chief justice, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania George W. Pepper (1867–1961), former attorney and U.S. Senator William Pepper (1843–1898), former Free Library of Philadelphia founder and University of Pennsylvania provost Philip Syng Physick (1768–1837), former physician known as father of American surgery Marcus Aurelius Root (1808–1888), leading daguerreotypist and author Betsy Ross (1752–1836), sewed first American flag known as the Betsy Ross flag Benjamin Rush (1746–1813), former physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, educator, and Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence Peggy Shippen (1760–1804), former to American Revolution traitor Benedict Arnold and highest-paid spy in the American Revolution Leon Sullivan (1922–2001), former Baptist minister and social activist Manuel Torres (1762–1822), first Colombian ambassador to the U.S. Thomas Truxton (1755–1822), former American naval officer who rose to commodore Frank J. Webb (1828–c. 1894), former novelist, poet, essayist, and writer Media and literature Isaac Ashmead (1790–1870), former printer who served in the War of 1812 Isaac Asimov (1920–1992), former science fiction author Tony Auth (1942–2014), former editorial cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize and Herblock Prize winner Doug Banks (1958–2016), former nationally syndicated morning radio host Leslie Esdaile Banks (1959–2011), former author Donald Barthelme (1931–1989), former author Stan and Jan Berenstain (1923–2005), former children's writing and illustration couple Evelyn Berckman (1900–1978), former author Ben Bova (1932–2020), former science fiction author Mary D. R. Boyd (1809–1893), former children's book author Ed Bradley (1941–2006), former journalist, 60 Minutes Tony Bruno (born 1952), sports radio talk show host Maxwell Struthers Burt (1882–1954), former novelist, poet, and author Nathaniel Burt (1913–2003), former novelist, poet, composer, and author Francesca Anna Canfield (1803–1833), former linguist and writer Angelo Cataldi (born 1951), sports radio host Renee Chenault-Fattah (born 1957), WCAU-TV news anchor and wife of U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah Mary M. Cohen (1854–1911), former social economist, journalist, belletrist, and educator Michael Connelly (born 1956), author Benjamin De Casseres (1873–1945), former journalist, critic, essayist, and poet Joseph Dennie (1768–1812), former essaysist, The Lay Preacher, and The Port Folio founding editor Pete Dexter (born 1943), journalist, novelist, and National Book Award-winner Catharine H. Esling (1812–1897), former hymn writer and poet Courtney Friel (born 1980), KTLA-TV news anchor and reporter Charles Fuller (born 1939), playwright, Pulitzer Prize for Drama recipient, and Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play winner Jim Gardner (born 1948), WPVI-TV news anchor Mike Golic (born 1962), ESPN radio and television personality, former Philadelphia Eagles professional football player David Goodis