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Mark Wieting
I did not know that Wikipedia has a category called People from Lombard, Illinois. There’s one on Glen Ellyn, too. But to find the various towns’ notables, you have to search with this format, underscores and all: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:People_from_Villa_Park,_Illinois Just insert your favorite town. Although you probably know about Sheldon Peck, his homestead museum at Grace Street and St. Charles Road, and the underground railroad connection, here are some Lombard entries, all from Wikipedia.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio first appeared on screen in Brian De Palma's Scarface (1983) as Gina, sister of Al Pacino's Tony Montana. She achieved prominence for her Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated role in The Color of Money (1986) opposite Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.
Sheldon Peck (August 26, 1797 – March 19, 1868) was an American folk artist, conductor on the Underground Railroad, and social activist. Peck's portraiture – with its distinctive style – is a prime example of 19th century American folk art. He also become known for advocating abolitionism, racial equality, temperance, public education, women's rights, and pacifism.[1]
And people I’ve never hear of, like Rick John Santelli (born July 6, 1956) is an American editor for the CNBC Business News network.[3] He joined CNBC as an on-air editor on June 14, 1999, reporting primarily from the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade. He was formerly the vice president for an institutional trading and hedge fund account for futures-related products. He is also credited as being a catalyst in the early formation of the Tea Party movement via a statement he made on February 19, 2009.[4]
Then of course there are Dallas Frueh, Russ Gamester and Bob Schacht, all race car drivers. Villa Park has Bobby Wawak, another driver. Love that name.
Perhaps the most interesting entry:
Ellen Annette Martin (January 16, 1847 – March 13, 1916) was an early and little-known American attorney who achieved an early victory in securing women's suffrage in Illinois. She was the first woman to vote in Illinois.
Ellen Martin graduated the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor law school in 1875 and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1876.[2][3]
On April 6, 1891, in Lombard, Illinois, Ellen Martin led a group of 14 prominent women to the voting place at the general store. Although suffrage was restricted to men in Illinois at that time, Lombard was governed by its pre-1870 compact which omitted any mention of gender.[4] Miss Martin therefore demanded that the three male election judges allow the women to vote. Reportedly, the voting judges were flabbergasted by Miss Martin: "Mr. Marquardt was taken with a spasm, Reber leaned stiff against the wall, and Vance fell backward into the flour barrel."[5]
A county judge eventually proclaimed the legitimacy of the women's votes, which became the first women's votes tabulated in Illinois history. Thus, Ellen Martin was the first woman in Illinois to vote. However, the men of Lombard quickly reorganized the town charter in line with the state charter, so that women were only allowed to vote in school elections. By 1916, Illinois women could vote in presidential elections, and for all statutory offices, and the 19th Amendment (the Women's Suffrage Amendment) was passed in 1920.
Tom Marquardt, any relation?
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