Augustin Thompson

Augustin Thompson (Union, Maine on November 25, 1835 – June 8, 1903)[1] was a physician, businessman and philanthropist who created the Moxie soft drink and the company that manufactures it (now part of the Kirin Holdings Company of Tokyo, Japan). In his earlier life, he was a Captain in the Union Infantry in American Civil War, and was later granted the rank of lieutenant colonel through an act of Congress.

The tonic, based upon his original patent medicine "Nerve Food" created in 1876, was first released as a syrup in 1884. In 1885, he received a trade mark for the term and released it as a carbonated beverage.

Tombstone
Gravestone of Dr. Thompson in Lowell Cemetery

He is buried at the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Early life

Thompson was born in Union, Maine on November 25, 1835. In the early part of the American Civil War, he joined the Union Army as captain of Company G, 28th Maine Volunteer Infantry. He saw action in the Siege of Port Hudson in Donaldsonville, Louisiana as well as minor action at Fort Pickens in Pensacola, Florida.[2] In 1865, Thompson was commander of the 7th Company Unassigned Maine Infantry at Fort Popham, Maine.[3] Later in life he was granted the rank of lieutenant colonel through an act of Congress.[4][5]

After the war ended, he went on to attend Hahnemann Homeopathia College and graduated with honors at the head of his class. Upon graduation he settled in Lowell, Massachusetts where he set up his medical practice in 1867. By 1885, Dr. Thompson's practice had become highly successful and he was said to have one of the largest patient lists in New England.[4][5] However it was at this time he gave up his $15,000 (over $350,000 by 2009 standards) to begin the marketing and sale of his Moxie nerve tonic.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ Doctor Augustin Thompson. Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage. Published 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  2. ↑ ""The Road To The Sea" Preserved: The 28th Maine Infantry at Donaldsonville, La.". Department of the Maine Secretary of State. 2000-03-29. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  3. ↑ http://statedocs.maine.gov/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=books
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Frank N. Potter (1981). The Moxie Mystique. Donning Company. ISBN 0-89865-145-X.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Frank N. Potter (1987). The Book of Moxie. Collector Books. ISBN 0-89145-348-2.

Bibliography

  • Bowers, Q. David, The Moxie Encyclopedia, Vestal Press, 1985. ISBN 978-0-911572-43-8
  • Grace, Roger M., "Is Hires the Longest Marketed Soft Drink? Or Moxie? Or...?", Metropolitan News-Enterprise newspaper, Los Angeles, Thursday, November 17, 2005, p. 15
  • Potter, Frank N., The Book Of Moxie, Paducah, KY : Collector Books, 1987. ISBN 0-89145-348-2.

External links