John Thompson Dorrance

John Thompson Dorrance (November 11, 1873 – September 21, 1930) was an American chemist and businessman who developed commercially viable condensed soup. He was president of the Campbell's from 1914 to 1930, having purchased sole ownership from the Campbell family in 1915. At the time of his death, he possessed a fortune worth an estimated $120 million (approximately $ billion in dollars).

Early life and education John Thompson Dorrance was born November 11, 1873 in Bristol, Pennsylvania to John Sr. and Eleanor (née Thompson) Dorrance. His father was a prominent local businessman and politician, and he was raised at the Dorrance Mansion.

He attended the Rugby Academy in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895.

In 1897, he graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen. He worked in several restaurants in Paris, where he learned about soup flavorings and had the idea to prepare and package soup in condensed form. Due to these costs savings, Campbells was able to lower the price of their soups from 34 cents to 10 cents. Campbell's condensed soup was immediately popular, revolutionizing household economics throughout the United States.

Elinor Dorrance (born November 12, 1908); Ethel Mallinckrodt Dorrance (born July 17, 1909); Charlotte Kelsey Dorrance (born November 10, 1911); Margaret Winifred Dorrance (born October18, 1915); and John Dorrance Jr. (born February 7, 1919).

His notable grandchildren have included John Dorrance III, Mary Alice Dorrance Malone, George W. Strawbridge Jr., and Dorrance Hill Hamilton.

Death Dorrance died on September 21, 1930, of heart disease at his home in Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey. He was interred in West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.

He left an estate worth an estimated $120 million (approximately $ billion in dollars) after his death. There was significant litigation over his domicile for purposes of estate and inheritance tax, with both the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of New Jersey holding that he was domiciled in their respective state, and his estate was required to pay estate tax to both states. The estate sought relief by appealing to the Supreme Court of the United States, but the request for review was denied.

Legacy In 2012, Dorrance was elected into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

His estate in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania is now the home of Cabrini University.