Patrick Cudahy, industrialist and philanthropist, was a native of Co Kilkenny, Ireland. He revolutionised the meat packing industry in the United States. He was the founder of the City of Cudahy which is now a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Today the meatpacking business founded Patrick Cudahy is a division of Smithfield Foods.
Patrick Cudahy was born in Callan Co Kilkenny in March 1849. Three months after his birth his family moved to America and settled in Milwaukee Wisconsin. At the age of 14 Patrick began working in the Plankinton and Armour meat packing plant. In 1874 at the age of 25 he became a superintendent in the business. He worked to transform the industry and in 1888 the owner transferred the company to Patrick Cudahy and his brother John Cudahy.
The Cudahy brothers moved the business to a new location south of Milwaukee in 1892. A town built up around the business, which became the City of Cudahy in 1906. The meat packing business expanded rapidly and by 1922 Cudahy Packing Co was among the largest of the packing houses in the United States. During his lifetime Patrick Cudahy, in an effort to promote temperance tried to limit the number of taverns in the city. He played an active role in the Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and Friends of Irish Freedom. He died at the age of 70 on July 25th 1919. Cudahy and his wife Anna had nine children. One of their children, John Cudahy, served as Ambassador to Ireland from 1937 to 1940.
Patrick Cudahy was born in the year 1849 On This Day.
Photo by purpleslog 
Patrick Cudahy HQ Sign
Milkaukee (WIS) Lakefront, Cudahy tower, 1909, University Club, 1926, University Club Tower, 2007