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{{Short description|American businesswoman and chocolatier}}
{{Short description|American businesswoman and chocolatier}}
{{one source|date=December 2016}}{{tone|date=December 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{more refs|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Clara Stover
| name = Clara Stover
| image =
| image =
| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_name = Clara Mae Lewis
| birth_name = Clara Mae Lewis
| birth_date = 1882
| birth_date = {{birth year|1882}}
| birth_place = [[Oxford, Iowa]]
| birth_place = [[Oxford, Iowa]], U.S.
| death_date = 1975 (aged 93)
| death_date = {{death year and age|1975|1882}}
| death_place = [[Kansas City, Missouri]]
| death_place = [[Kansas City, Missouri]]
| nationality = American
| other_names =
⚫
| occupation = Candy maker, company owner
| other_names =
⚫
| years_active = 1910s–1960
⚫
| occupation = candy maker, company owner
⚫
| known_for = Co-founding with husband [[Russell Stover]] the [[Russell Stover Candies]] company
⚫
| years_active = 1910s-1975
⚫
| notable_works =
⚫
| known_for = Creating [[Russell Stover Candies]], with husband and co-founder, [[Russell Stover]]
⚫
| notable_works =
}}
}}


⚫
'''Clara Mae Stover''' (1882–1975) was the wife of candy maker [[Russell Stover]], and co-founder of [[Russell Stover Candies]]. A lifelong participant in the business, she ran the company for six years following Russell's death.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
⚫
[[Image:Christian Kent Nelson.jpg|thumb|upright|right|200px|[[Christian Kent Nelson]], co-founder with [[Russell Stover]], of the "[[Eskimo Pie]]" [[ice cream bar]], portrait from 1922]]

⚫
[[File:Russell-stover-hq.jpg|thumb|200px|Russell Stover headquarters in [[Kansas City, Missouri]]]]
⚫
==Early life==
⚫
Clara Mae Stover was born in [[Oxford, Iowa]], in 1882.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Coleman|first1=Daniel|title=Clara and Russell Stover, Candymakers|url=http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Biographies&CISOPTR=128|website=Missouri Valley Special Collections|publisher=Kansas|access-date=November 15, 2016|ref=2007}}</ref> She was raised on a farm with three sisters, and strongly influenced by one of her grandmothers{{which|date=January 2023}} to be self-reliant.

Clara and [[Russell Stover]] met as students at the Iowa City Academy in [[Iowa City, Iowa]].{{when|date=January 2023}} They were married in 1911. They bought a 580-acre wheat and [[flax]] farm in [[Saskatchewan]], Canada, but the heavy rains destroyed their crops.

==Career==
⚫
===Introduction to candy industry===
Russell Stover was hired by a candy company in [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]], Canada. Some years later the couple returned to the United States, where Russell worked for [[confectionery|confectioners]], in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] and [[Chicago, Illinois]], during the balance of the 1910s.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}


⚫
===Naming the "Eskimo Pie"===
⚫
'''Clara Mae Stover''' (1882-1975) was the wife and co-founder of candy maker, [[Russell Stover]], who created [[Russell Stover Candies]]. Clara Mae solely ran the company following Russell's death.
⚫
[[File:Christian Kent Nelson.jpg|thumb|"[[Eskimo Pie]]" inventor Christian Kent Nelson, who partnered with [[Russell Stover]] to create the chocolate-covered [[ice cream bar]] (Image, 1922)]]


