Arthur Perdue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur W. Perdue
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| Born | August 8, 1885 |
| Died | June 27, 1977 (aged 91) |
Arthur W. Perdue (1885–1977) was an American businessman. He is famous for starting Perdue Farms with his wife, Pearl, in 1920. The business began in his backyard, selling only chicken eggs. Over time, it grew into a very large company.
Contents
Family and Background
Hundreds of years ago, Arthur Perdue's family came to America. His ancestor, Henri Perdue, was a Huguenot. He left France in the 1600s to escape religious problems. Henri settled in what is now Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland. His family still lives in that area today.
Arthur was born in 1885 in Worcester County. He was the second of three children. His parents, Levin and Martha Perdue, were strict Methodists. In 1917, Arthur married Pearl Parsons. They had one son, Frank Perdue, in 1920.
Career
In 1915, Arthur Perdue worked for the Railway Express Agency. He was an agent in Salisbury, Maryland. By 1920, Arthur noticed something important. Chicken farmers on the Delmarva peninsula were making good money. They were selling table eggs instead of just chickens.
So, Arthur decided to quit his job at the railroad. He started his own farm a few miles east of Salisbury, Maryland. His farm focused on producing and selling high-quality eggs. Arthur cared a lot about making his products the best. He brought special Leghorn chickens from Texas. This helped improve the quality of his egg-laying flock. He then expanded his market, selling eggs to places like New York.
Legacy
A baseball stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, is named after him. It is called the Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. This stadium is home to the Delmarva Shorebirds baseball team. They are part of the Baltimore Orioles organization.
There is also a group called the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. This foundation helps support communities. It focuses on places where Perdue Farms has its facilities. In 2017, the farmhouse Arthur built in 1917 was recognized. It was added to the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties.
See Also
- Perdue Farms
- Frank Perdue
