John Plankinton
| John Plankinton | |
|---|---|
circa 1891
|
|
| Born |
March 11, 1820 New Castle County, Delaware |
| Died | March 29, 1891 (aged 71) |
| Burial place | Forest Home Cemetery |
| Occupation | Businessman and industrialist |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth née Brachein (m. 1840 – her death, 1872) Anna née Bradford (m. 1875 – her death, 1900) |
| Children |
William Plankinton (b. Allegheny City, PA, November 7, 1843 – d. March 29, 1905) Hannah M. Plankinton, (b. 1851 – d. 1870) Elizabeth Ann Plankinton (b. Milwaukee, WI, 1853 – d. Lucerne, Switzerland, 1923) |
John Plankinton (March 11, 1820 – March 29, 1891) was an American businessman and a Milwaukee-based meatpacking industrialist. He is noted for expansive real estate developments in Milwaukee, including the Plankinton House Hotel, and also for his generous philanthropy.
Plankinton was born on March 11, 1820 in New Castle County, Delaware, the son of Eli Plankinton and Mary née Johnson. The family moved to Pittsburgh in 1832 when he was 12 years old, where Plankinton attended public schools and received most of his early formal education. He met his future wife, Elizabeth Brachein, while a teenager in Pittsburgh and they were married in 1840. Plankinton's first job was as a butcher, which he did for some 22 years.
Plankinton was 24 years old in 1844 when he moved with his wife and new son (William Plankinton, 1843–1905) to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory. He was going to form a business with a friend that had already moved to Milwaukee prior, but his friend formed a partnership with another person before he arrived using as an excuse that this other person had more money and skills available for the new business he had in mind. Plankinton was disappointed and upset over the lack of confidence, so with his capital of $400 ($10,300 with inflation) he built a general store in opposition and operated it for a few years and lived above the business. In 1849 he began selling beef and hog products from his store that he processed and packaged himself. He became the leading butcher and meat packer in Milwaukee with his first year at $12,000 ($345,000 with inflation) in sales.
Plankinton became acquainted with Frederick Layton around 1850 and formed a business partnership with him a couple of years later. His two daughters, Hannah (1851–1870) and Elizabeth (1853–1923), were born around this time. The meat packing partnership enterprise of 1852 was called Layton and Plankinton Packing Company. Layton retired and left the firm in 1861 to start a meat packing firm of his own. Plankinton continued the Milwaukee business for the next couple of years and in 1864 formed a new enterprise with Philip D. Armour – Plankinton & Armour Company. They expanded their facilities by branching out into Chicago and Kansas City. They also had an exporting branch in New York City that operated on a commission basis. Plankinton & Armour Company's sales in 1880 was $15 million ($372,300,000 with inflation). In late 1884, 20 years after they formed their partnership, it was officially broken up. Armour continued with the branch firms in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City.
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