Robert Wood Johnson I
| Robert Wood Johnson I | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | February 20, 1845 Carbondale, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 7, 1910 (aged 64) New Brunswick, New Jersey |
| Occupation | Founder of Johnson & Johnson |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Cutler (m. 1880-?) Evangeline Brewster Armstrong |
| Children | Roberta Johnson John Seward Johnson I (1895–1983) Robert Wood Johnson II (1893–1968) Evangeline Johnson Merrill (1897–1990) |
| Parent(s) | Sylvester Johnson III (1800-1882) Frances Louisa Wood (1809-1881) |
Robert Wood Johnson I (February 20, 1845 – February 7, 1910) was an American industrialist. He was also one of the three brothers who founded Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. His father was Sylvester Johnson III, and his mother was Frances Louisa Wood. Johnson grew up with two siblings: James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson.
In 1861, Johnson accepted an apprenticeship in Poughkeepsie, New York from his uncle James Wood to work for the apothecary of Wood & Tittmer. This was a method to keep him from fighting in the Civil War. However, this was to become his training for a lifelong career. He later left Wood & Tittmer in 1864, to work in New York City for Roushton & Aspinwall.
While working for Rouston & Aspinwall, Johnson met George J. Seabury and they decided to leave the firm and go into business together under the name of Seabury & Johnson. Both men were interested in Joseph Lister's discovery of the implications of sterile surgery and tried to make products that would assist in the operating room. Johnson worked 12-hour days to try to invent aseptic surgical equipment. By 1878, the firm was making $10,000 a month (or in 2006 dollars $214,000.)
Neither Seabury nor Johnson could agree on how to distribute the profits of the firm. Seabury also didn't approve of having Johnson's brother, James Wood Johnson in the firm. In 1880, Johnson sold his shares to Seabury, and agreed to not go into the medical business for ten years.
James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson started a family business called Johnson & Johnson. However, the firm was struggling to stay afloat, as it didn't have enough capital for a startup company. While the two brothers were going at it alone, Seabury was unable to pay RWJ the monthly payments that had been agreed upon when he left the partnership. Seabury agreed to let Johnson re-enter the medical industry if he didn't have to pay the monthly payments anymore. Johnson agreed, and joined his brothers' firm, providing the capital for a fresh start.
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