Franklin Clarence Mars sometimes known as Frank C. Mars, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 business magnate

Business magnate

A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...

 who founded the food company Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...

, which makes mostly chocolate candy

Candy

Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...

. Mars and his son Forrest Edward Mars

Forrest Mars Sr.

Forrest Edward Mars, Sr. was the driving force of the Mars candy empire. He is best known for inventing M&M's and the Mars bar, as well as orchestrating the launch of Uncle Ben's. He was the son of candy company Mars, Inc. founder Frank C. Mars and his first wife Ethel G...

 developed M&M's

M&M's

M&M's are dragée-like "colorful button-shaped candies" produced by Mars, Incorporated...

.
He was born in 1883 in Hancock, Minnesota

Hancock, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 717 people, 294 households, and 186 families residing in the city. The population density was 724.5 people per square mile . There were 325 housing units at an average density of 328.4 per square mile...

. Frank Mars learned how to hand dip chocolate candy as a child from his mother Alva, who hoped to entertain him as he had a mild case of polio. He began to sell Molasses

Molasses

Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...

 chips at age 19.

Mars and Ethel G.