⚫
Iowa schoolteacher Christian Nelson had the idea of enrobing a block of vanilla ice cream with melted chocolate. He partnered with Russell Stover, then studying chemistry at the University of Iowa, to develop a workable process of doing so without melting the ice cream. In 1921 a patent was granted, allowing Nelson's concept to be mass produced. At a dinner party, Clara suggested calling the novelty an "[[Eskimo Pie]]", which became a national sensation. Russell was soon offered licensing agreements, which he accepted, and buyout offers into the millions of dollars, which he refused; instead, he focused on suing imitators. Ultimately he waited too long, imitators thrived, the initial craze wore down, and licensed sales plummeted into the mere thousands of dollars.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Russell-Stover-Candies-Inc-Company-History.html International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 12. St. James Press, 1996]</ref>
⚫
==Early life and marriage==
⚫
Clara Mae Stover was born in [[Oxford, Iowa]], in 1882.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Coleman|first1=Daniel|title=Clara and Russell Stover, Candymakers|url=http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Biographies&CISOPTR=128|website=Missouri Valley Special Collections|publisher=Kansas|accessdate=15 November 2016|ref=2007}}</ref> Clara Mae was raised on a farm, with her three sisters, who were required to do to manual labor since their parents had no sons. Through the strong influence of her grandmother, Clara Stover was a very independent woman, who took the initiative to be self-reliant and knowing how to get things done. Clara and [[Russell Stover]] met, as students in [[Iowa City, Iowa]], at the [[Iowa City Academy]]. Over the years, they kept in touch and got married in 1911. The Stovers decided to buy a 580-acre, wheat and [[flax]] farm in [[Saskatchewan]], [[Canada]]. Unfortunately, heavy rains destroyed their crops.


⚫
===The Russell Stover Candy Company===
⚫
==Introduction to candy industry==
⚫
[[File:Russell-stover-hq.jpg|thumb|Russell Stover headquarters in [[Kansas City, Missouri]]]]
Russell Stover was hired by a candy company, in [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]], Canada. Years later, the Stovers decided to move back to the [[United States]], where Russell worked for [[confectionery|confectioners]], in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] and [[Chicago]] [[Illinois]], during the 1910s. Throughout the process, Russell Stover became very familiar with the candy-making process. Everything, from the production to the sale, of chocolates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The woman behind Russell Stover Chocolates |url=https://www.kshb.com/news/womens-history-month/the-woman-behind-russell-stover-chocolates?_amp=true |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=kshb.com}}</ref> This began Clara and Russell's dream of a chocolate empire, that still thrives today. Clara Stover would actually dip the chocolates, herself in their apartment kitchen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cristy |date=2022-02-10 |title=This Candy Store Filled With Samples And Freebies In West Virginia Is Chocolate Heaven |url=https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/west-virginia/russell-stover-wv/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=OnlyInYourState |language=en-US}}</ref> Russell Stover, would in turn, sell them to neighborhood druggists, on the weekends.


The Stovers relocated to [[Denver, Colorado]] and used their meager earnings to create their own confectionery company, "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies". With success came factories in Denver and [[Kansas City, Missouri]]. By 1932 all operations were relocated to Kansas City, sales having increased from 20,000 to 11 million pounds.{{cn|date=January 2023}} In 1943 the company was renamed "[[Russell Stover Candies]]".<ref name=timeline>[http://www.russellstover.com/rsc-timeline Russell Stover Chocolates Timeline]</ref>
⚫
==Creation of Eskimo Pie ==
⚫
In 1921, Russell Stover, studying [[chemistry]], at the University of Iowa and business partner, [[Iowa]] [[schoolteacher]], Christian Nelson patented a process, by which ice cream could be coated, with chocolate, without melting. At a dinner party, Clara suggested calling it an "[[Eskimo Pie]]", which became a national sensation. Russell was soon offered licensing agreements, and buyout offers, some millions of dollars. He was also, in lawsuits, suing imitators, hiring many lawyers. Instead, of taking the buyout offers, Stover waited too long and sales plummeted, leaving sales at only several thousand dollars.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Russell-Stover-Candies-Inc-Company-History.html International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 12. St. James Press, 1996]</ref>


===Later years with the company===
⚫
==Stover Candy Company==
In 1954 Russell Stover died. At the time there were 40 company-owned stores and their candy was sold in 2,000 pharmacies and department stores nationwide.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} Clara took over and ran the business until 1960. That year Louis Ward, a box maker who had been supplying packaging materials to the company, purchased a controlling interest and [[initial public offering|took the business public]].<ref name=timeline/>
The Stovers used their meager earnings, to create their own candy company, in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], known as "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies". Through their successes and failures, they were now prepared to officially run a successful candy business. Russell and Clara Mae Stover began to build factories in Denver and [[Kansas City, Missouri]]. In 1931, the Russell Stover Company headquarters was moved to Kansas City,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clara Stover, chocolate pioneer |url=https://www.kshb.com/lifestyle/tasteseekc/womens-history-month-clara-stover-chocolate-pioneer?_amp=true |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=kshb.com}}</ref> increasing its output, from 20,000 to 11 million pounds, of candy production. In 1943, Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies was renamed "[[Russell Stover Candies]]".<ref>[http://www.russellstover.com/rsc-timeline Russell Stover Chocolates Timeline]</ref>


==Personal life==
==Mrs. Stover and Stover candy legacy==
{{Expand section|date=January 2023}}
In 1954, Russell Stover died, after leaving his significant contributions to the American candy industry. Russell Stover candy was sold in 2,000 pharmacies and department stores nationwide, and also, through their 40 company-owned stores. After his death, Clara Stover was the head of Russell Stover Candies for six years.


