Legacy of Jacob and Ella Loose

Self-made millionaire and philanthropist Jacob Leander Loose (1850-1923) was born in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. After leaving high school at age 16 to work, he opened a dry goods store with his brother David in Chetopa, Kansas in 1870. He married Ella Clark in 1878 and they moved to Kansas City in 1882, where he entered the cracker business. First, he bought a controlling interest in the Corle Cracker Company with his brother Joseph, then organized and became president of the American Biscuit Company before merging with the National Biscuit Company (NABISCO).

He took a break from business for his health in 1897 and upon his return in 1902, he founded Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company. The company became highly successful with the release of the Hydrox cookie (similar to the Oreo cookie before Oreo) and Sunshine Biscuits. In 1913 he started the endowment fund for Children’s Mercy Hospital, donated the largest flagpole to Swope Park in 1915, and after WWI, became active in the Liberty Memorial Association. Due to more health concerns he semi-retired in 1919 and died on September 8, 1923 in his Massachusetts summer home. In another act of generosity after his death, his will established the Million Dollar Charity Fund Association which gave resources to people in need.

Ella Loose also became a philanthropist with a particular interest in children, after losing two of her own as infants. She was a benefactor of Gillis Orphanage and established “Loose Shoe Day” in 1907, which provided for a new pair of shoes and a $1 bill to the resident children. The special event was held for more than 30 years and extended to the WCA in 1927, in which the Loose family was a leading benefactor for. At age 60, Ella became “Kansas City’s No. 1 Society Dowager” and often traveled to Washington D.C. as part of an action plan to conquer capital society.

On September 26, 1945, Ella passed away as the last member of the Loose family. The majority of the Loose estate was turned over to the Million Dollar Charity Fund Association. The Fund was renamed to the Jacob L. and Ella C. Loose Foundation in 1977 and helped launch the Greater Kansas City Community Fund, which now ranks in the top 1% of more than 700 community organizations nationwide.