164 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



A GENIUS OF MARKET ORGANIZATION 



63. Edward Tilden, packer and banker, was bom at Utica, 

 N. Y., June 17, 1855. While still a babe his family moved to 

 Wisconsin and his public school education was received at Del- 

 avan. His introduction to business occurred in the same town, 

 where he became a clerk and bookkeeper in a general store. He 

 then spent two years in Toronto, Canada, but when he had 

 acquired facility in bookkeeping he was offered a position with 

 Brintnall, Lamb & Co., wholesale hardware dealers of Chicago. 

 As his acquaintanceship widened, his opportunities multiplied, 

 and in 1883 he became general bookkeeper and five years later 

 assistant cashier of the Drovers National Bank at the Stock- 

 /ards. From here he proceeded in 1897 to Libby, McNeil & 

 LiBBY, to become treasurer of their packing industry. In 1903 

 he was made president and director of this company, a position 

 he retained until his death, February 5, 1915. He was appointed 

 as executor of the Gustavus F. Swift estate in 1903, and was 

 also made treasurer of the newly organized National Packing 

 Co. Two years later he was made its president, which office he 

 retained until its dissolution. 



About 1900 he acquired an interest in the St. Louis Stock 

 Yards Co., and was made a director. About the same time he 

 was elected treasurer and director of the Sioux City Stock Yards 

 Co., and in 1907 he was made president of the Denver Stock 

 Yards Co., a position he held until 1915. Mr. Tilden main- 

 tained a large farm at his boyhood home and frequently enter- 

 tained the employees of the packing plant there. On one occa- 

 sion he furnished entertainment for 7,000. 



For several years he was very active in politics and was a 

 member of the Chicago School Board from 1900 to 1906, being 

 its president the last year. He was school treasurer for Hyde 

 Park and Lake for several years prior to its annexation to 



