Canadian Businessman and Politician. He was a co-founder, along with his brother James Ganong, of Ganong Brothers, Limited, the oldest candy company in Canada. It was the first company to introduce a heart-shaped box of chocolates in North America, originally used for presents over the Christmas season before it became successful on Valentine's Day. One of six children, his father was a farmer and merchant who was a descendant of Huguenot exiles that fled religious persecution from La Rochelle, France in the second half of the 17th century and emigrated to the Dutch colonial settlement of New Amsterdam (present-day New York City, New York). Following the American Revolutionary War, his descendants, who were loyal to the English cause, relocated to New Brunswick (then part of Nova Scotia), Canada in 1783. In 1873 he and his brother James moved to the Canadian border town of Saint Stephen, New Brunswick on the Saint Croix River across from Calais, Maine, establishing a grocery business and within a few years added a bakery and confectionery manufactory. In 1878 the brothers, in partnership with Freeman H. Todd, built the Saint Croix Soap Manufacturing Company but dissolved it in 1884, and he operated the store, bakery and confectionery business while his brother retained the soap factory. In 1896 he entered politics as a Liberal-Conservative and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the district of Charlotte, in New Brunswick. He was re-elected in 1900 and 1904, but was defeated in 1908. In June 1917, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick and served until his death in October. His brother James' son, Arthur Ganong, took over the candy business after his death.
Canadian Businessman and Politician. He was a co-founder, along with his brother James Ganong, of Ganong Brothers, Limited, the oldest candy company in Canada. It was the first company to introduce a heart-shaped box of chocolates in North America, originally used for presents over the Christmas season before it became successful on Valentine's Day. One of six children, his father was a farmer and merchant who was a descendant of Huguenot exiles that fled religious persecution from La Rochelle, France in the second half of the 17th century and emigrated to the Dutch colonial settlement of New Amsterdam (present-day New York City, New York). Following the American Revolutionary War, his descendants, who were loyal to the English cause, relocated to New Brunswick (then part of Nova Scotia), Canada in 1783. In 1873 he and his brother James moved to the Canadian border town of Saint Stephen, New Brunswick on the Saint Croix River across from Calais, Maine, establishing a grocery business and within a few years added a bakery and confectionery manufactory. In 1878 the brothers, in partnership with Freeman H. Todd, built the Saint Croix Soap Manufacturing Company but dissolved it in 1884, and he operated the store, bakery and confectionery business while his brother retained the soap factory. In 1896 he entered politics as a Liberal-Conservative and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the district of Charlotte, in New Brunswick. He was re-elected in 1900 and 1904, but was defeated in 1908. In June 1917, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick and served until his death in October. His brother James' son, Arthur Ganong, took over the candy business after his death.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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