Bellevue has a long list of famous and influential residents ranging from Admirals to billionaire entrepreneurs and on to both famous and infamous broadcast personalities. Here are some of Bellevue's most notable residents
On August 25, 2020, Bellevue lost a valued citizen and one of the town’s treasures – Bill Oddo. Bill has been a mainstay of the Bellevue Historical Society from its beginning.
Bill’s barber shop on Main Street was a gathering place for story tellers. These stories sparked his interest in Bellevue’s history, so in 1983 Bill began writing a weekly article in the Bellevue Gazette spotlighting the town’s rich past. These articles became one of the most popular features of the paper.
As a citizen, Bill has been very active in his church and community. Bill’s faith was very strong as he served the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in many ways, especially in working with the CYO. The Bellevue City Schools benefitted also from Bill’s efforts. He was an organizer of the Bellevue Boosters Club and he helped to initiate the Halls of Excellence program at the High School (Bill himself was recognized for that honor in 2000) as well as the Athletic Department’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Bill’s contributions to the Bellevue Historical Society are numerous. In 1987, he was a founding member of the Bellevue Heritage Museum which became the Bellevue Historical Society. He served the Society for many years on the Board of Directors, most of them as president. A pet project for Bill was the Tremont House Project. In 2002, Bill was the Society’s president when the building was purchased. He compiled the book, Bellevue: A Pictorial History to help pay for the Tremont House, obtaining a grant for its publication so that all profits would go to the project. In 2005, he was instrumental in the process required to have the Tremont House listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More recently, he dedicated all profits from his latest book, Stories of Old Bellevue – Vol. V, to the project. Just a few days before his death, on a drive past the Tremont House, Bill was excited to see the progress that has been made this summer.
In 2010, Bill received the Individual Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ohio Association of Historic Societies and Museums for his work in helping to preserve local history. A group of family and fellow Society members helped him to celebrate this award at a ceremony in Columbus. At the presentation, his introduction began with, “For almost thirty years, Bill Oddo has been making history come alive in Bellevue, Ohio.”
On May 20, 2010, when Bill retired as president, the Bellevue Historical Society recognized Bill for his many years of dedication at a reception at the Willows Clubhouse. Family and friends gathered to wish him well and to exchange stories. Then-mayor David Kile proclaimed May 20, 2010 to be Bill Oddo Day.
Bill will be remembered by posterity as Bellevue’s historian. His many books and newspaper articles contain a wealth of information on Bellevue’s past that otherwise might have been lost. We will surely miss Bill. He was THE reference person on questions about Bellevue’s history.
Business
- Henry Morrison Flagler - Standard Oil tycoon, developer of Eastern Florida and "Father of Miami", began his business career in Bellevue in the 1840s
- Stephen V. Harkness - who invested as a silent partner with Henry Morrison Flagler and oil titan John D. Rockefeller, Sr. to found Standard Oil. Stephen's son Lamon V. Harkness was born in Bellevue and was a "Standard Oil Heir" from the Harkness investments in Standard Oil
- Daniel M. Harkness, half brother of both Henry Flagler and Stephen V. Harkness was an investor in Standard Oil. He was Bellevue's weathiest long term resident.
- William L. Harkness, son of Daniel M. Harkness and "Standard Oil Heir" was born in Bellevue
- Cheryl Krueger - the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Cheryl & Co. aka "Cheryl's Cookies".
- Amos E. Northup - Automotive designer
Military Service
- Vice Admiral John W. Greenslade (Class of 1895) - Vice Admiral & U.S. Commander of the Pacific-Southern Naval Coastal Frontier during World War II
- Arthur F. Gorham - Commander of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment during World War II; twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the nation's second highest award for bravery
- Howard L. Vickery - Rear Admiral Howard Vickery, Vice Chairman U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II
Sports
- Benny LaPresta - NFL professional football player
- Bradbury Robinson - Threw the first forward pass in American football history, was born in Bellevue in 1884.
- Brad Snyder (Class of 2000) - The 2003 Mid-American Conference Baseball Player of the Year, a NCAA Division I All-American, and Outfielder in Chicago Cubs minor
Broadcasting
- Christi Paul - CNN reporter and anchor
Other
- Mildred Gillars (Also known as Axis Sally) attended Bellevue High School from 1913 to 1916 - Radio personality during World War II, best known for propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany. Mildred Gillars was convicted of treasons for Nazi radio broadcasts. (Read article here on the Fremont News Messenger)
- Brittany Binger - June 2007 Playboy Playmate and International Model