Cyrus S. Eaton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cyrus Eaton
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Cyrus Stephen Eaton
December 27, 1883 Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Died | May 9, 1979 (aged 95) Northfield, Ohio, USA; buried: Deep Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Nationality | Canadian, Naturalized American in 1913 |
| Alma mater | McMaster University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Cyrus Stephen Eaton, Sr. (born December 27, 1883 – died May 9, 1979) was a very important businessman and investor. He was born in Canada but became an American citizen. His career in business lasted for seventy years.
Cyrus Eaton was known for being in business for a very long time. He believed in fair competition and was passionate about world peace. He also openly disagreed with some of the United States' policies during the Cold War. He helped start and fund the first Pugwash Conferences on World Peace in 1957. He wrote many articles about business and politics.
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Cyrus Eaton's Life and Career
Cyrus Eaton was born on December 27, 1883. His family lived on a farm near a village called Pugwash, Nova Scotia in Canada. His father, Joseph Howe Eaton, also ran a small store and the local post office.
In 1899, Cyrus left Nova Scotia to go to Woodstock College. This was a prep school in Woodstock, Ontario. Later, he went to McMaster University in Toronto. He studied philosophy and finance there. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1905.
After college, he moved to Cleveland, USA. He started working for the East Ohio Gas Company. In 1907, he started his own business. He focused on developing gas services in Canada. He got permission to build natural-gas systems in Manitoba, Canada. He formed a new company called Canada Gas & Electric Corp. This company later became Continental Gas & Electric Corp. in 1913.
Cyrus Eaton settled in Cleveland in 1913. He became involved in many different businesses. In 1916, he joined a banking company called Otis & Co. In 1926, he created an investment company called Continental Shares, Inc. In 1927, he started Republic Steel. This became the third-largest steel company in the U.S. By 1929, he was very wealthy. However, he lost most of his money during the Great Depression.
He worked hard to rebuild his wealth in the 1940s and 1950s. He became a director of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1943. He then became the chairman of its board in 1954. He also became chairman of the West Kentucky Coal Co. in 1953.
Cyrus Eaton passed away on May 9, 1979. He died at his home in Northfield, Ohio.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Cyrus Eaton was a generous person who gave a lot of money to help others. In 1920, he helped start the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
In 1955, a very important statement was made. It was called the Russell–Einstein Manifesto. This statement was about the dangers of nuclear weapons during the Cold War. It asked world leaders to find peaceful ways to solve problems. Many famous thinkers and scientists signed it, including Albert Einstein. A few days later, Cyrus Eaton offered to host a meeting. This meeting was held in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, which was Eaton's birthplace. This meeting became the first of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs in July 1957.
Besides helping the Pugwash Conferences, Eaton also gave money to support education. He helped schools in Nova Scotia, especially in Pugwash. He also supported Acadia University. He helped create a special area for animals in Nova Scotia. He donated land for the Lee Eaton Elementary School in Ohio. This school was named after his daughter. He also supported McMaster University, the YWCA, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Case Western Reserve University.
Awards and Family
Cyrus Eaton worked hard to improve relations with the Soviet Union in the 1950s. Because of his efforts, he received the Lenin Peace Prize in 1960. He was also recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1958. He received an honorary degree from Bowling Green State University in 1969. The Pugwash Conferences, which he helped start, later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
Cyrus Eaton was married two times. First, he married Margaret House in 1907. After she passed away, he married Anne Kinder Jones in 1957. He had seven children: Margaret Grace, Mary Adelle, Elizabeth Ann, Anna Bishop, Cyrus S. Jr., Augusta Farlee, and MacPherson. He died in Ohio, but his ashes were buried in Blandford, Nova Scotia.
Legacy
- Cyrus Eaton Elementary School, Pugwash, Nova Scotia
- Lee Eaton Elementary School, Northfield Village, Ohio (This school sits on land donated by Mr. Cyrus Eaton. He named it in memory of his first daughter, Margaret G. Eaton, also known as Lee.)
See also
In Spanish: Cyrus S. Eaton para niños
