Franklin Clarence Mars (September 24, 1883 – April 8, 1934), sometimes known as Frank C. Mars, was the founder of the American company Mars, Incorporated, which makes mostly chocolate candy. Mars and his son Forrest Edward Mars developed M&M's.
Family
He was born in 1883 in Newport, Minnesota[1] or Hancock, Minnesota.[2] Frank Mars learned how to hand dip chocolate candy as a child from his mother Alva, who hoped to entertain him as he had a mild case of polio.[2] He began to sell Molasses chips at age 19.[1] Mars and Ethel G. Kissack, a schoolteacher, married in 1902.[2] Their son, Forrest Mars, Sr. was born in 1904 in Wadena, Minnesota.[2] Mars and Ethel V. Healy married in 1910 and that year he began to sell candy wholesale in Tacoma, Washington.[1]
Mars, Incorporated
In 1920, they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Mars founded Mar-O-Bar Co. and began to manufacture chocolate candy bars.[1] The company later incorporated as Mars, Incorporated.[1] In 1923 he introduced his son Forrest's idea,[3] the Milky Way, which became the best-selling candy bar[1] Mars moved to Chicago in 1929[1] and settled in River Forest, Illinois. He became an honorary captain of the Oak Park, Illinois police department.[1]
In 1930, Mars developed the Snickers Bar.[3] In 1930, his son Forrest Mars, Sr., with the help of Hershey's president William Murries, began producing M&M Candies (with the "M&M" being "Mars and Murrie").citation needed Forrest Mars, Sr. went on to grow the company through the addition of such products as Uncle Ben's. Forrest Mars, Sr. died in 1999 and left the company to his children who still own it today.citation needed
Mars died of kidney and heart problems in 1934[1] at age 50.
Horse racing
In the late-1920s, in Pulaski, Tennessee, Mars bought a number of local farms and constructed a large estate called Milky Way Farms. During its construction, Mars employed more than 935 men from Giles County to build a 25,000 square feet (2,300 m²) clubhouse, more than 30 barns, a horse racing track, and a show horse track.citation needed Gallahadion won the Kentucky Derby in 1940 after Mars died.[1] Recently, Milky Way Farms was sold.citation needed The current owner is totally renovating the estate to its original glory. In addition, a gated community is being established along with an 18 hole golf course, a polo field, and many other amenities.citation needed
Mars lived the remainder of his life on the 2,800 acre (11 km²) farm and was buried there upon his death in 1934.citation needed Ethel V. Mars,citation needed his wife, had his body and the mausoleum moved to Minneapolis a few years after his death.citation needed Mars is buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.[4]
See also
References
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