John T. Dorrance, born in 1873, was a chemist who worked for his father in the family’s preserve factory. It was there where he invented the formula for condensing soup. By 1914, he had started the Campbell Soup Company and ran it until his death in 1930, at which time it was passed down to his son. His grandson, Bennett Dorrance, is Campbell’s second-largest shareholder today. At the time of John’s death, he owned two family mansions – one in New Jersey and one in Pennsylvania. Though domicile was claimed in Pennsylvania, the two states battled over the estate taxes, which ended up being paid to both states. It is his Pennsylvania mansion, Linden Hill, that is now for sale.
The palatial estate is nestled on 50 private open and wooded acres and consists of the French Normandy-style mansion 14,467 square feet. Included are eight bedrooms, ten baths, formal rooms, family and game rooms with extensive accommodations for long or short term guests. Grounds contain multiple stone outbuildings, two swimming pools, tennis court, ten-car garage, beautifully landscaped grounds and an aviary. Lisa Weber Yakulis with Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty is the listing agent. Asking $19.5 million.
