As a general rule, if the only interesting information about a person is that they did X, then they do not deserve a page of their own. It adds no useful knowledge.

Now that I think of it, that is really what this is about. Does having a page about this guy that basically says he created clojure add anything useful to the world? It's clear in this case it doesn't. At least nothing that couldn't be said in the clojure article.

Knowledge is about organization (it could be argued that knowledge literally is organizing information). Does having an article about a guy whose sole notable accomplishment is clojure help to increase knowledge, ie increase organization of information? No, there is nothing to organize. For your Grace Metalious example, having a page that organizes her notable accomplishments is in fact adding knowledge to the world.