Milton Hershey, the chocholate man.
By Clark Hindman
Milton Hershey, a helper to all
People all over the world today know Milton Hershey and his chocolate. What they don't know is that not only he made chocolate for a living, he helped the country with his skills. He was a role model for all of America, never giving up even when he wasn't successful.
Milton S. Hershey's Early Life
Milton Hershey was born on September 13, 1857, in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. As a child, Hershey loved candy. He dreamed of becoming a candy maker one day. Then, when he was 14, he finally got to be a confectioner apprentice. From that day on, Hershey always trailed his dream of becoming a confectioner.
Milton S. Hershey Middle life
In 1875, Hershey borrowed $150 from his aunt and set up his own candy shop in Philadelphia. For five long years Hershey worked hard on the candy business. But success didn’t come to him. Finally, he closed his shop to try to work somewhere else. Both his later attempts failed. He returned to Lancaster and, still convinced he could build a successful candy company, started the Lancaster Caramel Company with the help of Lebbie Lebkicher. Success soon followed. Within a few short years, Hershey had a successful business and was shipping his caramels he made all over the country.At the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Hershey saw someone making chocolate with a certain machine. He was immediately in love. While his caramel business boomed, Hershey started the Hershey Chocolate Company.In 1900 he sold the Lancaster Caramel Company for $1 million, which was a lot back then. Three years later he began building a modern candy-making facility in Derry Church. It opened in 1905, setting a new course for Hershey and the candy industry. Quickly, the Hershey Chocolate Company's success got much more money than his caramel company. His winning ideas included the Hershey Kiss in 1907, which the company's founder named himself. As the company grew and Hershey's wealth expanded, so did his idea of creating. In the town that came to be known as Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hershey built schools, parks, churches, recreational facilities and housing for his employees. At his side was his wife, Catherine, whom he'd married in 1898. Unable to have children of their own, the Hersheys focused a good portion of their giving on endeavors that affected kids.
Milton S. Hershey Late Life
. Hershey's company kept going even when the economy struggled and he was nearing the end of his life. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, Hershey ignited a building mini-boom in his town in order to keep men from losing any jobs. He ordered the construction of a large hotel, a community building and new offices for the Hershey Company. During World War II, Hershey backed the country's military efforts by supplying forces with chocolate bars called the Ration D Bar. He was given a medal for helping the country. To those who knew Hershey, his generosity wasn't surprising. Shy and reserved, Hershey's quiet demeanor contrasted greatly with many of America's other business titans.
Conclusion
While he rarely wrote or read, and had been forced to leave school early, Hershey was driven to make sure those around him received a great education. His display of wealth was rather modest, if not downright thrifty. His house and the community he'd helped create meant everything to him. When it came to building his own home, he made sure the Hershey Company headquarters was part of the view. Following his wife Catherine's death, Hershey never remarried. In keeping with the work ethic his mother instilled in him, Hershey continued to work well into his 80s. He died in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on October 13, 1945. His legacy as a businessman continues to this day. The Hershey Chocolate Company has endured as one of the world's great candy makers, with brands that include Almond Joy, Mounds, Cadbury, Reese's and Twizzler. He started off at a bad start, but he never gave up. Milton S. Hershey was an inspirational and a helping person in American history and helped everyone, making candy or not. So when you think of Hershey, don't think of just chocolate. Think of all he did to help the world.
Milton S. Hershey