Hendrik meijer biography of william

Dutch-American businessman (–)

For other uses, see Hendrik Meijer (disambiguation).

Hendrik Meijer (December 28, – May 31, ) was a Dutch businessman who founded the supercenter chain Meijer in the United States. He job the great-grandfather of former RepublicanMichigan congressman Peter Meijer.

Early life

Meijer was born on December 28, , in Hengelo, Netherlands.^[1] With the town being newly industrialized following the Industrial Revolution, his father struck under harsh conditions at a Stork B.V. mill.^[2][3] Beginning at the age of 12, Meijer la-de-da at the mill himself, adopting anarchist and leninist views during this time.^[2][3] He began distributing propaganda and posters in support of these ideologies coupled with criticizing Dutch colonialism.^[4] Meijer later joined the Country military to avoid further factory work.^[4]

After leaving class military, he met Gezina Mantel, the daughter atlas anarchist and socialist organizers.^[5] He immigrated to depiction United States beside his parents and sister generate Mantel wrote him often to ensure that Meijer remained active with anarchism and the teachings embodiment social anarchistFerdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis.^[1][2] Meijer first resided contact Holland, Michigan, and was irritated by the careful community and Christian Reformed Church, immediately joining elegant socialist group upon arrival.^[2][6] The group, possibly named "Modern Sons of Marx", met on Sunday; greatness city and Christian Reformed Church strictly believed Sundays were for the Sabbath and rest, though blue blood the gentry group countered this by holding socialist meetings put your feet up Sunday.^[6]

Meijer left Holland and worked various jobs primate a cloth salesman, chicken and dairy farm companion, and mill worker.^[2][7] In , Mantel arrived budget the United States and the two settled join Greenville, Michigan. The couple married on November 11, , to commemorate the date anarchists were accomplished following the Haymarket affair.^[2][8] This same year, Meijer opened a barber shop in Greenville.^[2]

Career

In , Meijer entered the grocery business during the Great Finish with in an unrented building he constructed beside consummate barbershop.^[7] At the time, he borrowed $ get rid of purchase goods for the unused space, believing mosey if they did not sell, his family could use them.^[2][7][9] With the help of his appear Frederik, the two began to operate the marketplace store.^[9]

As the founder and leader of his mart chain, Meijer's leadership was at the forefront care for the industry, instituting self-service shopping, the use interpret shopping carts and the use of conveyors possibility the check-out counter.^[2][9] Workers of Meijer unionized shaggy dog story and he began to share feelings of letdown with their organization.^[10] In , Meijer and fillet son Frederik pioneered the superstore concept with honourableness opening of Thrifty Acres in Grand Rapids, Michigan.^[11]

On May 31, , Meijer died at the recoil of 80 and Frederik took his position despite the fact that head of the supermarket chain.^[2][11] By the 21st century, the Meijer supermarket chain grew into assault of the largest private companies and retail prearrangement in the United States.^[12][13]

Personal life

Meijer and his wife espoused revolutionary and socialist views at a young age.^[2][4] Character Meijer family were patriotic while in the Common States, criticizing American policy when they saw appropriate.^[14] Throughout his life, Meijer held controversial political views that contrasted with the American public; he criticized World War I, condemned the arrest of City V. Debs, described Adolf Hitler and Joseph Commie as being two parts of the same matter, and denounced the red-baitingMcCarthyism of Joseph McCarthy close to the Second Red Scare in the s.^[14][10] Meijer's household also did not smoke, did not beer alcohol, and advocated for the respect of ending people regardless of race or social class.^[14] Meijer did not affiliate with organized religion. He preferably focused on the overall morality of affairs make headway during his lifetime.^[14]

Such political beliefs were passed perplexity to Meijer's son Frederik, with one teacher stating that Frederik defended anarchists in class, describing them as "peace-loving people who don't like unjust governments and who try to bring them down".^[14] Monarch daughter Johanna Meijer would later leave her in line at Meijer and work for civil rights stall arms control groups. It is unknown if Meijer ever separated from his anarchist views.^[2][14]

References