Cadwallader C. Washburn

Cadwallader C. Washburn (1818-1882) was a Wisconsin congressman, governor and Union general who built a flour mill at St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis in 1866. After the 1878 explosion of his Washburn 'A' Mill, he rebuilt with roller-milling technology that helped make Minneapolis the country's flour-milling capital.

Washburn was one of several brothers prominent in U.S. politics. Alongside his political career he invested in Minneapolis milling, opening his first mill in 1866 and the much larger 'A' Mill in 1874. The 1878 dust explosion destroyed the A Mill and nearby mills and killed 18 workers; Washburn rebuilt with improved dust control and roller mills. In 1877 he partnered with John Crosby to form the Washburn-Crosby Company, the main predecessor of General Mills. He died in 1882.