Gail Borden, Jr., received U.S. Patent No. 15,553, on August 19, 1856, on a process for preparing evaporated milk. Condensed milk is the common term for milk that has water rmoved, and sugar added, but Borden’s claim specifically excluded adding sugar.

Borden’s invention made milk available in urban areas where a refrigerated distribution system was not yet available for the distribution of fresh milk.

Borden’s story affirms three key ingredients of invention: Necessity, Persistence, and Luck. Necessity: in 1851, Borden was devastated by the deaths of several children while returning from a trip to England, apparently from poor milk obtained from shipboard cows. Persistence: Borden’s first two factories failed. It was not until his third factory that he could produce a useable milk product. Luck: Borden’s business was buoyed by large orders for rations during the Civil War. His shelf-stable product calorie high protein rations for the Union Army, and after the war provide him with a loyal customer base.