Shrewsbury Famous People
The small borough of Shrewsbury in Monmouth County, New Jersey may not be as famous as its neighboring areas, but several notable individuals and personalities were either born or have resided in it. We look at the people who have significant contributions in their respective fields who are in one way or another associated with the borough.
Alfred N. Beadleston
The politician who died in 2000 served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly. He also once became the President of the New Jersey Senate. He is proudly a Shrewsbury product, too, having served as mayor of the borough before rising to political prominence in the state. Although he was born in nearby Rumson, NJ, Beadleston served as mayor of Shrewsbury from 1941 to 1952. His road to politics started in 1938 when he was elected to the Shrewsbury Borough Council. It only took him two years to get the borough’s top post.
Alisyn Camerota
Former Fox News Channel news anchor and current CNN New Day anchor Alysin Camerota is from Shrewsbury. Born as Alisyn Lane Camerota on June 21, 1966, she is one of the borough’s most successful individuals, and two Emmy Awards nominations highlight her career as a journalist. Camerota has experience in both national and international news coverage. Her most memorable frontline jobs include the coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, the Parkland school shooting, and the Paris and Brussels terror attacks. Aside from being a news anchor, she also is exposed to primetime specials, most notably The Hunting Ground: Sexual Assault on Campus and the Tipping Point: Sexual Harassment in America.
Jake Kalish
Kansas City Royals pitcher Jake Kalish was born on July 9, 1991, in neighboring Red Bank, New Jersey. Born to Jewish parents, Jake and his brother Ryan built a career in baseball in the major leagues. Although they were born in Red Bank, the brothers grew up in Shrewsbury, making the borough their hometown. Jake was selected in the 32nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft and was named as the best relief pitcher by the Kansas City Organization All-Star. With his Jewish roots, Jake played for Team Israel during the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
John Eatton Le Conte
John Eatton Le Conte has a recognizable surname because he is a member of one of America’s most renowned families that contributed heavily to science. The American naturalist lived from 1784 to 1860 and was born near Shrewsbury in New Jersey. He got his degree at Columbia College and went on to become a student of David Hosack for natural history. Le Conte was named the captain of the United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers in 1818.
John Lloyd Stephens
The American explorer, diplomat, and writer was born in Shrewsbury in 1805. He has a significant contribution to the rediscovery of the Maya civilization in Central America. He also is credited to be one of the people who paved the way for the construction of the Panama railway. Stephens was a well-traveled man, having been on a long journey throughout Europe in 1834 and found himself in Egypt and the Levant, too.