Quaker Mill Company facts for kids

The Quaker Mill Company was an American company that made oatmeal in the 1800s. It was located in Ravenna, Ohio. In 1901, this company joined with three other companies. Together, they became the famous Quaker Oats Company. Today, Quaker Oats is part of a much larger company called PepsiCo.

How the Quaker Oats Company Started

The Quaker Mill Company was started by two people, Henry D. Seymour and William Heston. They built their mill in Ravenna, Ohio.

On September 4, 1877, Henry Seymour decided to trademark the name "Quaker" for his company's products. He got the idea after reading about Quakers in an encyclopedia. Quakers are also known as the Religious Society of Friends.

The encyclopedia article said that Quakers were known for being honest, pure, and having strong values. Henry Seymour thought these were great qualities for his breakfast cereal to represent. This was especially important back then, as people were worried about how clean and pure their food was.

By 1888, the Quaker Mill Company was a big employer in Ravenna. It had 83 people working there. It was one of the largest employers in the city, tied with the Ravenna Glass Company.