In 1902, J.J. Whitacre, a 42-year old lawyer, founded the Whitacre Fireproofing Company.
Born in 1860, J.J. attended Hiram College in Ohio three years and then the University of Michigan Law School for two years. Although J.J. was the controlling stockholder, his brother R.E. Whitacre was the first president of the company. This arrangement may have been to comply with a non-compete agreement J.J. had with the National Fireproofing Company
when in the late 1890s, they purchased a fireproofing plant J.J. had started in 1892 on the west side of Route 542, south of Magnolia. Another brother, C.C. Whitacre, also invested in the company. A quote attributed to J.J. was, ‘It is all right to put your eggs all in one basket if you carry the basket.
