George A. Archer ( – November 12, 1932) was an American businessman. He was the co-founder, chief executive officer and chairman of

Archer Daniels Midland The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, commonly known as ADM, is an American multinational food processing and commodities trading corporation founded in 1902 and headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. The company operates more than 270 p ...

Early life

George A. Archer was born in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

. His grandfather made linseed oil and his father, William S. Archer, was the owner of a linseed factory in Dayton, where he had co-founded Clegg, Wood & Co. (later known as Wood, Archer & Co.) in 1844.

Career

Archer began his career by working in his father's factory in the 1870s. By 1884, he opened his own linseed factory in

Yankton, South Dakota Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. It became a city in 1889. The population was 15,411 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in South Dakota, 7th most po ...

, and founded Archer & Co. Archer moved his business to

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

in 1889, and sold the factory to American Linseed Co. Archer partnered with John W. Daniels, and they co-founded Archer-Daniels in 1904. When they purchased Midland Linseed Products Co. in 1912, it became known as

. Archer was its chief executive officer and chairman. The company turned linseed or flaxseed into oil. By the 1930s, the company had become "the largest in the world."

Personal life and death

Archer had a wife, Harriet. They had a son, Shreve, and a daughter, Luella. They resided at Dellwood in

White Bear Lake, Minnesota White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County in the U.S. state, state of Minnesota, United States. A small portion of the city also extends into Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County. The population was 24,88 ...

, and they spent their winters in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

. Archer died of pneumonia on November 12, 1932, in White Bear Lake, at the age of 82. He was buried in Dayton, Ohio.

References

1850s births 1932 deaths Businesspeople from Dayton, Ohio Businesspeople from Saint Paul, Minnesota Archer Daniels Midland people 19th-century American businesspeople American company founders Deaths from pneumonia in Minnesota {{Agri-stub