Henry W. Jeffers | |
|---|---|
| Born | Henry Williams Jeffers (1871-01-04)January 4, 1871 |
| Died | July 17, 1953(1953-07-17) (aged 82) Princeton Hospital Princeton, New Jersey |
| Education | Wyoming Seminary Cornell University (BS) |
| Occupations | Dairyman andRepublican Party politician |
| Employer | Walker-Gordon Dairy Farm |
| Known for | Inventing theRotolactor; Chairman of theNew Jersey Republican State Committee; a founder and first mayor ofPlainsboro Township, NJ |
| Board member of | New Jersey Board of Agriculture, 1916-1927; advisory boards for theUnited States Department of Agriculture and the AmericanFood Administration duringWorld War I |
| Spouse | |
Henry Williams Jeffers (January 4, 1871 – July 17, 1953) was an Americandairyman andRepublican Party politician who served as chairman of theNew Jersey Republican State Committee.
Jeffers was born in Hartford, Pennsylvania, to Watson and Betsey Milburn (Oakley) Jeffers. He attendedWyoming Seminary inKingston, Pennsylvania, before going on toCornell University, where he received aB.S. degree in 1899. He married Anna C. Adams on July 14, 1898.[1]
Starting in his senior year at Cornell in 1898, Jeffers worked for the Walker-Gordon Dairy Farm, eventually becoming president in 1918. At Walker-Gordon, based inPlainsboro Township,New Jersey, Jeffers invented a number of technological innovations streamlining dairy production, including the Jeffersbacteriology counter, the Jeffersfeed calculator, and theRotolactor (a rotary milking parlor, a sort of "carousel" for cows, invented in 1930).[2][3][4]
Jeffers served on the New Jersey Board of Agriculture from 1916 to 1927. DuringWorld War I he served on advisory boards for theUnited States Department of Agriculture and the AmericanFood Administration underHerbert Hoover.[1][3]
Jeffers was among the founders ofPlainsboro Township, having petitioned theNew Jersey Legislature to form a new municipality out of sections ofCranbury andSouth Brunswick townships.[5] After the township was officially founded on May 6, 1919, Jeffers was elected the first mayor.[6]
Jeffers was also active in Republican politics in New Jersey. He was selected as chairman of theNew Jersey Republican State Committee in 1935 whenE. Donald Sterner was named State Highway Commissioner.[7] He served until 1937.[8]
Jeffers died on July 17, 1953, atPrinceton Hospital inPrinceton, New Jersey, at the age of 82.[3]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chairman of theNew Jersey Republican State Committee 1935–1937 | Succeeded by |