Styron, Beggs & Company

From Licking County Library's Wiki!
Jump to: navigation, search

Styron, Beggs & Company was a Newark, Ohio manufacturing company specializing in grocers’ drugs, flavoring extracts, ammonia, bluing and home remedies. These products were sold under the Great Seal brand name. The company was founded in 1895 and, in 1909, employed between sixty and seventy people, not including approximately 12 traveling salesmen. [1]

While some sources cite the beginning of The Styron Beggs Company being 1893, the first mention of the business in the Newark City Directory is in the 1895-1896 edition and places the offices at 201-3 North 4th Street in downtown Newark.[2] In 1897, the Secretary of State certified the incorporation of the Central Ohio Chemical Company of Newark. Listed as incorporators are Frank L. Beggs, John L. Styron, Harry Swisher, John H. Swisher and Edward W. Crayton. [3]

In December of 1909, Frank L. Beggs, one of the founders and president of the company at the time, was fined $5 for misbranding of lemon flavor by the Food and Drug Administration. The label of the Manhattan Compound Lemon product claimed that it contained 1.25% lemon oil; however, analysis of the product showed “only a mere trace of lemon oil” was present. [4]

In January of 1916, Frank L. Beggs, who had quite the political career and reputation for philanthropy, announced that The Styron Beggs Company would be moving into the former Swisher Building at 39 South 4th Street in Newark.[5] This building was demolished in 2003 to make room for a new Newark Police Department. [6]


R.K.

References

  1. Brister, Edwin M.P., “Styron, Beggs & Company,” Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County, Ohio. 1909
  2. Directory of Newark and Licking County, Ohio, 1895-1896.
  3. “Central Ohio Chemical Company,” The Newark Daily Advocate, July 27, 1897.
  4. United States Food and Drug Administration, “Notice of Judgment No. 237 Food and Drugs Act: Misbranding of Lemon Flavor,” Notices of Judgment Under the Food and Drugs Act, Issues 1-250.
  5. “The Styron-Beggs Co. Add Modern New Building in Their Plant,” Simmon’s Spice Mill, Vol. 39, Part I. January 1916.
  6. Kent Mallett, “Council Oks Demolition for Police Station,” The Newark Advocate, March 18, 2003.