George A. Hormel
Born
George Albert Hormel

(1860-12-04)December 4, 1860
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
DiedJune 5, 1946(1946-06-05) (aged 85)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Known forFounder of Hormel Foods Corporation
SpouseLillian Belle Gleason
ChildrenJay Catherwood Hormel
RelativesJames Hormel
(grandson)
Geordie Hormel
(grandson)
Smokey Hormel
(great-grandson)

George Albert Hormel (December 4, 1860 – June 5, 1946) was an American entrepreneur, he was the founder of Hormel Foods Corporation (then known as George A. Hormel & Co.) in 1891. His ownership stake in the company made him one of the wealthiest Americans during his lifetime.

Early life

Hormel was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1860 to German immigrant John George Hormel, a leather tanner, and Susannah "Susan" Hormel (née Decker), and later settled in Austin, Minnesota.[1] At the age of twelve, he began working in a Chicago packinghouse.[2] Hormel married Lilian Belle Gleason in 1892.[3]

Hormel Foods Corporation

He established his meat packing company in 1891 and established a food company that continues to thrive today.

He remained head of the company until 1929, when he passed it to his son Jay Catherwood Hormel.

Death and legacy

He died on June 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 85. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Minnesota.[4]

His great-grandson Smokey Hormel is a noted guitarist.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] "George Albert Hormel, the son of German immigrants, used the knowledge, skills, and values he learned from his family to succeed as an independent meatpacker in an industry dominated by corporate giants."
  2. ^ Engelmann, Larry (1974). "'We were the poor people': the Hormel strike of 1933". Labor History. NYC: Tamiment Institute. 14 (4): 484. doi:10.1080/00236567408584309. ISSN 0023-656X. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019.
  3. ^ Gaul, Anita. "George A. Hormel." In Immigrant Entrepreneurship: German-American Business Biographies, 1720 to the Present, vol. 3, edited by Giles R. Hoyt. German Historical Institute. Last modified September 05, 2013.
  4. ^ Thornley, Stew (2004). Six Feet Under: A Graveyard Guide to Minnesota. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-87351-514-6.
  5. ^ Alex Cohen (2017). How Smokey Hormel Became The Quintessential Session Musician. NPR.org, accessed 20 July 2021

External links

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