Founder of Thomas’ English Muffins. In 1874, Samuel Bath Thomas emigrated from England for America with a recipe for a muffin baked on hot griddles. After arriving in New York City, Thomas began working in a local bakery, and by 1880 he opened his own bakery shop in Manhattan, New York. Thomas’ Bakery was different from all others. In addition to common white and rye breads offered by other bakeries, Thomas offered English Muffins, a round, single serve portion of distinctively coarse-grained, yeast-raised dough baked on a griddle or hotplate. They were to be split, not sliced, and toasted prior to serving.

Thomas soon found himself making deliveries into Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. The demand was so high, he had to open other bakeries, and make deliveries by horse and wagon. Following his death in 1919, his daughters and nephew continued to expand the company until 1970. Over the years, Thomas’ English Muffins introduced additional flavors including Cinnamon Raisin, Honey Wheat and Oat Bran. In 1994, a sandwich sized English Muffin was introduced followed in 1996 by fresh Bagels.

Today, Thomas’ English Muffins is a nationally recognized brand and baked product that has achieved a unique stature in American culture.