How
It All Began...
When
16-year-old Christopher Henry Miller walked down the gangplank
into New Orleans in 1845, a wondrous site met his eyes.
Wherever he gazed along the muddy Mississippi he saw ships
tied to the levee, sometimes three and four deep. There
were sailing ships from every corner of the globe, bringing
exotic and tantalizing trade goods to the bustling port.
This is the city to which young Miller had come to seek
his fortune. |
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| The
German lad quickly found employment in a pastry shop,
his duties being to assist the baker. In the evenings
he studied English, but on Sundays and holidays he found
time to wander through the narrow streets of the French
Quarter and the shaded tree lined avenues of the Garden
District, looking at the homes and mansions being built
by the wealthy Americans.
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| At
the age of 24, the young confectioner took three decisive
steps, the first being to obtain United States citizenship,
the second to marry Miss Mary Wetzel, and the third to
open the Miller Candy Company at the corners of Jackson
and Levee Streets. From the beginning, his venture was
a big success. |
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| Not
only did Christopher Henry Miller establish a reputation
for fine candy making, but also for the integrity in which
he conducted his business. |
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When he died on February 2, 1902, the newspaper wrote,
" Mr. Miller was a man of the highest standing in business,
and in all public and charitable undertakings was well
known" The Millers were blessed with 13 children and one
of the daughters marries Augustus Elmer, a great favorite
of his father in law. |
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| At
the turn of the century Augustus Elmer and three of his
brothers in law changed the name of the company to Miller
- Elmer. Augustus' sons joined the business in 1914 and
changed the name to the Elmer Candy Company. |
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For
the next 60 years, the business expanded to include several
factories making a wide variety of confections, bagged
and bar candies, preserves, snacks and other specialty
items sold in all fifty states.
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| In
a continuing effort to grow the business, the Elmer family
added a partner in the early 1960's. In 1963, Roy Nelson,
a local entrepreneur purchased the entire company from
the Elmer family. Due to lack of space, and the urban
renewal movement in downtown New Orleans, the Nelson family
moved the plant to Ponchatoula, a small farming community
best known for their strawberry crop, about 45 miles from
New Orleans. |
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| In
the 1970's, the confectionery business changed dramatically.
Elmer Candy found itself competing directly with national
confectionery companies. The
management team decided to concentrate
on seasonal boxed chocolate business, developing and marketing
products specifically for Christmas, Valentine's Day,
and Easter. |
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Unfortunately, this caused Elmer's to discontinue manufacture
of local favorites like "Chee Weez", "Mint Bubblets",
and "Coconut Haystacks". These products are still remembered
with reverence in the local area.
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| The
company continues today under the guidance of the Nelson
family, the management responsibilities being passed to
the third generation of the Nelson family. The company
continues to grow and is currently the second largest
heart box chocolate manufacturer in the country. |
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Elmer's
will continue to produce quality candies for the seasonal
market for many years to come, starting now to train the
fourth generation of Nelson family members in the art
of confectionery. This commitment will make the company
the first family held chocolate business to be 200 years
old.
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