William Procter

Procter was born on 7 December 1801, in Herefordshire, and educated at Lucton School. He entered into business in 1818 and was connected with the clothing industry in London in the late 1820s. His store was robbed and he was later mired in huge amount of debt. In 1827, he became influenced by William Hooper, who by his admiration of America persuaded Procter to emigrate there. He arrived in the United States in 1830 and began to manufacture candles in New York City. He moved west with his first wife, Martha Peat Procter. She died during their westward journey in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1832.