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| CRG |
George Huntington Hartford (September 5, 1833 – August 29, 1917) founded The
Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company in 1859 with George Gilman in Elmira, New
York.
He was born in Augusta, Maine. His sons George and John were on the cover of
Time magazine in November 1950. The magazine wrote that next to General Motors,
the A&P sold more goods than any other company in the world and had close to
16,000 stores in the USA. George Huntington Hartford was the grandfather of the
famous Huntington Hartford who developed Paradise Island in the Bahamas, founded
the Gallery of Modern Art at 2 Columbus Circle, and was famous as one of the
world's richest men in the 1960s.
Hartford died on August 29, 1917, aged 84, and was interred at Rosedale Cemetery,
in Orange, New Jersey. Hartford’s estate was worth $125 million dollars. Business
went on as usual after his death; the press respected that he was a private man, and
there were very few obituaries about his life. His sons, George L. Hartford and John
A. Hartford, who had been involved in the business since the early 1800s, ran the
family company. Stores continued to expand. By 1920, there were 4,544 stores
nationwide. Bronze busts honoring Hartford and seven other industry magnates stand
between the Chicago River and the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago.
In St. Louis, Hartford was very successful in securing accounts for Gilman, and
returned to New York in 1860 to help Gilman expand his business. The plan was to
import quality tea and sell it for lower than average prices. In 1863 their idea took off
and the Great American Tea Company was formed. With Hartford’s business savvy
and Gilman’s flair the duo had twenty five stores by 1865. The Great American Tea
Company began to offer other goods in their stores such as coffee, spices, and soaps,
and business continued to rise. Due to the success of Hartford and Gilman’s company
other companies similar to theirs began rise, and in an effort to distinguish
themselves the Great American Tea Company was changed to The Great Atlantic
and Pacific Tea Company or "A&P" in 1869 in honor of the new transcontinental
railroad.
By 1878, A&P had grown to seventy stores stretching from many New England cities
to Buffalo, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. This same year George Gilman retired and
GHH took on the position of mayor for Orange, New Jersey.
The Huntington Hartford mansion was on Ridge Street.
Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company in 1859 with George Gilman in Elmira, New
York.
He was born in Augusta, Maine. His sons George and John were on the cover of
Time magazine in November 1950. The magazine wrote that next to General Motors,
the A&P sold more goods than any other company in the world and had close to
16,000 stores in the USA. George Huntington Hartford was the grandfather of the
famous Huntington Hartford who developed Paradise Island in the Bahamas, founded
the Gallery of Modern Art at 2 Columbus Circle, and was famous as one of the
world's richest men in the 1960s.
Hartford died on August 29, 1917, aged 84, and was interred at Rosedale Cemetery,
in Orange, New Jersey. Hartford’s estate was worth $125 million dollars. Business
went on as usual after his death; the press respected that he was a private man, and
there were very few obituaries about his life. His sons, George L. Hartford and John
A. Hartford, who had been involved in the business since the early 1800s, ran the
family company. Stores continued to expand. By 1920, there were 4,544 stores
nationwide. Bronze busts honoring Hartford and seven other industry magnates stand
between the Chicago River and the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago.
In St. Louis, Hartford was very successful in securing accounts for Gilman, and
returned to New York in 1860 to help Gilman expand his business. The plan was to
import quality tea and sell it for lower than average prices. In 1863 their idea took off
and the Great American Tea Company was formed. With Hartford’s business savvy
and Gilman’s flair the duo had twenty five stores by 1865. The Great American Tea
Company began to offer other goods in their stores such as coffee, spices, and soaps,
and business continued to rise. Due to the success of Hartford and Gilman’s company
other companies similar to theirs began rise, and in an effort to distinguish
themselves the Great American Tea Company was changed to The Great Atlantic
and Pacific Tea Company or "A&P" in 1869 in honor of the new transcontinental
railroad.
By 1878, A&P had grown to seventy stores stretching from many New England cities
to Buffalo, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. This same year George Gilman retired and
GHH took on the position of mayor for Orange, New Jersey.
The Huntington Hartford mansion was on Ridge Street.
Burial:
Rosedale Cemetery
Orange
Essex County
New Jersey, USA
Plot: Sec. 42, Lot 8
Rosedale Cemetery
Orange
Essex County
New Jersey, USA
Plot: Sec. 42, Lot 8