James Alexander Dewar (February 5, 1897 – June 30, 1985) was a Canadian inventor known for inventing the

Twinkie The Twinkie is an American snack cake, described on its packaging as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Inc., in turn currently own ...

in 1930.

Career

Dewar began his career in 1920 at the Continental Baking Company that later, through a series of mergers and acquisitions, became

Hostess Brands Hostess Brands Inc. is an American bakery company formed in 2013. Its main operating subsidiaries are Hostess Brands, LLC, and Voortman Cookies Limited. The company owns several bakeries in the United States that produce snack cakes under the ...

. He started as a delivery boy by delivering pastries by horse-drawn cart. Dewar eventually rose up through the ranks to be a plant manager. In 1930, Dewar's plant was making

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, but only during strawberry season. Dewar came up with an idea to create a shortcake with cream on the inside instead of strawberries. Having seen a billboard for a shoe company called the "Twinkle Toe Shoe Co.", he was inspired to call his shortcake invention a "Twinkie". Dewar rose to be regional vice-president at Hostess and held that position until 1972.

Personal life

James Dewar was born on February 5, 1897, in Pugwash River, Nova Scotia. As a young man, Dewar worked on boats shipping timber and limestone, arriving in Chicago on a laker. Dewar had 4 kids with one of them being

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half-back James Dewar Jr. Dewar had a total of 15 grandchildren as well. Dewar also said he would give his kids and grandchildren

Twinkies The Twinkie is an American snack cake, described on its packaging as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Interstate Bakeries, Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Hostess ...

regularly, though he said that it never affected any of their health. Some people said that Dewar had at least 3 twinkies and a glass of milk before he went to bed though that was never confirmed nor denied by Dewar. Dewar died on June 30, 1985, in

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, at the age of 88.

References

1897 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Canadian inventors People from Cook County, Illinois People from Downers Grove, Illinois 20th-century Canadian businesspeople People from Cumberland County, Nova Scotia Canadian emigrants to the United States {{US-business-bio-1890s-stub