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Famous Residents Edgar Lee Masters was born in 1869 in Garnett, Kansas, and spent his childhood years in Lewistown, Illinois. His family was poor so Masters did not have the money to attend college. He studied law and at age 27 he became a lawyer. He practiced law in Chicago from 1892 to 1920, but he didn’t become famous for his legal career, rather as a poet and biographer. His most famous creation was Spoon River Anthology. Written in 1915, Spoon River Anthology is a collection on 243 verse epitaphs, short monologues that reveal the secret lives of dead citizens of the fictional Spoon River community. The poems interlock and are based upon partial realities and Master’s childhood experiences. Spoon River Anthology was original and influential for its time, shattering the image of small town America. Steven Nagel was born October 27, 1946, in Canton, Illinois. He graduated from Canton High School in 1964 and went on to graduate from the University of Illinois. While at U of I, Nagel joined the Air Force ROTC program. After receiving his Master’s degree, Nagel served as a pilot in the Air Force until 1979 when he became a NASA astronaut. Nagel participated in four space flights and logged more than 700 hours in space. In 1995 he retired from the Air Force but continues to hold a position with NASA in Houston, Texas, at Johnson Space Center. back to top QuincyNet Home Copyright© 2002-2003 by QuincyNet, a division of HCW Ltd. All Rights Reserved