Background
He was born in Norwich, N.Y., Nov. 9, 1801. He was educated in local schools, but in 1814 the family moved first to Kentucky and then settled near Madison, Ind., where Borden worked on his father's farm.
He was born in Norwich, N.Y., Nov. 9, 1801. He was educated in local schools, but in 1814 the family moved first to Kentucky and then settled near Madison, Ind., where Borden worked on his father's farm.
local schools
In 1835 Borden started a newspaper, the Telegraph and Texas Land Register, which played an influential part in the freeing of Texas. After Texas' liberation he was appointed collector of customs of the port of Galveston, and was largely responsible for laying out the new city. When the Galveston City Company was formed in 1839 he became an agent for the company, remaining with it until 1857. Borden meanwhile had been experimenting with the production of imperishable foods in concentrated form, and had invented a meat-biscuit, which he manufactured until 1853, when the business failed. Borden then moved to Lebanon, N.Y., where he discovered the first successful method for the production of evaporated milk for which he was granted a patent in 1856. During the Civil War evaporated milk was of inestimable value to the Union army, and before he died Borden acquired a small fortune. He also developed a beef extract and concentrates of tea, coffee, cocoa, and fruit juices. He died in Borden, Tex., Jan. 11, 1874.
