Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (1883 - 1971)

Renowned Fashion Designer. Born a peasant and raised in an orphanage, she grew up with a gift of fashion and a keen awareness of social trends. Some of her most famous creations were worn by Jackie Kennedy. Coco Chanel died in 1971 at the age of 88. The House of Chanel still exists today. She […]

Otis Chandler (1927 - 2006)

Publisher. Known as a swashbuckling former publisher of the Los Angeles Times, he is credited with rescuing his family’s newspaper from mediocrity and establishing it as a nationally respected media voice. He was a California beach boy who, during his aggressive 20-year tenure as publisher of the Los Angeles Times in the 1960s and 1970s, […]

Harry Chandler (1864 - 1944)

Entrepreneur. In the early 1880s, he moved to California, where he worked outside as a fruit picker in the San Fernando Valley. From the fruit fields, he started a small delivery company that soon became responsible for delivering many of the city’s morning newspapers. He eventually bought a newspaper circulation route which got him hired […]

Albert Brown Chandler (1840 - 1923)

Corporate executive. During the Civil War Chandler worked as a War Department telegraph operator. He developed ciphers for transmitting secret communications, and was confidential telegrapher for President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.  After the war Chandler remained with the Army and was in charge of completing cables for operation of Transatlantic telegraph […]

Joseph Cattarinich (1881 - 1938)

Professional Hockey Pioneer, Team Owner. Born on the St. Lawrence River, near Quebec City, Quebec, in 1881, he played hockey from a very young age. He later played for the Montreal Nationals. He met a young man named Georges Vezina while playing with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1909-1910 season.  George wa an up and […]

Samuel Truett Cathy (1921 - 2014)

Businessman. He was the founder of the nationally franchised “Chick-fil-A” fast food restaurant. He began the chain in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb of Hapeville in 1946 with a restaurant called the Dwarf Grill, named because of its small size. It was there that he, along with his brother and business partner, Ben, created the chicken […]

Don Casto (1898 - 1963)

Businessman. Born in Upper Arlington, Ohio, he is recognized as a pioneer in the shopping center industry. He began his career in real estate selling, then building single-family homes, which led to in town real estate properties and the upstart shopping center industry. After World War II, he worked to change the shopping patterns of […]

John Cassell (1817 - 1865)

Businessman. The son of a Manchester publican, he was apprenticed to a joiner. Self-educated, he moved to London in 1836 where he became involved in the Temperance Movement. In 1847 he established himself as a tea and coffee merchant and soon afterwards started a publishing buisness with the aim of providing good literature to the […]

Sir John Cass (1970 - 1718)

Merchant and philanthropist, founded a school which still exists, not far form the church where he is buried.

Hartwell Carver (1970 - 1875)

Railroad Pioneer. Born in Rhode Island, he attended Hamilton College in 1813 and was graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1816. He practiced medicine for 50 years, but was often away for extended periods. He traveled to Europe, England and studied medicine in those places. He became enamored with the railroads in those places and […]

Thomas Carvel (1906 - 1990)

Business Magnate. Founder of the Carvel Ice Cream business empire.  Family links:  Spouse:  Agnes S Carvel (1908 – 1998)* *Calculated relationship

Richard H. Carroll (1970 - 1970)

Riverboat captain.

Earl Carroll (1893 - 1948)

Theatrical Producer, Nightclub Owner. His racy “Vanities” musical revues were among Broadway’s most popular shows of the 1920s. He later pioneered in the “supper club” theatre concept. A native of Pittsburgh, Carroll entered show business in 1912 as a staff lyricist for the Feist music publishing company. After serving in the US Army Air Force […]

Willis Haviland Carrier (1876 - 1950)

Businessman, Inventor. Born in Angola, New York, he was engineer, most noted for inventing modern air conditioning. Educated at Cornell University, he started working at  the Buffalo Forge Company in 1901. In 1902, he designed the first system to control temperature and humidity. His “Rational Psychrometric Formulae” introduced in 1911, initiated scientific air-conditioning design for […]

Curtis Leroy “Curt” Carlson (1914 - 1999)

Businessman. He was the founder of Carlson Companies Incorporated and creator of Gold Bond Stamps, one of America’s biggest private firms. In 1938, he used a $55 loan to start his Gold Bond Stamps Company. Based on trading stamps to provide consumer incentive for grocery stores, gas stations and other businesses, the stamps could be […]

Mathew Carey (1760 - 1839)

Publisher. At fifteen, he decided to be both a printer and bookseller, and two years later he produced his first pamphlet. A later publication, addressed to Irish Catholics was so incendiary that Carey had to escape Ireland to avoid prosecution and imprisonment. After fleeing to Paris, Carey met Benjamin Franklin who represented the United States […]

