- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
William H. Danforth
Ralston Purina Company
1894 - 1932
Food & Tobacco
b. 1870
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Washington University |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1870 - 1955 |
| Birthplace | Missouri (MO) |
| Race | White |
| Father | Owner, Small Business |
In 1894, Danforth opened a feed business in St. Louis. Over the next several years, Danforth’s Ralston Purina Company established mills in St. Louis and 32 other cities in the U.S. and Canada. Danforth created the famous Chow brand name, as well as the company’s popular checkerboard logo. Danforth was known as an exponent of liberal labor policies.