John PembertonFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis article is about the American druggist. For other people named John Pemberton, seeJohn Pemberton (disambiguation).John S. Pemberton

John Stith Pemberton

BornJanuary 8, 1831Knoxville, Georgia, U.S.

DiedAugust 16, 1888(aged57)Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Resting placeLinwood Cemetery inColumbus, Georgia

OccupationChemist

KnownforCoca-Cola

Spouse(s)Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis

Children1

Parent(s)James Clifford Pemberton (father)Martha L. Gant (mother)

John Stith Pemberton(July 8, 1831 August 16, 1888) was an Americanpharmacist, and is best known for being the inventor ofCoca-Cola.Contents[hide] 1Background 2Invention of Coca-Cola 3Pemberton sells the business 4Death 5John Pemberton in popular culture 6References 7Further readingBackground[edit]Pemberton was born July 8, 1831, in Knoxville,Crawford County, Georgia. His father was James Clifford Pemberton, brother of Confederate GeneralJohn Clifford Pemberton. Pemberton was raised inRome, Georgia. He entered the Reform Medical College of Georgia inMacon, and in 1850, at the age of nineteen, he was licensed to practice pharmacy. Shortly thereafter, he met Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis ofColumbus, Georgia, known to her friends as "Cliff," who had been a student at the Wesleyan College in Macon. In 1853, he married Miss Lewis in Columbus. Their only child, Charles Ney Pemberton, was born in 1854. They lived in thePemberton Housein Columbus.[1][2][3]Invention of Coca-Cola[edit]In April 1865 while serving as lieutenant colonel of the Confederate Army's 12th Cavalry Regiment, Georgia State Guard, Pemberton was wounded in theBattle of Columbus, Georgia. He was slashed across the chest by a saber, and like many wounded veterans, he becameaddictedto themorphineused to ease the pain.[4][5][6]He was a pharmacist and as such searched for a cure for his addiction. In 1866, inColumbus, Georgia, he started working on painkillers that would serve as opium-free alternatives to morphine. His first was "Dr. Tuggle's Compound Syrup of Globe Flower (cephalanthus oxidentalis)."[7]He next began experimenting withcocaandcoca wines, eventually creating his own version ofVin Mariani, containingkola nutanddamiana, which he calledPemberton's French Wine Coca.[8][9]According toCoca-Colahistorian, Phil Mooney, Pemberton's world-famous soda was "created inColumbus, Georgiaand carried toAtlanta."[10]With public concern about the drug addiction,depressionandalcoholismamong war veterans, and "neurasthenia", as well as among "highly-strung" Southern women,[11]Pemberton's medicine was advertised as particularly beneficial for "ladies, and all those whose sedentary employment causes nervous prostration".[12]In 1886, whenAtlantaandFulton Countyenactedtemperancelegislation, Pemberton found himself forced to produce a non-alcoholic alternative to his French Wine Coca.[13]Pemberton relied on Atlanta druggist Willis Venable to test and help him perfect the recipe for the beverage, which he formulated by trial and error. With Venable's assistance, Pemberton worked out a set of directions for its preparation that eventually included blending the base syrup with carbonated water by accident when trying to make another glass. Pemberton decided then to sell it as a fountain drink rather than a medicine.Frank Mason Robinsoncame up with the name "Coca-Cola" for thealliterativesound, which was popular among other wine medicines of the time. Although the name quite clearly refers to the two main ingredients, the controversy over itscocainecontent would later promptThe Coca-Cola Companyto state that the name was "meaningless but fanciful." Robinson also hand wrote theSpencerian scripton the bottles and ads. Pemberton made many health claims for his product, touting it as a "valuable brain tonic" that would cure headaches, relieve exhaustion and calm nerves, and marketed it as "delicious, refreshing, pure joy, exhilarating," and "invigorating."Pemberton sells the business[edit]Soon after Coca-Cola hit the market, Pemberton fell ill and nearly bankrupt. Sick and desperate, he began selling rights to his formula to his business partners in Atlanta. Part of his motivation to sell actually derived from his expensive continuing morphine addiction.[14]Pemberton had a hunch that his formula "some day will be a national drink," so he attempted to retain a share of the ownership to leave to his son.[14]But Pemberton's son wanted the money. So in 1888 Pemberton and his son sold the remaining portion of the patent toAsa Candler.Death[edit]

