Caswell-Massey

Caswell-Massey

Industry	Cosmetics
Founded	1752; 272 years ago (1752)
Founder	William Hunter
Headquarters	Edison, New Jersey
Products	Cosmetics Perfume
Website	caswellmassey.com

Caswell-Massey, founded in 1752, is the first fragrance and personal care product company in America. Originally, Caswell Massey started as an apothecary shop in Newport, Rhode Island, by a Scottish-born doctor named William Hunter.^[1] The main product categories include fine-fragrance, soap, bath & body products, men's shaving products and toiletries and other assorted apothecary-style personal care accessories. Its products were preferred favorites of notable historical figures such as John F. Kennedy, George Washington, Cole Porter, Alla Nazimova, John Denver, and The Rolling Stones.

The company is regarded as the fourth-oldest continuously operating company in America and the oldest American consumer brand in operation. The current motto of Caswell-Massey is "America's Original".

Dr. William Hunter established Dr. Hunters Dispensary in Newport in 1752. Caswell Massey began as an apothecary shop selling medical supplies. Hunter gave the first lectures on anatomy and surgery in the Colonies in 1755 and invented orange soda to help his customers take the medicines sold in his apothecary shop.

At the time, Newport was a destination for the social elite to buy European-style luxuries. While selling medical products, Dr. Hunter also began selling cosmetic, personal care, and hygiene products and developed a business in medicinal essential oils, such as lavender and verbena. He also imported fragrances from Europe, and blended 20 of his own different colognes, numbered One through Twenty; Dr. Hunter's Cologne Number Six was often purchased by George Washington and was given as a gift by Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette, and thereby became very popular among many politicians and intellectuals in early American society after Independence. During the same time, White Rose perfume was introduced for women and became a favorite of Dolley Madison, who was rumored to bathe in the perfume. The shop was also known for its very high-quality Castile soap, which was purchased by Lewis and Clark for their Western expedition.

For approximately the first three-quarters of a century, the apothecary shop traditionally changed owners, each retiring pharmacist handing over the keys to his apprentice. Dr. William Hunter was followed by his son, also William Hunter, then by Charles Feke, who in turn was followed by Rowland Hazard in 1822. Hazard took Philip Caswell into partnership, and the name became Hazard & Caswell. In 1833 following Rowland Hazard's death, the company became Caswell & Hazard. The first Caswell-Hazard branch opened in New York City in the same year.

A fragrance called Jockey Club was introduced in 1840. During that time, the company continued to expand its line to include other apothecary products, including cucumber night cream, oatmeal soaps, goat's milk soaps, and other items. In the 1850s, Hazard formed a partnership with Phillip Caswell, and later in 1867, was joined by both John R. Caswell (Phillip's brother) and J. Hazard (Rowland's brother or son?).

Phillip Caswell resigned from the partnership in 1872 and sold his shares to Rowland Hazard; John Caswell set up shops and continued the business in parallel to the Hazard business during this time, and a lawsuit was undertaken in 1876 over the rights to be the successor of both the 'Caswell' name and the 'Established 1780 AD' trademark, as well as the books of formulations. Caswell was triumphant in the suit, proving in the court records that they had sold the physical shops and shop fixtures and stock in labels but not the name or formulations rights.

It is unclear whether the Hazards were given the exclusive right to claim the 'Established 1780 AD' mark. Nevertheless, Caswell also succeeded on this point, as it was later established that the business was established by Dr. Hunter in 1752 and not by Feke in 1780 – that had merely been the ruse, as mentioned earlier, that was used to prevent the firm from being confiscated under disloyalty to the new American government. The company took its present name, Caswell-Massey, when then-owner John Rose Caswell partnered with New York businessman William Massey in 1876. With rightful ownership of the original formulations of Dr. Hunter and a new partnership with William Massey, a Canadian doctor, the firm rightly claimed the 'Established 1752' trademark and provenance for their brand. That year, the company operated two stores, one in Newport and one in New York City. John R. Caswell and William Massey continued to operate in New York City and Newport, RI, until 1906, when the business was incorporated as the Caswell-Massey Company under the guidance of George C. Lyon and John C. Knight of the Hall & Lyon Company of Providence, Rhode Island; the business continued to grow to ten stores but was reduced to two stores by 1915.