author
H. B. Reese
A former Hershey dairy worker turned candy maker, he created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and built a family business that became one of America’s most enduring candy brands. His path from farm life to confectionery success helped shape a classic treat still loved today.
1 Audiobook
Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota Or, From the Ox Team to the Aeroplane
by John B. Reese, H. B. Reese
About the author
Born in York County, Pennsylvania, in 1879, Harry Burnett Reese grew up on a farm before taking a series of jobs to support his large family. In the late 1910s he worked for Milton Hershey, first on a dairy farm and later in the Hershey factory, experience that helped spark his interest in making candy.
In 1923, he started the H. B. Reese Candy Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania. After trying a variety of confections, he introduced Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928, a combination of chocolate and peanut butter that became his signature success.
Reese died in 1956, but his company and his best-known candy continued to grow. His sons later merged the family business with Hershey, and his name remains closely tied to one of the most recognizable sweets in the United States.