the Watt & Shand Building which today is the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square and Lancaster County Convention Center.  He was born in 1863 in Conestoga Township and was an 1880 graduate of Lancaster Boys High School.

Mimi Senkowski Griffin:  Griffin was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.  She was ESPN's top women's basketball analyst from 1983-89 and worked for CBS from 1985-91.  In 1990 she became the first female color analyst on a men's NCAA tournament game.  Mimi scored 1,168 points in her scholastic basketball career, and as a senior in 1974 helped Lancaster Catholic win a State Championship.

William Whipper & Stephen Smith:  Abolitionist Whipper, and another Black businessman, Stephen Smith, were running Smith and Whipper Lumber Merchants in Columbia, Pa. by the 1830s.  The men use railroad cars to transport their lumber and to secretly hide and transport freedom-seeking, formerly enslaved people to safer areas in and around Philadelphia on what was known as the Underground Railroad. 

This tier of historic supporters provided everything from transportation to aide in hiding people.  The following will give you the final list of famous people and faces who were picked by readers of the Lancaster Newspaper who were famous residents of Lancaster County during their lifetime.

  

Tier Level II

Those listed in this final list were Lancastrians who received some support from residents of Lancaster who considered them as outstanding residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  The list is rather lengthy so I have just listed their names and a short note as to why they were picked as an historic supporter of Lancaster.

Madeline Anderson - First American Black woman to direct a TV documentary.

Romayne Bridgett - Renowned musician, performer and teacher who earned numerous prizes in National and International vocal competitions.

Robert Fulton - Developed the steamboat and designed a submarine for Napoleon.

Leon "Buddy" Glover - Was the Lancaster School District's first Black Principal.

Taylor Kinney - Actor and model and an investor in Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse.

William Chester Ruth - At 41 years old opened black-smith shop in Gap as a free Black man and given credit for four patented inventions.

Bruce Sutter - Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and Donegal High School graduate who played for the Chicago Cubs.

Roy Clair and Gene Clair - Founded the company that would become Clair Global, an anchor of what is now Rock Lititz.

Jim Furyk - Professional golfer who graduated from Manheim Township High School in 1988 and began his profession career in 1992.  He was also the high school baseball catcher who caught for my son Derek.

Jonathan Groff - An actor and 2003 Conestoga Valley HS graduate who appeared in "Frozen", "Hamilton", and "Merrily We Roll Along."

Johnny Weir - Spent his early years in Quarryville, PA.  Was a 3-time US national champion in men's figure skating in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

The Albatwitch of Chickies Rock - Local urban legend humanoid creature.

The Belsnickel - Pennsylvania version of Santa Claus

Michael Tait - Founded Lititz's Tait Towers, a live event provider of staging.

Kristen Wiig - American actress, comedian, writer and producer.

August Burns Red - Five member band from Manheim who was nominated for Best Metal Performance Grammy.

Matt Nagy - Led Manheim Central Barons to PIAA Class AAA playoffs in 1994 and now coaches Kansas City Chiefs.

Evelyn Ay Sempier - Crowned Miss America in 1954

Simon Cameron - Succeeded Buchanan as U.S. Senator for PA in 1845 under Abraham Lincoln

John Darrenkamp - Bass opera singer who sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1957

Tom Herr - Hempfield grad who played 13 years in the majors and was in three World Series.  Was Lancaster Barnstormers 1st manager.

Dan Kreider - Manheim Central grad who played fullback for 10 seasons in the NFL.  He was on the Pittsburgh Steelers when they won Super Bowl XL.

Brad Rutter - Manheim Township graduate who was the top money winner on "Jeopardy."

Don Wert - Came out of New Providence to play 9 seasons of professional baseball.  Played for the Detroit Tigers in World Series in 1968 when they won the Series.

Wally Walker - Led the Univesity of Virginia to 1st ACC basketball championship in 1976.

Jennifer Gareis - 1988 McCaskey grad known for her television roles on soap operas "The Young & the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful."

It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

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