Asa Candler: The Coca-Cola Empire Builder

who is asa candler

Asa Griggs Candler was a business mogul, philanthropist, and former mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. He is best known for founding the Coca-Cola Company and turning it into a world-renowned beverage brand. Born in 1851, Candler was a successful manufacturer of patent medicines before he bought the rights to make Coca-Cola in 1888. He marketed the product as a soft drink and removed cocaine from the original formula. Through innovative advertising and distribution methods, he built the Coca-Cola Company into a nationwide phenomenon. In addition to his business ventures, Candler was a generous philanthropist, donating millions to Emory University and various other projects. He also played a pivotal role in rebuilding Atlanta after the Great Fire of 1917.

Characteristics Values
Full Name Asa Griggs Candler
Born 30th December 1851
Birthplace Rome, Georgia
Occupation Business mogul, Banker, Real Estate Developer
Known For Founder of the Coca-Cola Company
Spouse Lucy Elizabeth Howard
Children Four sons and a daughter
Political Career Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia (1916-1919)
Philanthropy Donated to Emory University, Emory Hospital, Candler Park
Buildings Candler Building in New York, Druid Hills neighborhood in Atlanta
Death 12th March 1929

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Founder of the Coca-Cola Company

Asa Griggs Candler, born in 1851 in Carroll County, Georgia, was the founder of the Coca-Cola Company and a pivotal figure in the company's history. He was a businessman, philanthropist, and real estate developer, known for his innovative advertising and distribution methods.

Candler's journey with Coca-Cola began in 1888 when he met John Stith Pemberton, the creator of Coca-Cola. Intrigued by the sweet, carbonated drink derived from brewed coca leaves, caffeine, carbonated water, and sugar, Candler bought the Coca-Cola recipe from Pemberton for a rumoured amount of $2,300. He recognised the potential of marketing Coca-Cola as a soft drink and removed the alkaloid cocaine from the original formula due to growing concerns about its addictive properties.

In 1892, Candler founded the Coca-Cola Company and trademarked the brand the following year. By 1895, the company had achieved nationwide distribution in the United States, with Candler announcing that "Coca-Cola is now drunk in every state and territory in the United States." Candler's heavy and successful marketing played a significant role in the company's success, and he is credited with turning Coca-Cola into a nationwide phenomenon.

In addition to his business ventures, Candler was also a philanthropist. He made substantial donations to various projects, particularly those affiliated with his Methodist denomination. Notably, he donated $1 million and land valued at $7 million to Emory University, a Methodist college, and gave millions of dollars to Emory Hospital. Candler's philanthropic endeavours also included significant contributions to the development of water and sewage facilities in Atlanta, shaping the city's infrastructure.

Candler's legacy is closely tied to the Coca-Cola Company, and he is remembered for his pivotal role in establishing and expanding the brand, ultimately shaping it into a world-renowned beverage.

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Atlanta mayor from 1916-1919

Asa Griggs Candler, the founder of the Coca-Cola Company, was elected as the 41st mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1916. He took office in 1917 and served until 1919. Candler was a prominent civic leader in Atlanta and a successful businessman, having made most of his wealth from Coca-Cola. He was also a banker and real estate developer, known for his philanthropy.

As mayor, Candler played a pivotal role in balancing the city's budget and addressing Atlanta's chaotic fiscal situation. He also coordinated rebuilding efforts after the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, which destroyed 1,500 homes. Candler made large personal loans to develop the water and sewage facilities of the city, providing the infrastructure necessary for a modern city.

During his tenure, Candler also faced the challenge of the United States' entry into World War I in 1917. He made significant personal loans to facilitate the construction of water and sewer services for Camp Gordon, a military training facility located in Atlanta.

Candler's philanthropic efforts included numerous donations to Emory University, with his total gifts to the university amounting to about $7-$8 million. He also donated land for Candler Park in Atlanta and established the Candler Hospital in Savannah, Georgia.

In addition to his business and philanthropic endeavours, Candler founded a forerunner of the present Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He was also responsible for constructing several Candler Buildings across the country, including Atlanta, New York City, Kansas City, and Baltimore. These buildings served as a symbol of the Coca-Cola Company's expansion and success.

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Philanthropy and donations

Asa Griggs Candler, founder of the Coca-Cola Company, was also a banker and real estate developer known for his philanthropy. He was born in Carroll County, Georgia, in 1851 and was one of eleven children. He was raised with a strong work ethic and religious beliefs, which influenced his philanthropic endeavours.

