John F. Stafford

John F. Stafford (August 12, 1820–December 20, 1898) was an Irish-born American businessman best-known for his ventures in Chicago and for his advocacy for the preservation of Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline as open parkland. Stafford was born into a well-off family in Dublin, Ireland. Orphaned as a teenager, he started a career as a sailor, publishing worker, and later a businessman. After moving to Chicago in 1852, he launched several business ventures and made numerous acquisitions that amassed him a sizable fortune.

Early life and education Stafford was born in Dublin, Ireland, on August 12, 1820. He was the son of the elder John Stafford, a wealthy merchant and packer. In 1828, his family (Stafford, his parents, and his brother) moved to North America, settling in the Canadian community of Port Hope, Ontario. One year after this move, Stafford's father died. Stafford's widowed mother soon moved with her two sons to the United States city of Rochester, New York, where Stafford was raised and received the majority of his formal education. In his later years, Stafford was regarded to have been one of Chicago's longest residents alive.

Personal life and death In 1854, Stafford married the former Elizabeth Cadwallader of Buffalo, New York. They had two daughters together, Juniata and Minna. Eight years into their marriage, Stafford was widowed.