Today, in the year 2018, the state of Pennsylvania holds over 12.8 million people; this number does not account for all those who previously resided in the state. In the history of Pennsylvania there are two individuals who stand out among others, Milton Hershey and St. Katharine Drexel. Although they were contemporaries of each other, growing up in the mid-19th century, they travelled in vastly different circles. Each achieved amazing accomplishments throughout their lives and contributed many key highlights to the history of Pennsylvania. This paper will compare and contrast the two to see the impact left behind by their lives. To begin, Milton Snavely Hershey was born into a poor family in Hockensville, Pennsylvania, on September 13, 1857 (Museum). He grew up among the Pennsylvania Dutch; his early life consisted of learning from these devout, thrifty, and hardworking people (Wooster). Henry Hershey, Milton’s father, never had a stable job, which accounted for why the family moved frequently. Milton’s mother, Fanny Hershey, was often disappointed in her husband’s failure; the two spent large periods of time away from each other much like Rip Van Winkle and his wife (Irving). Due to a lack of central parenting and support, Milton grew …show more content…
Katharine Drexel led them to their similarities. Each found what they were passionate about in life and dedicated their lives to fulfilling their dreams. Milton Hershey enjoyed the accomplishments he made through chocolate and making people happy. This is similar to how St. Katharine Drexel dedicated her life to helping those who could not help themselves. Both had a strong love of creating happiness for others. Their final similarity was in their large fortunes that they gave away not only at the end of their lives, but also throughout their lives. In spite of their differences, their love of people bound then