Ferry-Morse Seed Company
Encyclopedia
The Ferry-Morse Seed Company is a supplier of seeds, and was at one time the largest such company in the world. It is currently part of Jiffy International.
, and Eber F. Church organized a seed-growing company, M.T. Gardner & Company (also known as Gardner, Ferry, and Church) in Detroit, Michigan
. The first year, the company did $6000 in business and it continued to be stable, but unremarkable, until 1865, when Ferry bought out Gardner's share and took over the company. Ferry changed the company name to Ferry, Church & Co, and two years later, when Church retired, changed the name again, this time to D.M. Ferry & Co.
The business grew steadily, and in 1879 was incorporated under the name D.M. Ferry & Co with $750,000 in capital, with Ferry as president, James McMillan as vice-president, H. Kirke White as secretary, and Charles C. Bowen as treasurer. A. E. F. White, John Stoughton Newberry
, and W. K. Anderson were also officers. At the same time, the Detroit Seed Company was absorbed into the new corporation. Business of the company continually increased for some time, until January 1, 1886, when a disastrous fire demolished the company's warehouse with the loss of near $1,000,000. However, Ferry quickly organized the company, bought seeds from outside sources and absorbed two smaller seed companies, and the company managed to fill orders for its customers.
Ferry built a new warehouse, and by 1890 was doing over a million and a half dolars in business annually. By the early 1900s, the company was doing over $2,000,000 per year in business, and supplying seeds to 160,000 retail outlets.
. However, Wilson's health was poor, and in 1877 he sold the operation to Charles Copeland Morse
and A. L. Kellogg. Morse built the company up, and in 184 bought out Kellogg and incorporated as C.C. Morse & Co. Charles Copeland Morse died abruptly in 1900, and his son Lester Morse took over the business. The 1906 earthquake demolished the firm's facilities, but they quickly moved to temporary space in San Francisco, and the company bought out Cox Seed and Plant.
By 1930, Ferry was growing most of its seed in California, and the two firms had complementary businesses. A merger made sense for both companies, and in 1930 they combined to form the Ferry-Morse Company. The combined firm became the largest seed distribution company in the world. In 1959, the headquarters of the business moved to western Kentucky. In 1981, Ferry-Morse became part of France's Groupe Limagrain, the largest seed producer in the world. In 2005, Groupe Limagrain sold Ferry-Morse to Jiffy International.
D.M. Ferry & Co.
In 1856, Milo T. Gardner, Dexter M. FerryDexter M. Ferry
Dexter Mason Ferry, Jr. was an American politician from Michigan.-Early life:...
, and Eber F. Church organized a seed-growing company, M.T. Gardner & Company (also known as Gardner, Ferry, and Church) in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The first year, the company did $6000 in business and it continued to be stable, but unremarkable, until 1865, when Ferry bought out Gardner's share and took over the company. Ferry changed the company name to Ferry, Church & Co, and two years later, when Church retired, changed the name again, this time to D.M. Ferry & Co.
The business grew steadily, and in 1879 was incorporated under the name D.M. Ferry & Co with $750,000 in capital, with Ferry as president, James McMillan as vice-president, H. Kirke White as secretary, and Charles C. Bowen as treasurer. A. E. F. White, John Stoughton Newberry
John Stoughton Newberry
John Stoughton Newberry was a U.S. Representative and industrialist from the state of Michigan.Newberry was born in Waterville, New York and moved with his parents to Michigan when a child, residing successively in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Romeo. He was the nephew of Walter Loomis Newberry and...
, and W. K. Anderson were also officers. At the same time, the Detroit Seed Company was absorbed into the new corporation. Business of the company continually increased for some time, until January 1, 1886, when a disastrous fire demolished the company's warehouse with the loss of near $1,000,000. However, Ferry quickly organized the company, bought seeds from outside sources and absorbed two smaller seed companies, and the company managed to fill orders for its customers.
Ferry built a new warehouse, and by 1890 was doing over a million and a half dolars in business annually. By the early 1900s, the company was doing over $2,000,000 per year in business, and supplying seeds to 160,000 retail outlets.
C.C. Morse & Co.
Meanwhile, in 1874, R. W. Wilson began a seed-producing company based in Santa Clara, CaliforniaSanta Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
. However, Wilson's health was poor, and in 1877 he sold the operation to Charles Copeland Morse
Charles Copeland Morse
Charles Copeland Morse was an American businessman known as the "American Seed King". He co-founded the Ferry-Morse Seed Company, which became the world's leading flower and vegetable seed producer....
and A. L. Kellogg. Morse built the company up, and in 184 bought out Kellogg and incorporated as C.C. Morse & Co. Charles Copeland Morse died abruptly in 1900, and his son Lester Morse took over the business. The 1906 earthquake demolished the firm's facilities, but they quickly moved to temporary space in San Francisco, and the company bought out Cox Seed and Plant.
Merger
In the early 1900s, D.M. Ferry bought land in California to grow crops for seed. In 1921, they bought the commission packet business from Morse.By 1930, Ferry was growing most of its seed in California, and the two firms had complementary businesses. A merger made sense for both companies, and in 1930 they combined to form the Ferry-Morse Company. The combined firm became the largest seed distribution company in the world. In 1959, the headquarters of the business moved to western Kentucky. In 1981, Ferry-Morse became part of France's Groupe Limagrain, the largest seed producer in the world. In 2005, Groupe Limagrain sold Ferry-Morse to Jiffy International.