Philip Danforth Armour was born in Stockbridge, NY, in 1832 of Scottish descent. He was educated at Cazenovia Academy in New York and then worked on the family farm. He later set out across the country to participate in the gold fields of California. He moved from California to Wisconsin with a sizeable fortune and started a wholesale grocery business. With his brother, Herman, he became involved in the grain business and meat packing plants. Out of this association arose Armour and Company, the largest meat packer in the nation, with headquarters in
Chicago.
Armour excelled in streamlining business operations and recognized opportunities to utilize and sell what had been deemed "waste" in previous years.
His reputation took a blow from the scandals of 189899 in which his packing-house was charged with selling tainted beef.
Armour died in 1901.
