Can you imagine there being no Coca-Cola? It’s almost impossible to visualize a world where Coke, Fanta, and Sprite do not exist.
These three soft drink brands are owned, made, and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company.
Coke, formerly known as Coca-Cola, was the foundation drink of The Coca-Cola Company. The inventor behind this soft drink is none other than Dr. John Stith Pemberton.
The Life Story of John Stith Pemberton
Dr. John Stith Pemberton was a renowned pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia. He invented several successful patent medicines and drinks, but his crème de le crème was the Coca-Cola syrup.
In this article, we discuss the circumstances that led Pemberton to become a pharmacist and inventor and later developed the world’s most popular soft drink. Here is the life story of this pharmacist, biochemist, and inventor.
Childhood and Early Life
John Stith Pemberton came to the world on January 8th, 1831, in Knoxville, Georgia.
His parents were Martha L. Gant and James C. Pemberton. Not much is known about his parents other than that his father was a native of North Carolina.
Despite being born in Knoxville, Pemberton lived and grew up in Rome, Georgia. His family lived in this city for nearly 30 years.
Education
Pemberton attended school in Rome, Georgia, and later enrolled in a steam doctor course at the Reform Medical College of Georgia in Macon.
This course differed slightly from regular medicine since it involved treating patients with steam baths and herbal treatments.
The concept behind this course was that patients could recover from diseases by taking herbs and sweating heavily.
The steam doctor course exposed Pemberton to pharmaceutical knowledge. Pemberton graduated in 1850 at 19 years old.
He received his license to practice as a steam doctor this same year and briefly worked before joining a school in Philadelphia to study pharmacy.
Early Career
After completing his pharmacy course, Pemberton briefly practiced medicine and surgery in Rome, Georgia. In 1853, he and his new wife, Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis, moved to Columbus, Georgia.
Pemberton opened a wholesale-retail business where he sold raw materials and ingredients for pharmaceutical remedies. Pemberton operated this business until 1862 when he joined the Confederate Army to fight in the Civil War.
Serving in the Civil War
In May 1862, Pemberton enlisted in the Confederate States Army and became a first lieutenant. He also joined and helped organize the Third Georgia Cavalry Battalion, mandated to defend the city of Columbus. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
On one Sunday in 1865, Columbus was attacked by Union troops led by General James Wilson. Pemberton was in the first line of defense and was shot and slashed with a saber.
Pemberton, like many wounded veterans, used morphine to ease his pain. He started using morphine for other ailments he suffered from and eventually became addicted.
Pemberton’s addiction to morphine was a blessing and a curse. He probably would not have invented Coca-Cola were it not for his dependence on the drug.
Early Successes
After the end of the Civil War, Pemberton returned to his wholesale-retail business and partnered with Austin Walker, a physician from Columbus.
He wanted to expand his laboratory by adding new products, including pharmaceuticals and photography supplies.
Pemberton also joined the cosmetics industry with a perfume known as Sweet Southern Bouquet. This perfume quickly became a success in Columbus.
In 1869, Pemberton wanted to partner with other renowned and successful investors in Atlanta. He established Pemberton, Wilson, Taylor and Company this same year and relocated his family to Atlanta a year later.
In Atlanta, Pemberton worked hard to establish himself as a pharmacist, inventor, and businessman.
He served as a trustee at the Atlanta Medical College (later renamed Emory University Medical School). Pemberton’s lab is still available as a crop and soil testing facility for the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Inventing the Coca-Cola Syrup
Pemberton went into a series of inventing new pharmaceutical products, one being Pemberton’s French Wine Coca. This patent medicine contained cocaine from coca leaf extract, red wine, and caffeine from the kola nut.
Pemberton invented this medicine in 1885 and touted it as a mental aid and cure for headaches and morphine addiction. He served it at his drugstore’s counter as a nerve tonic.
Unfortunately, in 1886, Atlanta’s city government banned the sale of alcoholic products. Pemberton’s French Wine Coca, although medicinal, contained alcohol.
It was also bitter and thus was only popular with a small subset of customers. Pemberton decided to make a non-alcoholic version by removing the red wine and replacing it with plenty of sugar.
He conducted experiments in the backroom of his drugstore/lab and invented the Coca-Cola syrup formula.
The date was May 8th, 1886, when Pemberton invented Coca-Cola syrup.
He visited the neighboring Jacob’s Pharmacy, mixed the syrup with carbonated water, and offered his soft drink for sampling. Customers loved it.
Pemberton offered the soft drink for sale at the soda fountain in Jacob’s Pharmacy for five cents per glass.
Pemberton called on Frank Robinson, his business partner and bookkeeper, to come up with a name for the syrup.
Robinson chose the name Coca-Cola, combining “Coca” from the coca leaf and “Cola” from the kola nut. He thought having 2Cs would be effective for advertising. Robinson also devised the Coca-Cola scripted logo, which the company still uses today.
Selling the Coca-Cola Syrup
The Coca-Cola syrup, although pronounced refreshing and excellent by customers, was not an immediate success. Total sales for the first year were only $50, a loss in Pemberton’s opinion. Pemberton had spent $70 in costs and expenses.
Robinson persuaded Pemberton to commit a higher marketing budget to Coca-Cola syrup. Free sampling and advertising helped, and within no time, the Coca-Cola soft drink was known across Atlanta.
The Death of Dr. John Stith Pemberton
Pemberton did not live to see the success of the Coca-Cola syrup. In 1886, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.
His condition worsened, so the following year, he sold two-thirds of his company to a group of investors, the lead being Asa Candler (another Atlanta pharmacist).
As for the one-third that remained, Pemberton gave it to his son, Charles Pemberton.
