Austin Church: Difference between revisions
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Church in 1834 he gave up his medical practice and established a factory to make [[pearlash]] and [[saleratus]] in [[Rochester, New York]].{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}} He then experimented with sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide for a yeast substitute for making bread rise in the baking process. This [[bicarbonate of soda]] became a replacement of the [[potash]] then used for baking purposes. He moved in 1845 to New York City.{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}} He partnered with his brother-in-law [[John Dwight (manufacturer)|John Dwight]] in 1847 to be the first commercially produced bicarbonate of soda manufactured in the United States.{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}}{{sfn|Williams|2017|p=66}}<ref name=roots> {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Church & Dwight Co. |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11389011/ |work= Syracuse Herald-Journal - Page 100 |location= Syracuse, New York |date=March 20, 1939 |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}}|quote= Nearly a centry ago Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight joined to produce the first bicarbonate made in the Western Hemisphere. }} </ref> |
Church in 1834 he gave up his medical practice and established a factory to make [[pearlash]] and [[saleratus]] in [[Rochester, New York]].{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}} He then experimented with sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide for a yeast substitute for making bread rise in the baking process. This [[bicarbonate of soda]] became a replacement of the [[potash]] then used for baking purposes. He moved in 1845 to New York City.{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}} He partnered with his brother-in-law [[John Dwight (manufacturer)|John Dwight]] in 1847 to be the first commercially produced bicarbonate of soda manufactured in the United States.{{sfn|Yale University|1859|p=412}}{{sfn|Williams|2017|p=66}}<ref name=roots> {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Church & Dwight Co. |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11389011/ |work= Syracuse Herald-Journal - Page 100 |location= Syracuse, New York |date=March 20, 1939 |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}}|quote= Nearly a centry ago Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight joined to produce the first bicarbonate made in the Western Hemisphere. }} </ref> |
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Church and Dwight packaged the product themselves in one pound brightly colored bags for grocery store shelves.<ref name=fire> {{cite news |last=Allen |first= Ida Bailey |date=October 14, 1961 |title= Ordinary Baking Soda Kitchen Fire-Fighter |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11388730/ |work= Tyrone Daily Herald - page 5 |location= Tyrone, Pennsylvania |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }} </ref> They adopted the Arm & Hammer trademark from the [[Arm & Hammer (brand)|Vulcan Spice Mills company]] that was owned by one of Church's sons and used it to sell baking soda.<ref name=SodaTrademark> {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=What is the origin of the Arm & Hammer trademark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11400049/ |work= Alton Evening Telegraph-page 4 |location= Alton, Illinois |date= January 6, 1947 |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }} </ref>{{sfn|Rice||p=55}}{{sfn|Grant|2005|p=78}} The firm also had traveling sales agents that promoted the product.<ref name=fire/> The sales increased from one ton of production in 1846 to over 10,000 tons a year some thirty years later. The factory that produced the baking soda was in [[Brooklyn]] where Church lived for twenty-five years. The main office of the company was on [[History of Rochester, New York|Front Street in Rochester, New York]].{{sfn|Hall|1895|p=141}} |
Church and Dwight packaged the product themselves in one pound brightly colored bags for grocery store shelves.<ref name=fire> {{cite news |last=Allen |first= Ida Bailey |date=October 14, 1961 |title= Ordinary Baking Soda Kitchen Fire-Fighter |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11388730/ |work= Tyrone Daily Herald - page 5 |location= Tyrone, Pennsylvania |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }} </ref> They adopted the Arm & Hammer trademark from the [[Arm & Hammer (brand)|Vulcan Spice Mills company]] that was owned by one of Church's sons and used it to sell baking soda.<ref name=SodaTrademark> {{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=What is the origin of the Arm & Hammer trademark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11400049/ |work= Alton Evening Telegraph-page 4 |location= Alton, Illinois |date= January 6, 1947 |via=[[newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }} </ref>{{sfn|Rice||p=55}}{{sfn|Grant|2005|p=78}} The firm also had traveling sales agents that promoted the product.<ref name=fire/> The sales increased from one ton of production in 1846 to over 10,000 tons a year some thirty years later. The factory that produced the baking soda was in [[Brooklyn]] where Church lived for twenty-five years. The main office of the company was on [[History of Rochester, New York|Front Street in Rochester, New York]].{{sfn|Hall|1895|p=141}} |
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Church and Dwight in the mid-1860s showed an interest in their sons becoming partners in their company, however a recent investor in the company objected. Church then resigned from the company and in 1867 founded Church & Company of Massachusetts with his sons. They sold the bicarbonate of soda baking product under the trademark Arm & Hammer that was obtained from one of Church's son's previous business. It was the same product as Cow Brand. Dwight continued selling the original baking product under his Cow Brand trademark.{{sfn|Williams|2017|p=67}} |
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Church moved back to New York City in the 1870s and refined his processing of the product. By 1879 the production of bicarbonate of soda from the company was over 20,000 tons a year.{{sfn|Herringshaw|1904|p=215}} Church and Dwight remained friends and competed for 29 years and joined back together again in 1896 and became Church and Dwight Company. The Cow Brand and Arm & Hammer Brand were seen by the public as one and the same, so both logos were often used after the merger. One example was where they gave away recipe books with both trademarks on the cover. This new company was for fifty years one of the most well known grocery store supply vendors in the United States. Dwight was the first president and continued that position until his death.{{sfn|White|1935|p=310}} |
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== Organizations == |
== Organizations == |
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Revision as of 17:55, 3 June 2017
Austin Church was a medical doctor and a pioneer manufacturer of bicarbonate of soda. He was one of the founders of the company that first made the product in America. His company was the first to use the Arm & Hammer trademark to sell this product as a baking soda.
