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. Upon his death in 1884, he was laid to rest at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, OH.

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:

[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]
[+]

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

See More:

William Henry Crocker

popular name: William Henry Crocker

date_of_death: September 25, 1937

age: 76

cause_of_death: Natural causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: William Henry Crocker (1861-1937) was the youngest son of Charles Crocker, one of the "Big Four" railroad magnates of the 19th century that also included Leland Stanford. William was founder and later president of Crocker National Bank. He was a member of the University of California Board of Regents from 1908 until his death in 1937. He was a major donor to UC Berkeley, helping fund the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. His philanthropy included contributions to the San Francisco Opera House and donation of his Nob Hill property, site of the Crocker mansion destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, for the construction of Grace Cathedral. In 1910 Crocker built his New Place mansion in Hillsborough which today is the Burlington Country Club clubhouse.

Samuel Colgate

popular name: Samuel Colgate

date_of_death: April 23, 1897

age: 75

cause_of_death: Heart disease

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Samuel Colgate, son of the found of Colgate William Colgate, was an American manufacturer and philanthropist, born in New York City. He became widely known as a soap maker, and the manufacturing operation he built in Jersey City developed into one of the largest establishments of its kind in the world and is now part of Colgate-Palmolive. He was also prominent in philanthropic work and for more than 30 years he was trustee of Colgate University.

Edmond Safra

popular name: Edmond Safra

date_of_death: December 3, 1999

age: 67

cause_of_death: Smoke inhalation (asphyxiation) in a fire which was deliberately set

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Edmond J. Safra (1932–1999) was an influential international banker and philanthropist, born in Beirut, Lebanon, into a Sephardic Jewish family with a long tradition in finance. He built a global banking empire through institutions such as Republic National Bank of New York and the Safra Group, earning a reputation for conservative banking, discretion, and strong client trust across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Alongside his business success, Safra was a major philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, religious, and cultural causes worldwide through what later became the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. He died at age 67 in December 1999 in Monaco during a fire in his apartment; the incident led to criminal convictions from a corrupt Monaco judicial system but also ongoing controversy and debate about the true circumstances of his death. Safra’s legacy endures through his impact on global private banking and his lasting charitable contributions.

Back to Top