Giovanni Cantisano, Sr (1886 - 1973)

Businessman. He was one of the two founders of Ragu Foods, International. (bio by: Kevin Mannara)  Family links:  Spouse:  Assunta Masiello Cantisano (1892 – 1980)* *Calculated relationship

Assunta Masiello Cantisano (1892 - 1980)

Businesswoman. She was one of the two founders of Ragu Foods, International. (bio by: Kevin Mannara)  Family links:  Spouse:  Giovanni Cantisano (1886 – 1973)

Charles Canfield (1848 - 1913)

Industrialist.  A major developer of the oil industry in Southern California and Mexico,  and closest friend and business partner of  Edward L. Doheny.  Charles Adelbert Canfield was born in Springfield,  New York.  In 1869 he set out for Colorado as a prospector and struggled for 17 years in the Southwest before striking it rich in […]

Asa Griggs Candler, Sr (1851 - 1929)

Businessman. Prominent Atlanta business figure who bought the formula for Coca Cola (invented by pharmacist John Pemberton) and turned it into a household name through innovative promotion and marketing.  Reportedly, He paid $2,300 for the formula in 1887 and in 1919 gave most of the stock of Coke to his children, whom later sold the […]

James Campbell (1970 - 1914)

Businessman. One of St. Louis’ wealthiest citizens when he died. During the Civil War, at the age of 14, he served as a messenger at Union General John C. Fremont’s headquarters. After the war, he worked as a surveyor for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and began buying land ahead of the tracks. He later […]

George Cadbury (1839 - 1922)

Businessman, Social Reformer. Cocoa and chocolate manufacturer and philanthropist, son of a Quaker grocer, Cadbury worked for a time in Joseph Rowntree’s grocery store. They both became world-wide competitors as chocolate manufacturers. In 1861, together with his brother, Richard, he took over the family buisness and in 1878, acquired land for a new factory three […]

Ransom Reed Cable (1834 - 1909)

Businessman. Served as president of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Company. His uncle, Philander Cable, was president of the Rock Island-Peoria Railroad. Ransom donated to Rock Island its waterworks pumping station. Philander’s son, Ben Cable, was a congressman from the Rock Island district for many years, after which time he spent some time […]

John Butterfield, Sr (1801 - 1869)

He was a self-taught youngster born on a farm during the era of new technology which saw the first steamboat and the electric telegraph. At 18, he decided that he wanted to be a stagecoach driver.  He saved his money which resulted in the startup of his own delivery business.  Hardwork found him owner of […]

Ovid Butler (1801 - 1881)

Education Pioneer, Abolitionist, Publisher. He was born in Augusta, New York but at the age of sixteen moved with his family to Indiana where he became a successful preacher, lawyer and publisher. An ardent opponent of slavery he established, in 1849, an Indianapolis newspaper called “The Free Soil Banner” which espoused his political views against […]

Asa Smith Bushnell (1834 - 1904)

Ohio Governor, Business Executive. Born in Rome, New York, he moved to Ohio with his parents in 1846 and settled near Cincinnati. He moved to Springfield, Ohio in 1852 and found employment at a dry goods store. During the Civil War, he helped to organize a company of volunteers for one hundred days service. The […]

August Anheuser “Gussie” Busch, Jr (1899 - 1989)

Businessman. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the President and CEO head of the Anheuser Busch Brewery the largest brewery in the world, (1946-75). He succeeded his older brother Adolphus bush III as President and CEO and began using the Bud Clydesdale Horse Team as a company logo. He was an avid sportsman and […]

August Anheuser Busch, Sr (1865 - 1934)

Businessman, President of Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company. Born in St Louis, Missouri on December 29, 1865, August was the eldest son of Lilly (Anheuser) and Adolphus Busch. After completing his studies at Lyon Free School in St Louis, Missouri, he attended Morgan Park Military Institute in Chicago, Illinois and the Kemper School of Boonville, Missouri. He […]

Adolphus Busch (1839 - 1913)

Businessman, Co-founder of Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company. Adolphus Busch was the second of 22 children born to Barbara (Pfeifer) and Ulrich Busch in Kastel, Mainz, Grand Duchy of Hesse (now Germany). His father was a wealthy landowner and had business interests in the lumber, winery and brewing businesses. His father’s position and wealth assured that Adolphus […]

Leo Burnett (1891 - 1971)

Advertising Executive. He founded the highly successful Leo Burnett Advertising Company, which over time served giant corporate clients such as Proctor and Gamble, Philip Morris Company, Pillsbury, United Airlines, and General Motors, and created iconic advertising characters such as the “Marlboro Man”, and “Tony the Tiger”.  Family links:  Parents:  Noble I Burnett (1864 – 1928) […]