He was a man full of integrity, sincerity and character; which has changed the lives of many by providing them with homes, jobs and, of course, the satisfaction of eating a delicious, creamy milk chocolate bar (Erdman). He is known not only for “The Hershey Chocolate Company,” but also for his “town of Hershey” (“Milton Hershey” 144). As a philanthropist, entrepreneur and donor; Milton Hershey created his American dream through many failures and perseverance. Milton Hershey was born on September 13, 1857, on a “Pennsylvania farm in Derry Township” (“Milton Hershey” 142). He was the "only surviving child" of the poor couple, Henry H. Hershey and Fannie B. Snavely (Woodruff). Hershey's parents "almost never] got along"; they were like day and night, vanilla and chocolate (Erdman). His mother had “a highly disciplined nature” due to her Mennonite faith, but his father “was a worldly man who dreamed big dreams” and because of this always got “into trouble” (Erdman). Because Henry couldn't find steady work, the Hershey family was constantly moving to different places (Woodruff). This led Milton to drop out of school in the fourth grade (Erdman). Henry and Fannie later went their separate ways because it was too frustrating to be together (Erdman). Even though Milton's parents were no longer as close, both his mother and father were still the biggest influence in his life. His father always told him, "If you want to make money, you have to do it big" (Erdman). His father's idealistic slogan pushed Milton to “think big” and continue chasing his dreams (Erdman). Due to his mother's strict nature, he grew up to be a determined worker (Erdman). Not only that, but she guesses... middle of paper... she's helped many other people with theirs. Milton Hershey proved himself to be a great man by “thinking big” (Erdman). Works Cited D'Antonio, Michael. Hershey Milton S. Hershey's extraordinary life of wealth, empire, and utopian dreams. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. Print.Denenberg, Dennis and Lorraine Roscoe. "Milton Hershey." 50 American Heroes Every Child Should Meet (2002): 54. Historical Reference Center. EBSCO. Network. February 26, 2010Erdman, Timothy M. "Hershey: Sweet Smell of Success." American History Illustrated29.1 (1994): 64. Historical Reference Center. EBSCO. Network. February 26, 2010. Mossman, Jennifer, ed. "Milton Hershey." Encyclopedia of World Biography. vol. 19. Farmington Hills: Gale Group, 2000. 142-44. Print.Woodruff, Stephen B. “Milton Hershey and His Chocolate School.” Appleseeds 8.6 (2006): 20. Primary research. EBSCO. Network. February 26. 2010.