Dr. John Stith Pemberton passed away on August 16th, 1888. He left his wife in financial trouble and his son in a battle for control of his company and the Coca-Cola syrup formula.
It’s unclear how Asa Candler attained total ownership of the Cola-Cola syrup and name in 1891. Some historians recount that Pemberton’s son wanted money, so he willingly sold his share to Candler for $2,300.
Candler incorporated the Coca-Cola Company and helped grow the Coca-Cola soft drink to today’s heights. He also removed the cocaine extract from the Coca-Cola formula in 1903, 11 years before the US government banned cocaine.
Pemberton was buried at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia. His grave marker contains symbols to mark his role in the Confederate Army and his Freemason membership.
Personal Life
Pemberton married Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis in 1853. The two met in Columbus, Georgia. Ann Eliza, nicknamed Cliff by her friends, studied at Wesleyan College in Macon.
The couple had one son, Charles Nay Pemberton, in 1854. Pemberton moved his family to Columbus, where he lived in a Victorian cottage. Charles passed away six years after his father’s death due to opium addiction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The information in this post answers many of the questions about John Pemberton. This section provides a summary and any additional information.
- Where was John Stith Pemberton born?
John Stith Pemberton was born in 1831 in Knoxville, Georgia, but grew up in Rome, Georgia.
- When did Pemberton invent Coca-Cola?
On May 8th, 1886, Pemberton developed the Coca-Cola syrup in the backroom of his store.
- Why did John Pemberton create Coca-Cola?
John Stith Pemberton created the Coca-Cola syrup as a non-alcoholic alternative to his earlier invention, Pemberton’s French Wine Coca.
He invented this medicine because he believed it would cure his morphine addiction and other mental and physical ailments.
- Where is the John Stith Pemberton statue?
John Stith Pemberton’s statue is in Atlanta, Georgia, at Pemberton Place near the World of Coca-Cola. It shows his left hand holding a glass of Coca-Cola while resting on a table.
- Who bought Coca-Cola from Pemberton?
Pemberton sold the rights to the Coca-Cola syrup and his company to a group of investors, the main one being Asa Candler. He retained one-third of the ownership for his son, who later sold it to Candler.
- How much did Pemberton get for the sale of Coca-Cola?
Some historians say that Pemberton sold the rights to Coca-Cola for $2,300.
- How much money did John Pemberton make from selling Coca-Cola in Jacob’s Pharmacy?
Pemberton made $50 in his first year selling the Coca-Cola syrup. Jacob’s Pharmacy, where he supplied the syrup, sold approximately nine drinks of the syrup daily.
- What was in John Pemberton’s Coke recipe?
The original Coke syrup formula contained cocaine (from the coca leaf extract), caffeine (from the kola nut), and sugar as the main ingredients.
This was before cocaine became illegal in the United States.
Candler removed cocaine from the syrup formula in 1903, before cocaine became illegal in the United States in 1914.
- How did John Stith Pemberton die?
John Stith Pemberton succumbed to stomach cancer in 1888. At the time of his death, he was bankrupt and still addicted to morphine.
John Pemberton’s Timeline
1831:
Pemberton is born in Knoxville, Georgia.
1850:
Pemberton graduates as a steam doctor from the Reform Medical College of Georgia.
1853:
Pemberton marries Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis, and the two settle in Columbus, Georgia.
1854:
Pemberton and Ann have a son, Charles Nay Pemberton.
1862:
Pemberton joins the Confederate States Army in Columbus and becomes a first lieutenant.
1865:
Pemberton suffers gunshot and saber injuries during the Civil War after fighting with Union troops led by General James Wilson.
1869:
Pemberton partners with Atlanta investors and establishes Pemberton, Wilson, Taylor and Company.
1870:
Pemberton relocates his family to Atlanta, Georgia, and works on building a name for himself as a pharmacist and inventor.
1885:
Pemberton invents Pemberton’s French Wine Coca.
1886:
Pemberton invents the Coca-Cola syrup after tinkering with his French Wine Coca to make it sweeter and non-alcoholic.
1887:
Pemberton sells a portion of his company to a group of investors.
1888:
Pemberton passes away on August 16th after suffering from stomach cancer.
Facts:
The above content contains some facts, but we’ve summarized them below for your convenience.
- Upon graduating in 1850, Pemberton received a license to practice as a steam doctor.
- Pemberton once operated a wholesale-retail business selling pharmaceutical ingredients and raw materials.
- During the war, Pemberton rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
- Because of his war injuries, Pemberton became addicted to morphine.
- Georgia Department of Agriculture still uses Pemberton’s lab for soil and crop testing.
- As a substitute for morphine, Pemberton used cocaine.
- Pemberton’s bookkeeper provided helpful advertising advice regarding Coca-Cola’s name and font.
- Pemberton made $50 in sales for the first year, a loss in his estimation. He spent $70 on costs and expenses.
- Despite the success of Coca-Cola syrup, Pemberton did not live to see it.
- Candler bought Pemberton’s share for $2,300 because Pemberton’s son wanted money.
- As a Freemason and Confederate soldier, Pemberton is interred at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.
- Charles Pemberton died of opium addiction six years after his father.
More About Dr. John Stith Pemberton
Below are a few sections to give you more information about the life of Dr. John Stith Pemberton that you may find interesting.
News
Even though John Pemberton passed away over a hundred years ago, his name still appears in the news.
You can view the latest and archived information covered by the media related to him using Google news.
See Google’s news search results related to John Stith Pemberton.
Videos
YouTube has many videos related to the life of Pemberton and Coca-Cola. When watching, you’ll have related videos on your screen that can contain information you may not have considered.
See the most recent videos related to John Stith Pemberton.
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