John Pemberton | |
|---|---|
 Pemberton, before 1888 | |
| Born | July 8, 1831 Knoxville, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 1888 (aged 57) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Old City Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Reform Medical College of Georgia |
| Occupation | Biochemist |
| Known for | Inventor of Coca-Cola |
| Spouse | Ann Eliza Clifford Lewis |
| Children | Charles Nay Pemberton |
| Military career | |
| Service | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Third Cavalry Battalion of the Georgia State Guard |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War |
John Stith Pemberton (July 8, 1831 – August 16, 1888) was an American pharmacist and Confederate States Army veteran who is best known as the inventor of Coca-Cola. On May 8, 1886, he developed an early version of a beverage that would later become Coca-Cola, but sold the rights to the drink shortly before his death in 1888.
He suffered from a sabre wound sustained in April 1865, during the Battle of Columbus. His efforts to control his chronic pain led to morphine addiction. In an attempt to curb his addiction he began to experiment with various painkillers and toxins. The development of an earlier beverage blending alcohol and cocaine led to the recipe that later was adapted to make Coca-Cola.