Franklin Clarence Mars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franklin Clarence Mars
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Mars c. 1899-1900
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| Born | September 24, 1883 Pope County, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Died | April 8, 1934 (aged 50) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Mars Inc. |
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| Family | Mars family |
Franklin Clarence Mars (born September 24, 1883 – died April 8, 1934) was an American businessman. He started the famous food company Mars Inc.. This company is well-known for making many popular chocolate candy bars. His son, Forrest Mars, later created M.M's and the Mars bar. He also founded the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.
Contents
Early Life and Sweet Beginnings
Franklin Mars was born on September 24, 1883. His birthplace was Walden Township in Pope County, Minnesota. As a child, he learned to make chocolate candy from his mother, Alva. She taught him this skill while he was recovering from a mild illness called polio. When he was 19, he started selling molasses chips. He went to high school at the Breck School, which was a boarding school in Wilder, Minnesota at that time.
In 1902, Franklin Mars married Ethel G. Kissack, a schoolteacher. They were married in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Their son, Forrest Mars, Sr., was born in 1904 in Wadena, Minnesota. They later separated before 1910.
Franklin Mars married Ethel Veronica Healy in 1910. They had a daughter named Patricia Mars, who was born in 1914.
Building a Candy Empire
First Steps in Tacoma
Franklin Mars started the Mars Candy Factory in 1911. He began this business with his second wife, Ethel V. Mars. Their factory was located in Tacoma, Washington. They made and sold fresh candy to other businesses in large amounts (this is called wholesale). However, this first business faced challenges. Another company, Brown . Haley, which made Almond Roca, was already very successful in Tacoma.
Success in Minneapolis and Beyond
In 1920, the family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, Mars started a new company called Mar-O-Bar Co. He began making chocolate candy bars. This company later became known as Mars, Incorporated. In 1923, he launched a new candy bar called the Milky Way. This idea came from his son, Forrest. The Milky Way quickly became a very popular candy bar. Mars moved to Chicago in 1929 and lived in River Forest. He was also made an honorary captain of the Oak Park, Illinois police department.
In 1930, Franklin Mars created another famous treat, the Snickers Bar.
His Legacy Lives On
Franklin Mars passed away on April 8, 1934. He was at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He died due to heart and kidney problems. After his death, his son Forrest took over the family business.
A Life Beyond Candy: Milky Way Farm
In the late 1920s, Franklin Mars bought several farms. These were located in Pulaski, Tennessee. He built a huge estate there, which he named Milky Way Farm. To build this farm, Mars hired over 935 men from Giles County. They constructed a large clubhouse, more than 30 barns, and a special track for horse racing. A horse named Gallahadion won the Kentucky Derby in 1940. This happened after Franklin Mars had passed away.
Franklin Mars spent the rest of his life on his 2,800-acre farm. He was first buried there after his death in 1934. Later, after Milky Way Farm was sold, his remains were moved. He and his wife, Ethel V. Mars, are now buried in a private mausoleum. This mausoleum is located at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.
See also
In Spanish: Franklin Clarence Mars para niños
- Mars family
