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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FAQ's

William Procter was born on December 7, 1801.

William Procter was born in Herefordshire, England.

William Procter died on April 4, 1884.

William Procter died in 297 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.

William Procter was 82.

The cause of death was General Debility.

William Procter's grave is in Spring Grove Cemetery

Read More About William Procter:

Videos Featuring William Procter:

Watch YouTube video titled Business Legends: Procter & Gamble
Business Legends: Procter & Gamble
Watch YouTube video titled How P&G has been scoring number ones for 180 years
How P&G has been scoring number ones for 180 years

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Rowland H. Macy

popular name: Rowland H. Macy

date_of_death: March 29, 1877

age: 54

cause_of_death: Bright's disease (kidney failure)

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Rowland H. Macy (1822–1877) was an American businessman best known as the founder of Macy’s department store. Born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, he began his career at sea as a whaler before turning to retail. Macy opened a series of small shops, most of which failed, before achieving success with his New York City store, R.H. Macy & Co., founded in 1858 on Sixth Avenue. His innovative business practices—such as fixed prices, cash sales (no credit), and extensive advertising—helped revolutionize retail and set the foundation for the modern department store. Macy’s business thrived, and his store became a landmark of American consumer culture. Rowland H. Macy died in 1877 in Paris, France, reportedly of Bright’s disease (a kidney ailment). After his death, his store continued to grow under Isidor and Nathan Straus, eventually becoming one of the largest and most iconic retail chains in the world. Today visitors can view the grave of Rowland Macy at the historic Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York

Armand Hammer

popular name: Armand Hammer

date_of_death: December 10, 1990

age: 92

cause_of_death: Bone marrow cancer

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: After earning his medical degree from Columbia University Armand Hammer went on to become a successful entrepreneur before retiring in his 50s. Shortly after he was approached by a friend who suggested that he finance two wildcat oil wells being drilled in Bakersfield, California by the near-bankrupt Occidental Petroleum Corporation. Hammer financed the wells, which unexpectedly struck oil, and he quickly increased his holdings in Occidental, becoming the firm’s chief executive officer and chairman of the board in 1957. Within 10 years the company was generating over $2 billion is sales.

Jay Gould

popular name: Jay Gould

date_of_death: December 2, 1892

age: 56

cause_of_death: Tuberculosis

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Jay Gould was an American railroad magnate and financial speculator who is generally identified as one of the original Robber Barons of the Gilded Age. His sharp and often unscrupulous business practices made him one of the wealthiest men of the late nineteenth century. Gould made his fortune by controlling the price of the stocks he bought as well as the stock market itself. He traded in the stocks of his own companies, using banks he was associated with to finance his speculations, all the while bribing legislators and judges. From 1867 to 1872 he was a power and a terror on Wall Street. Gould was an unpopular figure during his life so much so that his funeral was sparsely attended. The Jay Gould mausoleum can be found at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.

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