{"id":7779,"date":"2016-12-23T17:18:15","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T22:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenwichlibrary.org\/?p=7779"},"modified":"2023-04-05T14:16:26","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T18:16:26","slug":"corwin-wickersham-and-standard-brands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenwichlibrary.org\/corwin-wickersham-and-standard-brands\/","title":{"rendered":"Corwin Wickersham and Standard Brands"},"content":{"rendered":"
Originally written by Carl White.<\/em><\/p>\n Corporate Leader Corwin Wickersham<\/strong><\/p>\n Many corporate leaders gave up lucrative positions when World War I and World War II broke out to serve their country. Just like any organization, the US military needed the best leadership this country could offer to guide the military. I came across the name of a Greenwich resident, Corwin Wickersham, who was a Vice President of Standard Brands, so I thought I\u2019d look into his history.<\/p>\n Education and Corporate Success<\/strong><\/p>\n Wickersham was born in Norwood OH on December 1, 1891, to Morrie and Iva (Kennedy) Wickersham. He attended Franklin Preparatory School and the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale. Corwin received a PhB (Bachelor in Philosophy) in 1916. He went to work for the Fleischmann Company in Cincinnati as an apprentice and quickly moved up the corporate ladder. Wickersham became assistant district manager for the Boston District, then district manager in 1923. By 1927, he was the New England manager.<\/p>\n When Fleischmann\u2019s merged with Standard Brands in 1929, he became vice president of the Canadian company. In 1934, he was made vice president of the parent company.\u00a0 He was in charge of all foreign operations. Eventually, he became vice president and director of subsidiaries in the Philippines, Asia, Cuba, Pan America, Colombia, and Peru. Standard Brands was formed in 1929 by J.P. Morgan. It resulted from a merger of the Fleischmann Corporation, the Royal Baking Powder Company, EW Gillett Company of Canada, the Widlar Food Products, and Chase and Sandborn Coffee Company. By 1940, it was the number two producer of packaged foods after General Foods. It was number seventy-five on the Fortune 500 list of corporations.\u00a0 From the nineteen-sixties, it acquired such companies as Planters Peanuts (1960), Curtiss Candy Company (1964), and Inver House Scotch (1979), and merged with Nabisco (1981).<\/p>\n Marriage and Family<\/strong><\/p>\n Corwin Wickersham married Margery Currie Shearer on October 23, 1936, in New York City. Together, they had four children:\u00a0 Corwin Wickersham, Jr., Robert Morris Wickersham, Lysle Chase Wickersham, and Gerry Snow Shearer. They lived in backcountry on Clapboard Ridge Road and Pecksland Road.<\/p>\n War Years<\/strong><\/p>\n During World War I, Corwin served as a second lieutenant in the Fourth Field Artillery.\u00a0 In World War II, he took a leave of absence from Standard Brands to become Chief of the War Production Board. Wickersham was given a commission in the US Army as Colonel in the Supply Service. In 1992, he was still serving in this capacity.<\/p>\n Corwin Wickersham’s Later Life<\/strong><\/p>\n Corwin Wickersham eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he died on November 8, 1970.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t able to find an obituary in the local, New York, or Los Angeles paper. I\u2019m certain that his ability to coordinate several divisions in Standard Brands led to his success in the Supply Service. He had vast experience dealing with procurement and distribution. This was a natural fit for him and probably contributed to his decision to remain in the military after the war. The country should be grateful that there are such people who heed the call in times of need. We owe him a great deal of gratitude.<\/p>\n SOURCE<\/strong><\/p>\n Greenwich Time<\/em>, Southwestern Connecticut Newspapers; Stamford, CT\u00a0 06902.<\/p>\n ABOUT<\/strong><\/p>\n Build your family tree, dive into the history of your historic home, and discover photos and articles of days gone past with the Library\u2019s collection of 5,000 books, 800 Oral History transcripts, yearbooks, historical maps, vertical files, pamphlets, periodicals, and microfilm and microfiche. Plus, access resources like American Ancestors, AncestryLibrary, and more with a Library card. Learn more at greenwichlibrary.org\/genealogy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get the latest about the Library\u2019s History & Genealogy events and offerings sent to your email:\u00a0greenwichlibrary.org\/enews<\/a>.<\/p>\n Questions? Contact:<\/p>\n Local History Librarian<\/p>\n (203) 622-7948<\/p>\n history@greenwichlibrary.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Originally written by Carl White. Corporate Leader Corwin Wickersham Many corporate leaders gave up lucrative positions when World War I…
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