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Contribution #303 of 365
James Chase
Yeast Manufacturer, Entrepreneur and Rhode Island Property Owner
1880s–1916
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born enslaved in Maryland, James Chase served in the United States Colored Troops before establishing an independent life in Rhode Island. He acquired the George Thomas House in Wickford and operated a manufacturing enterprise that grew, dried and packaged yeast for sale to bakers and brewers. Chase converted agricultural production and processing knowledge into a specialized product business and long-term property ownership.