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E.T. Bedford


Edward Thomas "E.T." Bedford (1849–1931) was an American executive of Standard Oil. In 1902 he founded the Corn Products Refining Company, now known as Ingredion. E.T. was an active member of the community in Westport, Connecticut, having donated buildings to the city for their middle school, firehouse, and a YMCA for the youth to use. After resigning from his position at the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey in 1909, he worked full-time for the Corn Products Refining Co., up until his death on May 21, 1931.

E.T. Bedford was born February 19, 1849 in Greens Farms, Connecticut to Frederick Thomas Bedford and Mary Anne Elizabeth Pace, British immigrants who had arrived from London the previous year. Frederick was a deacon in the church and a noted wood carver; the hand carved frame for the portrait of The Prince of Wales, who was King Edward VII at the time, was his most famous piece.

E.T. went to school at Adams Academy in Greens Farms, as well as the public schools of Brooklyn, and Maple Grove Academy in Westport, Connecticut. He spent his time working on the farm with his father and neighbors. One of his proudest moments was buying a winter jacket from the money he earned as a 14-year-old farm hand. Frederick Thomas was a farmer and made a large amount of money selling onions, which had a large boom post-Civil War. Taking what he learned from farming with his father and the community, E.T. joined Charles Pratt and Company as a salesman.

E.T. helped the chemist Robert Chesebrough establish sales for his new product, Vaseline. By 1880, E.T. was the managing partner of the firm Thompson and Bedford Company, Limited, consisting of R.J. Thompson, himself, Charles Pratt, and Henry H. Rogers, most of whom became prominent leaders in petroleum through the Standard Oil Co. His firm was the eastern selling agents for Standard Oil, which owned the majority stake in his company's stock. Thompson retired and E.T. became the president of the company on May 15, 1911. The Standard Oil Company was dissolved under the Sherman Antitrust Act. His department at the Standard Oil Company became the Thompson and Bedford department again, but with Thompson retired, Bedford was the president and head of the company once more.


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