Lunsford Richardson

Lunsford Richardson , 1854-1919, was a U.S. pharmacist from Selma, North Carolina, and the founder of Vick Chemical Company ( which became Richardson Vicks Inc ). He died August 20, 1919.

Early life

Lunsford was born in 1854 on a farm near Lunsford, North Carolina. He attended Davidson College, where he graduated with highest honors in Latin in 1875. He taught at The Little River Academy before he became a pharmacist. He married Mary Lynn Smith, from Greensboro, North Carolina in about 1884. Their son, H. Smith Richardson, 1885-1972, was born on July 19. His second son was Lunsford Richardson 1891-1953. He also had 3 daughters.

Lunsford bought a drugstore in Selma, called Vick's Drug Store, where he sold a Vicks turtle oil liniment. Later he sold the store in Selma bought and bought one in Greensboro.This was the Porter and Tate Drugstore - Dr. Porter was the uncle of William Sydney Porter, the author known as O. Henry.

Development of VapoRub

While working in Greensboro he developed a number of home remedies under the name of Vicks. This name was suggested to him from an advertisement for Vick's Seeds, and Vicks was also the name of his brother-in-law and the name of the first drug store he owned. It was short and easy to remember. Eventually there were 21 "Vicks Family Remedies". One product included adding menthol, a new and little known drug from Japan, to a balm. Since the product was used only externally, there was no risk of stomach upset. It was originally called Vicks Croup and Pneumonia Salve, before it became VapoRub.

Founding Vicks

In 1898, he sold his drugstore and formed Lunsford Richardson Wholesale Drug company, one of only 4 wholesale drug companies in North Carolina. He sold the 21 Vicks products as well as other drugs. In 1905 he sold the wholesale drug company and founded "Vicks Family Remedies Company", which became Richardson-Merrell Inc, and later Richardson Vicks Inc.

Initially, Vicks struggled to sell outside the Greensboro area until Lunsford's son, H. Smith, decided to concentrate only on the renamed VapoRub, the one unique and distinctive product of the 21.

Civic Activities

Lunsford was active in Church activities (as elder to First Presbyterian). An editorial in the "Greensboro Daily News" August 22, 1919 said, "he never passed anyone on the street, young or old, black or white, without a nod and a smile." He was particularly interested in the welfare of African-Americans. During World War II, a Liberty ship was christened the S.S. Lunsford Richardson at "special request of the leading Negro citizens of North Carolina to honor the memory of a white friend." L. Richardson Memorial Hospital in Greensboro was renamed to honor him after receiving his donations for a modernization program, it originally served the black community.

See also

Thalidomide - Richardson-Merrell Inc. attempted to market thalidomide in the U.S.A. & was denied by the FDA for lack of safety studies.

References

"The Early History and Management Philosophy of Richardson-Merrell" Richardson, H. Smith, 1975, 75-26205
* [http://www.soulofamerica.com/index.php?id=6330,8732,0,0,1,0 Soul of America website - L. Richardson memorial Hospital]