Origins & Early Life

Henry John Heinz (October 11, 1844 – May 14, 1919) was an American entrepreneur who co-founded the H. J. Heinz Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was involved in the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Many of his descendants are known for philanthropy and involvement in politics and public affairs. His fortune became the basis for the Heinz Foundations. Henry John Heinz was born in Birmingham, Pennsylvania, to John Henry Heinz (1811–1891), and Anna Margaretha Schmidt (1822–1899). John Henry Heinz was born Johann Heinrich Heinz to parents Johann Georg Heinz and Charlotte Louisa (née Trump). Heinz's mother's family, the Trump family, was originally from Kallstadt of the Palatinate, which at that time was part of the Kingdom of Bavaria.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1840, John Henry immigrated to Birmingham, where he got a job making bricks and then met and married Anna in 1843, who herself had recently emigrated from Kruspis (today a part of Haunetal), Hesse-Kassel. Then when Henry was five years old, his parents moved to Sharpsburg where Henry’s father went into the brick making business for himself. Anna Schmidt was the daughter of a farmer and church administrator, Johann Adam...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Amitabh Bachchan — Shared historical date (10-11 · Born) (1942): Iconic figure of Hindi cinema, celebrated for versatility and enduring stardom.
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• August Strindberg — Shared historical date (05-14 · Died) (1912): Pioneering Swedish literary figure, playwright, and essayist of the late 19th century.
• B. B. King — Shared historical date (05-14 · Died) (2015): Pioneering electric blues master, nicknamed 'The King of the Blues'.
• 1844 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1844
• October 11 (10-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 11
• 1919 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1919
• May 14 (05-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 14