176 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF ARMOUR 



69. On the death of P. D. Armour in 1901, the responsibility 

 for the great business of Armour and Company fell upon his 

 eldest son, J. Ogden Armour. Mr. Armour possesses in high de- 

 gree the masterly characteristics of his father, and with quieter 

 methods he has secured as firm a grasp on the business as was 

 held by his paternal predecessor. 



Mr. Armour was born in Milwaukee, Wis., November 11, 1863, 

 but came to Chicago in 1875 with his family. He was educated 

 at Harvard school, Chicago, and entered Yale college in 1880. 

 Owing to his father's desire to give him early training and experi- 

 ence in the business of the firm, he sacrificed his final college 

 year, and returned to Chicago for duty in 1883. His apprentice- 

 ship began at once, and after serving a year in subordinate posi- 

 tions, he became a partner. He early showed the necessary energy 

 and close attention required by his father and advanced steadily 

 in leadership. 



Since his accession to the business in 1901, the annual gross 

 income has grown from $182,000,000 a year to $1,065,000,000 in 

 1919. The company activities were greatly developed and ex- 

 tended by original and modem means. Economy and business 

 efficiency were applied both to manufacture and distribution, 

 enabling lower prices to the public and higher values to the pro- 

 ducers. His work has been essentially that of development and he 

 has built numerous plants in the near vicinity of the livestock 

 producing regions in order to eliminate the necessity of long live- 

 stock shipments. Today he operates at logical points some fifteen 

 plants in the United States and in addition has several in Canada 

 and South America. Under his guidance the number of branch 

 houses ■distributing Armour products has reached over four 

 hundred, while the refrigerator and tank service in 1918 totalled 

 5,435 cars. He has succeeded in increasing the utilization of 

 byproducts; has paid great attention to educational and informa- 



