Franklin Clarence Mars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franklin Clarence Mars
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| Born | September 24, 1883 |
| Died | April 8, 1935 (aged 51) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Mars, Inc. |
| Spouse(s) | Ethel G. Kissack (m. 1902, div.) Ethel Veronica Healy (m. 1910) |
| Children | 2, including Forrest Mars |
Franklin Clarence Mars (born September 24, 1883 – died April 8, 1934) was an American businessman. He is famous for starting the company Mars, Incorporated. This company makes many popular chocolate candy bars. His son, Forrest Mars, later helped create famous candies like M&M's and the Mars bar.
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Early Life and Family
Franklin Mars was born in September 1883 in Minnesota. When he was a child, he had a mild case of polio. To keep him busy, his mother, Alva, taught him how to make chocolate candies by hand.
When he was 19, Franklin started selling molasses chips. These were a type of sweet treat.
Franklin Mars married Ethel G. Kissack in 1902. She was a schoolteacher. Their son, Forrest Mars, was born in 1904. Franklin and Ethel later divorced.
In 1910, Franklin married his second wife, Ethel Veronica Healy. They had one daughter named Patricia Mars, who was born in 1914.
Starting Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Franklin Mars and his second wife, Ethel V. Mars, started the Mars Candy Factory. They opened it in Tacoma, Washington. Their goal was to make and sell fresh candy to stores. However, their business did not do well at first. Another candy company, Brown & Haley, was already very popular in Tacoma.
In 1920, Franklin and Ethel moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, Franklin started a new company called Mar-O-Bar Co. This company focused on making chocolate candy bars. Later, this business became known as Mars, Incorporated.
Creating Famous Candy Bars
A big moment for the company came in 1923. Franklin introduced the Milky Way candy bar. This idea came from his son, Forrest. The Milky Way quickly became the best-selling candy bar.
In 1929, Mars moved his company to Chicago. He settled in River Forest, Illinois. He even became an honorary captain for the Oak Park, Illinois police department.
In 1930, Franklin Mars created another very popular candy bar: the Snickers Bar.
Life on Milky Way Farm
In the late 1920s, Franklin Mars bought many farms in Pulaski, Tennessee. He built a huge estate there called Milky Way Farm. It was named after his famous candy bar.
Building this farm was a big project. Mars hired over 935 people from Giles County to help. They built a large clubhouse, more than 30 barns, and even a horse racing track.
Franklin Mars spent the rest of his life living on this large farm.
Death and Legacy
Franklin Mars passed away on April 8, 1934. He died from heart and kidney problems at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
After his death, ownership of the family business went to his son, Forrest. Forrest Mars continued to grow the company. He developed many new and popular candies, making Mars, Incorporated a global leader in sweets.
Franklin Mars was first buried at Milky Way Farm. Later, his remains and those of his wife, Ethel V. Mars, were moved. They are now buried in a private mausoleum at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.
See also
In Spanish: Franklin Clarence Mars para niños
