Birth of an Industry - Norwich Pharmacal Company
Dr. Reuben Jeffery - written in 1916
Published in Norwich Percolate, January 15, 1935
Published in Norwich Percolate, January 15, 1935
If industries have birthdays, all record of them is usually lost in the snuffed out memories of the dead. Seldom can you put your pencil on the yellowed page of an ancient calendar and say, "On this day began such-and-such an industry."
In 1916 Dr. Reuben Jeffery wrote an historical sketch of the company--this article is prized very highly by the executives of the company. To re-write this article would be sacrilegious, it is, therefore, with a great deal of pleasure, that we reprint Dr. Jeffery's article in this historical issue of the Percolate.
"I knew Lafayette Moore when I was a boy. He was the pastor of a Baptist church at Flushing, L.I., and frequently visited my father who was pastor of the Marcy Avenue Baptist church of Brooklyn.
In 1885 Lafayette F. Moore, a retired Baptist minister arrived at the D.L.&W. station in Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] as baggage. He brought some slight equipment for cutting pills by hand and for gelatin coating. These had been given him by his brother, who was retiring from a small pill business in New York City and who had instructed his brother in the method of making and coating pills.
The Rev. Mr.Moore hired a room in the top floor of an abandoned cooper shop and started in making a small line of pills which he personally peddled throughout the surrounding towns. He purchased his drugs from the Corner Drug Store where Mr. Bell, our first president, was employed as a clerk. Moore had more ambition than money and secured most of his supplies on credit extended him by Mr. Bell, and for which Mr. Bell became responsible.
It was March 1st, 1886 that I met Moore with his basket, an ordinary market basket;--it contained the entire stock in trade of the little enterprise that Moore on that day started--an enterprise that from the smallest acorn, has grown to a mighty tree. The Norwich Pharmacal Company, in truth, is a mighty tree for its branches and products today cover every land where civilized man lives.
We arrived at the Burr Block and Moore & Co. alighted (the basket was the company). Mr. Burr was on the side walk and courteously requested of Moore three dollars before giving possession to the room. Moore just happened to be short three, so he appealed to me. My scissors being very dull, (I had carelessly failed to cut my coupons for some time), I told Moore & Co. to wait on the sidewalk and I would go up town and raise the money. I did not know just where to go to borrow (I had not the experience in that line then that made me famous in later years) so I decided to call on T.D. Miller which I did. Mr. Miller was not in loaning humor that day; he told me to loan was contrary to the constitution and by-laws of his drug shop so I started to walk out of his store. I was somewhat crest fallen because I did not know where else to go to borrow so large an amount. Mr. Miller, however, had a happy thought just then and called me back. He said, "Jeffery, what do you want three dollars for?" I told him I was starting a little company in town and I wanted the money to pay the first month's rent. Mr. Miller than told me that although he never loaned there was nothing to prevent his making an investment and asked me what interest three dollars would buy in the new company,. I thought a minute--I thought of Moore standing out in the cold--I thought of the basket and its contents and how much it weighed--(those machines weighed about sixty-five pounds) and I told Mr. Miller "One-eighth interest in the company for the said three dollars." Consequently Mr. Miller was the first investor, the first purchaser of "stock." He paid at the rate of thirty-seven or thirty-eight cents a pound for his "stock" and whether I overcharged him for old brass I do not know. As I left his store I thanked him and smiled and Mr. Miller smiled a smile which comes to the face of every man when he helps his fellow who is in trouble.
That day, March 15th, 1886, should always be a red letter day in Norwich. That was in reality, the beginning of what today is Norwich's largest industry; a company that gave to Norwich its free mail delivery, that has always manifested its civic pride, that was largely instrumental in making the city a reality.
