William Procter

Birth Name:
William Procter
Birth Date:
December 7, 1801
Birth Place:
Herefordshire, England
Death Date:
April 4, 1884
Place of Death:
297 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio
Age:
82
Cause of Death:
General Debility
Cemetery Name:
Spring Grove Cemetery
Claim to Fame:
Business and Finance
William Procter was an English-born American industrialist and candlemaker who was the co-founder of Procter & Gamble Company in 1837, along with James Gamble. William Procter came to New York City in 1830 after his London woolens shop was destroyed by fire and burglary. He and his wife, Martha, soon decided to travel west to the country’s new frontier but were forced to stop in Cincinnati when Martha became ill and ultimately died of cholera. Procter stayed in Cincinnati making a living as a candlemaker and remarried Olivia Norris. Olivia’s sister was married to James Gamble, a soapmaker. At the suggestion of their father-in-law, the two men went into business together. In 1837, Procter & Gamble (P&G) was born as a storefront business in Cincinnati.

Fun Facts

P&G pioneered several firsts:

  • Instituted a profit-sharing program that gave employees an ownership stake in the company. (1887)
  • Became the first company to conduct data-based market research. (1924)
  • Created Crest toothpaste, a breakthrough in the use of fluoride to protect against tooth decay, the second most prevalent disease at the time. (1955)

Today, P&G serves nearly five billion of the world’s seven billion people.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Spring Grove Cemetery

4521 Spring Grove Avenue

Cincinnati, Ohio, 45232

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio
Map of Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio

Grave Location:

Section 47, Lot 76, Grave 8

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery through the main entrance drive straight ahead under the trestle bridge and drive straight, veering slightly to the right after the first couple of sections. Bordered by Sections 38, 46 and 55, look for the Procter monument right on the road in Section 47, directly across from Section 46.

Grave Location GPS

39.1712141, -84.5220897

Photos:

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Read More About William Procter:

Videos Featuring William Procter:
Business Legends: Procter & Gamble
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popular name: Henry Sherwin

date_of_death: June 26, 1916

age: 73

cause_of_death: Natural causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Henry Sherwin was the president and co-founder (with Osborn and Williams) of the Sherwin-Williams Company - one of the largest paint and coating manufacturing companies in the world. In February 1870 the three gentleman each invested $15,000 for equal shares in what became "Sherwin Williams & Co". The company prospered and in its first year reported sales of $422,390. In 2020 the company reported revenues in excess of $18 billion.

George Huntington Hartford

popular name: George Huntington Hartford

date_of_death: August 29, 1917

age: 83

cause_of_death: Natural Causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: George Huntington Hartford headed The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P Super Market from 1878 to 1917. During this period, A&P created the concept of the chain grocery store and expanded into the country's largest retailer. By 1930, A&P operated approximately 16,000 stores and became the first retailer to report combined revenue of US$1 billion. By 1950, of every dollar the U.S. spends on food, about 10¢ is passed over A&P counters—a massive yearly total of $2.9 billion. Next to General Motors, the A&P sold more goods than any other company in the world. Unfortunately the last 25 years of A&P were not kind as they made one bad business decision after another and after 156 years in business, they closed the doors for good in 2015.

Caleb Bradham

popular name: Caleb Bradham

date_of_death: February 19, 1934

age:

cause_of_death: Hardening of the arteries with complications

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

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