Joseph E. Seagram facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph E. Seagram
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| Born |
Joseph Emm Seagram
April 15, 1841 Fisher's Mills, Canada West
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| Died | August 18, 1919 (aged 78) Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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| Resting place | Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo |
| Occupation | Businessman: Distiller, Politician, Racehorse owner/breeder |
| Known for | Seagram Distilleries |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Stephanie Urbs |
| Children | 1) Blanche Alexandrine Seagram Bowlby (1871–1919) 2) Edward Frowde (1873–1937) 3) Joseph Hamilton (1875–1956) 4) Norman (1879–1963) 5) Thomas William (1887–1965) |
| Parent(s) | Octavius Augustus Seagram and Amelia Stiles |
| Honors | Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1976) |
Joseph Emm Seagram (born April 15, 1841 – died August 18, 1919) was a famous Canadian businessman. He founded a large company that made drinks, became a politician, gave money to good causes (a philanthropist), and was a major owner of thoroughbred racehorses.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph Seagram was born on April 15, 1841, in a place called Fisher's Mills, which is now part of Cambridge, Ontario. His parents, Octavius Augustus Seagram and Amelia Stiles, had moved to Canada from England in 1837.
Sadly, Joseph's parents passed away when he was young. He and his brother, Edward Frowde, were then raised by church leaders. For several years, Joseph attended a boarding school in Galt. Later, he studied business for a year at Bryant & Stratton College in Buffalo, New York.
Building a Business Empire
After finishing school, Joseph Seagram worked as a bookkeeper at a factory in Galt. He then managed a mill in Stratford.
He later got the chance to manage a flour mill called Granite Mills in Waterloo, Ontario. This mill also had a small side business that made alcoholic drinks from extra grain. Joseph learned a lot about this process.
In 1869, Joseph Seagram bought out one of the partners in the company. The business was then called Seagram and Roos. By 1883, he owned the entire company and renamed it Seagram. Making whisky became the most important part of the business.
Seagram built his company into one of the most successful of its kind in Canada. In 1907, he created Seagram's VO whisky. This blend became the best-selling Canadian whisky in the world. The "VO" stood for "very own" and was created to celebrate his son Thomas's wedding.
Giving Back to the Community
Joseph Seagram was very generous to the city of Waterloo. He donated a large piece of land, about 13 acres, which is now where the Grand River Hospital stands. He made sure that the hospital would be open to everyone, no matter their background.
In 1957, after his death, the Seagram company continued his legacy of giving. They donated $250,000 to build Seagram Stadium at the University of Waterloo.
Public Service and Politics
Joseph Seagram also served his community as a Waterloo town councilor from 1879 to 1886.
He then entered national politics. In 1896, he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Conservative Party. He represented the area of Waterloo North. He was re-elected in 1900 and 1904, serving until 1908 when he decided not to run again.
A Passion for Horse Racing
Joseph Seagram loved horse racing from a young age. He bought his first racehorse when he was just 16. In 1888, he started Seagram Stables. He improved his horse breeding by bringing in mares (female horses) from England.
His stables were incredibly successful. Between 1891 and 1898, his horses won the Queen's Plate eight times in a row. The Queen's Plate is Canada's most important horse racing event. In his lifetime, Joseph Seagram won this race fifteen times! After he passed away, his family continued the stable and won the race another five times.
Seagram also helped create the Ontario Jockey Club in 1881. He became president of the club in 1906 and held that position until his death. In 1908, he helped start the Canadian Racing Association.
Because of his huge contributions to horse racing, Joseph E. Seagram was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. He was part of the very first group of people to be honored there.
Family Life
Joseph Seagram married Stephanie Urbs. They had six children together: Edward F., Thomas W., Joseph H., Norman, Alice, and Marie, who sadly passed away as a baby.
The family lived in a large 65-room house in Waterloo, built in 1886. It was known as Bratton House. The house stayed in the family until the late 1930s. Later, it became an orphanage called Willow Hall until 1960. The building was eventually taken down to build a church.
Death
Joseph Seagram passed away in Waterloo in 1919. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery. His family sold the Seagram company to Samuel Bronfman in 1928.
