 |
 |
|
|
CHARLES William POST
|
Early years
Charles William Post, commonly known as "C.
W.", was born October 26, 1854 in Springfield, Illinois. He was the son of
Charles Rollin Post and the former Caroline Lathrop.
Post graduated from the public schools of Springfield
and enrolled at Illinois Industrial University (known today as the University of
Illinois at Urbana–Champaign), where he remained two years before leaving
without a degree.
After a
brief stay in Independence, Kansas, Post returned to Springfield, where he
remained for over a decade working as a salesman and manufacturer of
agricultural machinery. During this interval Post invented and patented several
farm implements, including a plow, a harrow, and a hay-stacking machine.
In November 1874, Post married Ella Letitia
Merriweather; they had one daughter. The couple were later divorced. Post
married his second wife, Leila Young, in November 1904
Career
Post suffered a mental breakdown in
November 1885, the result of the stress and overwork which accompanied his job
as a farm implement manufacturer. Post made a break with his previous life,
moving to the state of Texas in 1886, where he came into association with a
group of real estate developers in Fort Worth, who were attempting to establish
a new community on the eastern outskirts of a town called Riverside. In 1888,
Post began a real estate development of his own in Fort Worth on 200 acres (81
ha) that he had obtained, platting the land for streets and homes and
constructing two mills.
The
stress of this work again proved too much for Post's constitution, and a second
breakdown followed in 1891. Post began a period of extensive travels in search
of a cure, coming to take particular interest in the chemistry of digestion.
After a period traversing Europe, Post visited the Battle Creek Sanitarium of
Battle Creek, Michigan, a facility operated by John Harvey Kellogg. He was
inspired to start his own company based upon the dietary products used there.
In 1895, Post founded Postum Cereal Co., with his
first product, Postum cereal beverage. Post's first breakfast cereal premiered
in 1897, and he named the product Grape-Nuts cereal because of the fruity aroma
noticed during the manufacturing process and the nutty crunch of the finished
product. In 1904, he followed up the Grape Nuts label with a brand of corn
flakes, which was first called Elijah's Manna before being renamed Post Toasties
in 1908.
In 1906, Post
invested some of his substantial earnings from his food products manufacturing
into Texas real estate, purchasing a massive 225,000-acre (91,000 ha) tract in
Garza and Lynn Counties. Post platted a new town, which he called Post City.
Shade trees were planted, farm parcels laid out, and a hotel, school, churches,
and a department store were constructed for the new Garza County seat.
In 1907 Collier's Weekly published an article
questioning the claim made in advertisements for Grape Nuts that it could cure
appendicitis. Post responded with advertisements questioning the mental capacity
of the article's author, and Collier's Weekly sued for libel. The case was heard
in 1910, and Post was fined $50,000. The decision was overturned on appeal, but
advertisements for Postum products stopped making such claims.
Post was a staunch opponent of the trade union
movement and was remembered by the National Association of Manufacturers as one
who "opposed bitterly boycotts, strikes, lockouts, picketing and other forms of
coercion in the relations between employer and employee." Post was also a
leading public advocate of the open shop system.
 Post Mausoleum In Oak Hill Cemetery, Battle Creek, MI |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 9, 1914, Page 1 - Battle Creek Is Startled By News Of C.W. Post Death |
| The Evening News, May 9, 1914 , Page 1 & 2 - Chas. W. Post Died By His Own Hand |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 10, 1914, Page 1 - Details of Shocking Tragedy/News Has Affect Here/Had Mania For Suicide/Post Funeral & Internment/Hundreds Send Their Regrets |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 10, 1914, Page 1 - Nervously ILL C.W. Post Ends His Life (with picture of C. W. Post) |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 10, 1914, Page 4 - Nervously ILL C.W. Post Ends His Life cont. |
| The Evening News, May 11, 1914, Page 1 - Post Funeral Party Now Enroute |
| The Evening News, May 11, 1914 Page 1 - Minister Pays A Beautiful Tribute/Body Of CW Post Will Reach City Thursday Afternoon |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 12, 1914, Page 1 - Local Business Men Plan For Final Tribute To C.W. Post |
| The Evening Newsl, May 12, 1914, Page 1 - Awaiting Final Word On C. W. Post Funeral |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 13, 1914, Page 1 - C. W. Post Funeral To Be Held Thursday |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal 13, 1914, Page 1 & 4 - Details Complete For Last Rites |
| The Evening News, May 13, 1914, Page 1 - C. W. Post Funeral Tomorrow |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 14, 1914 Page 1- The King Is Dead/Multitude In Mute Grief/An Appreciation |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 14, 1914, Page 4 - Multitude In Mute Grief cont.(with pictures) |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 14, 1914, Page 7 - Multitude In Mute Grief cont.(with pictures) |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 14, 1914, Page 1 & 2 - Another Big Order Of Pictures/Entire City Will Do Honor To C.W. Post |
| Battle Creek Daily Journal, May 15, 1914, Page 1 & 4 - Funeral Sermon |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 15, 1914, Page 1 - Mute Thousands Pay Tribute To C. W. Post (with picture of C.W, Post) |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 15, 1914, Page 2 - Mute Thousands Pay Tribute To C. W. Post cont. |
| Battle Creek Enquirer, May 15, 1914, Page 7 - James Emory Discusses C. W. Post's Attitude Towards Labor Organizations |
| Return To Calhoun Co. GenWeb Home Page |
All rights
reserved
This site may be freely linked to but not
duplicated
in any fashion without my consent.
The information on these
pages is meant for personal genealogical
research only
and is not for commercial use of any type.