Candler's philanthropy was often guided by his Methodist denomination and the advice of his brother, a Methodist bishop. His most well-known act of philanthropy was donating $1 million to establish Emory University in Atlanta as a Methodist institution. Over his lifetime, his donations to the university totalled about $7-$8 million. The Candler School of Theology at Emory was named after him and his brother.

Candler also donated millions of dollars to the Emory Hospital in Savannah, Georgia, and gave over 50 acres of land to the City of Atlanta, which became Candler Park. He played a pivotal role in rebuilding 1,500 homes after the Great Atlanta fire in 1917 and made large personal loans to develop the city's water and sewage facilities.

In addition to his philanthropy, Candler was also a successful businessman. He marketed Coca-Cola as a soft drink and removed the cocaine from the original formula. He diversified his interests by investing in real estate and banking, developing the Druid Hills neighbourhood in Atlanta and founding the Central Bank and Trust Company.

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Early life and career

Asa Griggs Candler was born on December 30, 1851, in Rome, Georgia. He was one of eleven children born to a prosperous merchant and planter in Carroll County. Candler was raised with a strong work ethic and religious beliefs. Contrary to his well-educated siblings, Candler refused to attend college.

In 1870, at the age of 19, Candler moved to Cartersville, where he apprenticed under Doctors Best and Kirkpatrick, who owned a joint apothecary on West Main Street. During this time, he also continued his formal education, studying Latin and Greek, and reading medical books under the direction of Reverend S. G. Hillyer.

After completing his apprenticeship, Candler moved to Atlanta and began working for Mr. George Howard, the father of his future wife, Lucy Elizabeth Howard. He eventually purchased one of Mr. Howard's drug stores, marking the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey.

In 1888, Candler met John Stith Pemberton, who had developed a sweet, carbonated drink called Coca-Cola. Recognizing its potential as a refreshing soft drink, Candler bought the Coca-Cola recipe and rights from Pemberton for a rumoured amount of $2,300. He then began marketing this tonic as a soft drink, removing the alkaloid cocaine from the original formula due to growing concerns about its addictive properties.

Candler's innovative advertising and distribution methods played a crucial role in the success of Coca-Cola. By 1892, he had founded the Coca-Cola Company and distributed the first dividends to its shareholders. In 1895, just three years after its incorporation, Candler announced that Coca-Cola was being consumed in every state and territory in the United States.

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Personal life and death

Asa Griggs Candler was born on December 30, 1851, in Villa Rica, Georgia, and was one of eleven children. He was a prominent American business tycoon, philanthropist, and politician. He founded the Coca-Cola Company in 1892 after buying the recipe from John Stith Pemberton in 1888. He was also a banker and real estate developer.

In his personal life, Candler was married to Lucy Elizabeth Howard, and they had four sons and a daughter. Their eldest son, Charles Howard Candler, was born in 1878 and became the chairman of the board of trustees of Emory University. The second son, Asa Griggs Candler Jr., was born in 1880 and became a real-estate developer, opening the Briarcliff Hotel. He was eccentric, alcoholic, and depressed. The third son, Walter T. Candler, was a businessman, philanthropist, and horse sportsman. Candler's only daughter, Lucy, was born in 1882 and married a banker and Kiwanis president, Henry Heinz. The youngest son, William Candler, was the local financier of the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Apartments. He was elected president of the Biltmore Corporation in 1930.

In the last decade of his life, the widowed Candler became engaged to a New Orleans socialite, but the engagement was called off, and she sued him for breach of promise. He then married Mae Little Ragin, a widowed public stenographer, in 1922, but the marriage was unhappy, and he filed for divorce in 1924.

Candler suffered a disabling stroke in 1926 and never recovered. He died on March 12, 1929, at Wesley Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and was buried at Westview Cemetery. He was noted for his philanthropy, endowing numerous schools and universities, including Emory University and the Candler Hospital in Savannah, Georgia.

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Frequently asked questions

Asa Griggs Candler was a business mogul and philanthropist who founded the Coca-Cola Company.

He was born on 30th December 1851 in Rome, Georgia.

He apprenticed under Dr. Best and Dr. Kirkpatrick, who owned an apothecary on West Main Street. He also worked as a drugstore clerk.

In 1888, he bought the rights to make a drink called Coca-Cola from John Stith Pemberton. He then spent the next ten years turning it into a nationwide phenomenon.

Asa Candler donated large sums of money to Emory University and Emory Hospital. He also gave away land, including 50 acres to the City of Atlanta, which was later named Candler Park.

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