Milton Snavely Hershey was born in 1857. By age 29, he had established the highly successful Lancaster Caramel Company. In time, he grew an interest in the machinery used to make German chocolate, and bought some of that machinery. 

In 1900, he sold Lancaster Caramel Company, and began to set up for commercials sales of milk chocolate (which was a luxury at the time) on a dairy farm. Within three years, he began what is today the world’s largest chocolate manufacturing plant. The factory took two years to complete, and amazingly was an actual town. 

The town of Hershey contained comfortable houses for employees, churches, a public school system, and public transportation. He even built Hershey Park, a park for recreation. Later, even amusement rides, a swimming pool, and a ballroom were added. The man left quite a legacy behind, but if not for work, he could have left it much sooner. 

Hershey had spent the winter of 1911 in France, and had intended to sail home on the Titanic. Had business back home not become more pressing, he would have not taken an earlier ship and would likely have died much sooner. 

(Source)