Grave of John Pemberton in Columbus, GeorgiaJohn Pemberton died at age 57 in August 1888, poor, sick, addicted to morphine, and a victim of stomach cancer. His body was returned toColumbus, Georgia, where he was laid to rest at Linwood Cemetery. His gravemarker is engraved with symbols showing hisConfederatemilitary service and his pride in being aFreemason. His son continued to sell an alternative to his father's formula, but only six years later Charles Pemberton died, an opium user himself.[15]John Pemberton in popular culture[edit]In 2010, theCoca-ColaCompany paid tribute to Pemberton as a key character within an advertising campaign called "Secret Formula". Centered on the secret ingredients of Coca-Cola, imagery related to Pemberton was used to make people more aware of Coke's history and mythology.In 2013, Pemberton was portrayed byBill Haderin the "Atlanta" episode ofComedy Central'sDrunk History, created byDerek Waters.References[edit]1. Jump up^George B. Griffenhagen,A Guide to Pharmacy Museums and Historical Collections in the United States and Canada, Amer. Inst. History of Pharmacy, 1999, pp. 2324[1]2. Jump up^Alice Cromie,Restored America: A Tour Guide: the Preserved Towns, Villages, and Historic City Districts of the United States and Canada, American Legacy Press, 1979, p. 135[2]3. Jump up^Alice Cromie,Restored towns and historic districts of America: a tour guide, Dutton, 1979, p. 135[3]4. Jump up^Richard Gardiner, "The Civil War Origin of Coca-Cola in Columbus, Georgia,"Muscogiana: Journal of the Muscogee Genealogical Society(Spring 2012), Vol. 23: 2124.5. Jump up^Dominic Streatfeild,Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography,Macmillan (2003), p. 80.6. Jump up^Richard Davenport-Hines,The Pursuit of Oblivion,Norton (2004), p. 152.7. Jump up^ColumbusEnquirer, March 18, 18668. Jump up^Dominic Streatfeild,meth: An Unauthorized Biography,Macmillan (2003), p. 80.9. Jump up^Richard Davenport-Hines,The Pursuit of Oblivion,Norton (2004), p. 152.10. Jump up^Tim Chitwood, ColumbusLedger-Enquirer11. Jump up^John Shelton Reed,Minding The South,University of Missouri Press (2099), p.171.12. Jump up^American Soft Drink and the Company that Makes It,Basic Books: enlarged 2nd edition (2000), p.24.13. Jump up^Is This the Real Thing? Coca-Cola's Secret Formula "Discovered"14. ^Jump up to:abMark Pendergrast, For God, Country, and Coca-Cola, p. 3415. Jump up^Mark Pendergrast, For God, Country, and Coca-Cola, p. 45Further reading[edit] Schoenberg, B S (1988), "Coke's the one: the centennial of the "ideal brain tonic" that became a symbol of America.",South. Med. J.(Jan 1988)81(1): 6974,doi:10.1097/00007611-198801000-00015,PMID3276011Wikimedia Commons has media related toJohn Pemberton.

King, M M (1987), "Dr. John S. Pemberton: originator of Coca-Cola.",Pharmacy in history29(2): 859,PMID11621277 Hasegawa, Guy (March 1, 2000), "Pharmacy in the American Civil War.",American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy57(5): 457489, American Journal of Health-System PharmacyCategories: American pharmacists American inventors American people of English descent People from Crawford County, Georgia People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War 1831 births 1888 deaths

The Chronicle OfCoca-Cola:Birth of a Refreshing IdeaBy:TheCoca-ColaCompanyJan 1, 2012Tags & Topics: HISTORY Dim RSS Print

Jacobs' Pharmacy in Atlanta, whereCoca-Colawas first served as a fountain drink, circa 1900.Top of Form

Subscribe to JourneyBottom of FormThe product that has given the world its best-known taste was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886. Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup forCoca-Cola, and carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs' Pharmacy, where it was sampled, pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink. Carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup to produce a drink that was at once "Delicious and Refreshing," a theme that continues to echo today whereverCoca-Colais enjoyed.