In the winter of 1886-87 I moved to the two floors over E.L. Nash's book store. My offices were the same as those now occupied by Dr. C.M. Dunne. I had introduced Mr. Moore to Mr. Oscar G. Bell, who was then prescription clerk in Miller's drug store, and evenings we would meet and visit in my office as a result of which Moore and Bell became very good friends. Moore was in all kinds of trouble, he did not have the money to buy the drugs to make his pills. Bell gave him credit and Moore would make a batch of pills and label them
L.F. Moore
Pill Manufacturer
Norwich, N.Y.
Then he would lock his door and go out and sell them. Moore was proprietor, chemist, bookkeeper, cashier, janitor and salesman. When, however, his indebtedness at Miller's was in the neighborhood of two hundred dollars Mr. Miller thought it had gone far enough and called on Mr. Bell to make good, inasmuch as he had guaranteed the credit. "Poor Bell!" He did not know what to do--a wife and two small children and a small salary--but with that characteristic which marked him through life (he never knew what the meaning of "give up" was)--he told me that he did not know where he could get the money--but said, "Don't worry, I will get it." He did--he went to Smyrna and borrowed the money from an uncle of his wife's. then a partnership was formed and thereafter the labels on the pill bottles read
Moore & Bell
Pill Manufacturers
Norwich, N.Y.
The affairs of the new company ran quite smooth for awhile--Bell remained with T.D. Miller--and evenings did the bookkeeping for Moore & Bell. In a small way they prospered but Moore became dissatisfied with the conditions--no capital--no credit. So on a certain day when the firm's bank account showed a balance of about $240, Moore drew a check for the full amount and vamoosed, taking the working formulas with him. His whereabouts were not known for a long time, but it ended forever his connection with the little enterprise. It might be interesting to here note that it was the same Moore who later went to Clinton and started the Clinton Pharmacal co. This company after a short existence became Bristol, Myers & Co., now of Brooklyn. Mr. Moore died many years ago somewhere in the Catskill mountains.*
To be Continued
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*Compiler note: Rev. Lafayette Moore died 27 October 1896 and was buried in East Durham Cemetery, East Durham, Greene County, NY [findagrave.com, memorial #100382139]
Rev. Lafayette Moore
April 12, 1844 - October 27, 1896
Greene County Historical Journal 34:4, Winter 2010, p31
Obituary: We deeply sympathize with our East Durham (NY) Baptist friends in the loss of their pastor and brother by death. It's very sad and will cause a great vacancy in the church. With Rev. L.F. Moore we have had the pleasure of an acquaintance for several years, we admired the man not only for his great ability as an exponder [sic] of divine truths, but also for his genial and social walks in life. He always had a kind and pleasant word for everyone he came in contact with. He was not only a faithful soldier of the cross, but also a faithful soldier and comrade in the war for the union. We shall miss his kind and friendly greeting, his mission on earth is done and he has been called up higher to receive that reward that is promised for those who remain faithful unto the end. We remember his kind visit to us when we were unable to leave our home, his pleasant words and his friendly greetings. As a soldier and comrade we loved the man and as a soldier of the armies of the Saviour we admired his course, showing his earnestness in waging war with sin and the evil one. We shall all miss him, and for a long time the silent tear will steal its way down the cheek in memory of departed worth. The Masonic fraternity were out in large numbers to pay the last tribute of respect to their departed brother. The funeral was held last Wednesday from the Baptist church in East Durham. Many ministers were present from the surrounding places. I think there were ten at the last obsequies. They gave most excellent remarks bearing on the usefulness and good qualities of the deceased preacher and brother. The music by the choir was excellent and very appropriate for this solemn occasion. The church was not only filled to its utmost capacity, but many were outside unable to get in. Farewell comrade, gone but not forgotten. As a soldier I felt it my duty to write these few words, although in weakness, yet coming from one whose heart is touched in the loss of our comrade and brother, Blessed are the dead which died in the Lord." [Greenville Local - Reproduced in Greene County Historical Journal, Winter 2010 pp39-40]
For an excellent article about the career of Rev. Lafayette Moore, refer to the Greene County Historical Journal referenced above. http://www.gchistory.org/images/journal-winter-2010.pdf
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