John S. Pemberton 1841-1886

John Pemberton served as a major in the confederate army during the Civil War. After the war, he settled in Atlanta and began a pharmacy. Though he was qualified, Pemberton experimented too much to be a successful pharmicist.

Pemberton began concentrating on developing a soft drink. After much trial and error, he created a syrup (which would serve as the drink's primary flavor) on May 8, 1886. The syrup was added to carbonated water to form the drink, which was christened "Coca-Cola" by Pemberton's partner.

In 1886, thirteen drinks a day were being sold in the Atlanta drug stores. A century later, production would reach a billion gallons a year. Pemberton, however, sold all rights to the formula in 1888 for $2,300.00. He died shortly after.

Coca-Cola was bottled by another young entrpreneur in 1894. John Biedenharn was the son of a candy merchant, who sold Coca-Cola syrup to drug stores for use at their soda fountains, along with bottled carbonated water. John combined the two and began the Coca-Cola dynasty as we know it today.

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