Dr. John PembertonThinking that "the two Cs would look well in advertising," Dr. Pemberton's partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, suggested the name and penned the now famous trademark"Coca-Cola" in his unique script. The first newspaper ad forCoca-Colasoon appeared inThe Atlanta Journal, inviting thirsty citizens to try "the new and popular soda fountain drink." Hand-painted oilcloth signs reading"Coca-Cola" appeared on store awnings, with the suggestion "Drink" added to inform passersby that the new beverage was for soda fountain refreshment. During the first year, sales averaged a modest nine drinks per day.Dr. Pemberton never realized the potential of the beverage he created. He gradually sold portions of his business to various partners and, just prior to his death in 1888, sold his remaining interest inCoca-Colato Asa G. Candler. An Atlantan with great business acumen, Mr. Candler proceeded to buy additional rights and acquire complete control.Learn the rest of the history by selecting another chapter below:The Chronicle ofCoca-Cola The Candler Era A Man Named Woodruff A Symbol of Friendship Moving with the Times A Global BusinessMore On Journey 'The World Belongs to the Discontented:Coca-ColaForefather Robert Woodruff's Enduring Legacy A Look at the Cultural History ofCoca-Cola An Iconic Sign Returns to Downtown Atlanta 5 Things You Never Knew About Santa Claus (and Coke) FamousCoca-ColaAdvertising Slogans Over the Years The History of Spectacular Outdoor Ads The Surprising History of the Sprite Boy Famous Artists Who Worked WithCoca-Cola The Making of 'I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke' The Evolution of theCoca-ColaLogo and Trademark The Long History of Polar Bears inCoca-ColaAdvertising The Missing Normal Rockwell Paintings Celebrating 100th Anniversary of Times Square With a Sign Getting People to TryCoca-Colain the 1980s

John Stith Pemberton (1831-1888)Original entry byMonroe Martin King, Douglasville,05/14/2004Last edited by NGE Staff on 01/15/2015