⚫
Clara Stover died in Kansas City in 1975, where she had lived with her husband. Her cremated remains are interred with those of her husband and daughter at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
==Death==
⚫
In 1975, Clara Stover died in Kansas City, where she had lived with her husband. Her cremated remains are inurned with those of her daughter and husband at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City.


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:American company founders]]
[[Category:American company founders]]
[[Category:American women company founders]]
[[Category:American women company founders]]
[[Category:Kansas Business Hall of Fame inductees]]

Latest revision as of 05:19, 5 January 2024

Clara Stover
Born
Clara Mae Lewis

1882 (1882)
Oxford, Iowa, U.S.
Died1975 (aged 92–93)
Kansas City, Missouri
Occupation(s)Candy maker, company owner
Years active1910s–1960
Known forCo-founding with husband Russell Stover the Russell Stover Candies company

Clara Mae Stover (1882–1975) was the wife of candy maker Russell Stover, and co-founder of Russell Stover Candies. A lifelong participant in the business, she ran the company for six years following Russell's death.[citation needed]

Early life

[edit]

Clara Mae Stover was born in Oxford, Iowa, in 1882.[1] She was raised on a farm with three sisters, and strongly influenced by one of her grandmothers[which?] to be self-reliant.

Clara and Russell Stover met as students at the Iowa City Academy in Iowa City, Iowa.[when?] They were married in 1911. They bought a 580-acre wheat and flax farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, but the heavy rains destroyed their crops.

Career

[edit]

Introduction to candy industry

[edit]

Russell Stover was hired by a candy company in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Some years later the couple returned to the United States, where Russell worked for confectioners, in Des Moines, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois, during the balance of the 1910s.[citation needed]

Naming the "Eskimo Pie"

[edit]
"Eskimo Pie" inventor Christian Kent Nelson, who partnered with Russell Stover to create the chocolate-covered ice cream bar (Image, 1922)

Iowa schoolteacher Christian Nelson had the idea of enrobing a block of vanilla ice cream with melted chocolate. He partnered with Russell Stover, then studying chemistry at the University of Iowa, to develop a workable process of doing so without melting the ice cream. In 1921 a patent was granted, allowing Nelson's concept to be mass produced. At a dinner party, Clara suggested calling the novelty an "Eskimo Pie", which became a national sensation. Russell was soon offered licensing agreements, which he accepted, and buyout offers into the millions of dollars, which he refused; instead, he focused on suing imitators. Ultimately he waited too long, imitators thrived, the initial craze wore down, and licensed sales plummeted into the mere thousands of dollars.[1][2]

The Russell Stover Candy Company

[edit]
Russell Stover headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri

The Stovers relocated to Denver, Colorado and used their meager earnings to create their own confectionery company, "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies". With success came factories in Denver and Kansas City, Missouri. By 1932 all operations were relocated to Kansas City, sales having increased from 20,000 to 11 million pounds.[citation needed] In 1943 the company was renamed "Russell Stover Candies".[3]

Later years with the company

[edit]

In 1954 Russell Stover died. At the time there were 40 company-owned stores and their candy was sold in 2,000 pharmacies and department stores nationwide.[citation needed] Clara took over and ran the business until 1960. That year Louis Ward, a box maker who had been supplying packaging materials to the company, purchased a controlling interest and took the business public.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

Clara Stover died in Kansas City in 1975, where she had lived with her husband. Her cremated remains are interred with those of her husband and daughter at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Coleman, Daniel. "Clara and Russell Stover, Candymakers". Missouri Valley Special Collections. Kansas. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  2. ^ International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 12. St. James Press, 1996
  3. ^ a b Russell Stover Chocolates Timeline
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