Early life
Church, the son of Oliver Church and his wife, was born in East Haddam, Connecticut on January 8, 1799.[1] His father was a school teacher. His mother and father died while he was still a child leaving him an orphan with little means. However, Church did finish high school and put himself through Yale Medical School to become a medical doctor.[2] He began his medical career in Utica, New York in 1824. In 1826 he moved and practiced in Cooperstown, New York and in 1829 Ithaca, New York.[1]
Career
Church in 1834 he gave up his medical practice and established a factory to make pearlash and saleratus in Rochester, New York.[1] He then experimented with sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide for a yeast substitute for making bread rise in the baking process. This bicarbonate of soda became a replacement of the potash then used for baking purposes. He moved in 1845 to New York City.[1] He partnered with his brother-in-law John Dwight in 1847 to be the first commercially produced bicarbonate of soda manufactured in the United States.[1][3][4]
Church and Dwight packaged the product themselves in one pound brightly colored bags for grocery store shelves.[5] They adopted the Arm & Hammer trademark from the Vulcan Spice Mills company that was owned by one of Church's sons and used it to sell baking soda.[6][7][8] The firm also had traveling sales agents that promoted the product.[5] The sales increased from one ton of production in 1846 to over 10,000 tons a year some thirty years later. The factory that produced the baking soda was in Brooklyn where Church lived for twenty-five years. The main office of the company was on Front Street in Rochester, New York.[2]
Church and Dwight in the mid-1860s showed an interest in their sons becoming partners in their company, however a recent investor in the company objected. Church then resigned from the company and in 1867 founded Church & Company of Massachusetts with his sons. They sold the bicarbonate of soda baking product under the trademark Arm & Hammer that was obtained from one of Church's son's previous business. It was the same product as Cow Brand. Dwight continued selling the original baking product under his Cow Brand trademark.[9]
Church moved back to New York City in the 1870s and refined his processing of the product. By 1879 the production of bicarbonate of soda from the company was over 20,000 tons a year.[10] Church and Dwight remained friends and competed for 29 years and joined back together again in 1896 and became Church and Dwight Company. The Cow Brand and Arm & Hammer Brand were seen by the public as one and the same, so both logos were often used after the merger. One example was where they gave away recipe books with both trademarks on the cover. This new company was for fifty years one of the most well known grocery store supply vendors in the United States. Dwight was the first president and continued that position until his death.[11]
Organizations
Church contributed to various charities from time to time.[2]
Family
Church married on May 3, 1827, the daughter of Dr. Elihu Dwight, a physician of South Hadley, Mass - Nancy Dwight.[1] They had two sons and two daughters.[1]
Later life and death
Church retired from the business of manufacturing bicarbonate of soda in 1876. He lived to celebrate his golden wedding anniversary.[10] Church died in Brooklyn, New York, on August 7, 1879.[1] His two sons managed the firm after his death.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Yale University 1859, p. 412.
- ^ a b c d Hall 1895, p. 141.
- ^ Williams 2017, p. 66.
- ^ "Church & Dwight Co". Syracuse Herald-Journal - Page 100. Syracuse, New York. March 20, 1939 – via newspapers.com
. Nearly a centry ago Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight joined to produce the first bicarbonate made in the Western Hemisphere.
- ^ a b Allen, Ida Bailey (October 14, 1961). "Ordinary Baking Soda Kitchen Fire-Fighter". Tyrone Daily Herald - page 5. Tyrone, Pennsylvania – via newspapers.com .
- ^ "What is the origin of the Arm & Hammer trademark". Alton Evening Telegraph-page 4. Alton, Illinois. January 6, 1947 – via newspapers.com .
- ^ Rice, p. 55.
- ^ Grant 2005, p. 78.
- ^ Williams 2017, p. 67.
- ^ a b Herringshaw 1904, p. 215.
- ^ White 1935, p. 310.
Sources
- Grant, Tina (1 February 2005). Directory of Company Histories. St. James Press. ISBN 978-1-55862-543-3.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Hall, Henry (1895). America's Successful Men... New York tribune.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Herringshaw, Thomas William (1904). Herringshaw's Encyclopedia... American Publishers' Association.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Rice, Randall Peter. Beyond The Bottom Line... Randall Peter Rice.
The Arm & Hammer trademark came from another Church family business, Vulcan Spice Mills.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Williams, Robert Jr and Helena (21 April 2017). Vintage Marketing. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-137-38721-9.
Dr. Church joined with his brother-in-law, John Dwight, and in 1847 the pair began manufacturing baking soda in Dwight's Massachusetts kitchen. John Dwight & Co. became the first company to make and sell baking soda in the United States. Prior to this, baking soda was still being imported from England.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Yale University (1859). Yale University. Yale University.
He removed to Oswego, N.Y., in 1842 and in 1845 settled in New York City, where he established extensive chemical works for the manufacturer of bi-carbonate of soad for bakingpurposes from soda-ash, being the first in this country to develop the process, and continuing actively interested in the business till within a few years of his death.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)