Early Life and CareerThe Origin of Coca-ColaJohn Stith Pemberton wasJohn Stith Pembertonthe inventor of theCoca-Colabeverage. In his day Pemberton was a most respected member of the state's medical establishment, but his gift was for medical chemistry rather than regular medicine. He was a practical pharmacist and chemist of great skill, active all his life in medical reform, and a respected businessman. His most enduring accomplishments involve his laboratories, which are still in operation more than 125 years later as part of theGeorgia Department of Agriculture. Converted into the state's first testing labs and staffed with Pemberton's hand-picked employees, these labs almost single-handedly eliminated the sale of fraudulentagriculturalchemicals in the state and ensured successful prosecution of those who tried to sell them.Early Life and CareerBorn on January 8, 1831, in Knoxville, inCrawford County, Pemberton grew up and attended the local schools inRome,Coca-Cola Bottleswhere his family lived for almost thirty years. He studied medicine and pharmacy at the Reform Medical College of Georgia inMacon, and in 1850, at the age of nineteen, he was licensed to practice on Thomsonian or botanic principles (such practitioners relied heavily on herbal remedies and on purifying the body of toxins, and they were viewed with suspicion by the general public). He practiced medicine and surgery first in Rome and its environs and then inColumbus, where in 1855 he established a wholesale-retail drug business specializing inmateria medica(substances used in the composition of medical remedies).Some time before theCivil War(1861-65), he acquired a graduate degree in pharmacy, but the exact date and place are unknown.The analyticalPemberton Houseand manufacturing laboratories of J. S. Pemberton and Company of Columbus were unique in the South. "We are direct importers," the company claimed, "manufacturing all the pharmaceutical and chemical preparations used in the arts and sciences." Established in 1860 and outfitted with some $35,000 worth of the newest and most improved equipmentsome of it designed and patented by the companyit was "a magnificent establishment," an enthusiastic reporter from theAtlantaConstitutionproclaimed in 1869 when the labs were moved toAtlanta, "one of the most splendid Chemical Laboratories that there is in the country."Pemberton served with distinction as a lieutenant colonel in the Third Georgia Cavalry Battalion during the Civil War and was almost killed in the fighting at Columbus in April 1865. In 1869 he became a principal partner in the firm of Pemberton, Wilson, Taylor and Company, which was based in Atlanta, where he moved in 1870. Two years later he became a trustee of the Atlanta Medical College (laterEmory University School of Medicine) and established a business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his own brands of pharmaceuticals were manufactured on a large scale. He also served for six years (1881-87) on the first state examining board that licensed pharmacists in Georgia.Pemberton was "the most noted physician Atlanta ever had," according to the Atlantanewspapers, but he is best known for his expertise in the laboratory, where he perfected the formula for Coca-Cola.The Origin of Coca-ColaA few years before Coca-Cola began its spectacular rise to international acclaim, a drink known as Pemberton's French Wine Coca was extremely popular in Atlanta. Its fame spread throughout the Southeast, and the demand for the tasty beverage was high.In 1885 a reporter from theAtlanta Journalapproached the creator of French Wine Coca and asked him for a detailed analysis of the new drink. Pemberton replied, "It is composed of an extract from the leaf of Peruvian Coca,Vin Mariani Bottlethe purest wine, and the Kola nut. It is the most excellent of all tonics, assisting digestion, imparting energy to the organs of respiration, and strengthening the muscular and nervous systems." He explained that South American Indians considered the coca plant a sacred herb and praised its beneficial effects on the mind and body. With the aid of the coca plant, the Indians had performed "astonishing" feats, he said, "without fatigue." Pemberton then admitted that his coca and kola beverage was based on Vin Mariani, a French formula perfected by Mariani and Company of Paris, which since 1863 had been the world's only standard preparation oferythroxyloncoca.In 1886 the city of Atlanta introduced prohibition, which, among other things, forbade the sale of wine. Pemberton decided to make another version of his popular drink. He dropped the reference to wine in the name of the beverage, substituted sugar syrup for the wine, and coined the name "Coca-Cola" to identify his formula. Henceforth, he would call Coca-Cola the idealtemperancedrink, both on the label and in advertising.RealizingCoca-Cola Logothat he needed financial backing to market this nonalcoholic version of French Wine Coca on a large scale, Pemberton formed a company for that purpose. He put his son Charles in charge of manufacturing Coca-Cola, and after prohibition ended in 1887, he again produced French Wine Coca. He announced that he would retire from active practice, sell his drugstores in Atlanta and elsewhere in the state, and devote all his time to promoting his beverages. Meanwhile, a group of businessmen responded to Pemberton's appeal to finance the new Coca-Cola Company. He was to receive a royalty of five cents for each gallon of Coca-Cola sold.It was Pemberton's practice to organize a business as a copartnership and then convert it into a corporation. In March 1888, after being in business for eight months as a copartner, he filed the petition for incorporation of the first Coca-Cola Company in the Fulton County Superior Court. Five months later, on August 16, 1888, he died at his home in Atlanta.On the day of Pemberton's funeral, Atlanta druggists closed their stores and attended the services en masse as a tribute of respect. On that day, not one drop of Coca-Cola was dispensed in the entire city. At sunup the following day, a special train carried his body to Columbus, where a large group of friends, relatives, and admirers laid him to rest. The Atlanta newspapers called him "the oldest druggist of Atlanta and one of her best known citizens."Constance L. Hays,The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company(New York: Random House, 2004).

Mark Pendergrast,For God, Country, and Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It,2d ed. (New York: Basic Books, 2000).

References:March 9, 2015- http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/john-stith-pemberton-1831-1888March 9, 2015 : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_PembertonMarch 9, 2015: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/the-chronicle-of-coca-cola-birth-of-a-refreshing-idea

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