Rachel Evans
Johnson & Johnson, one of the world's most valuable companies, was founded in 1886 by brothers Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson. The company, which started with 14 employees, now has offices in 60 countries and a workforce of over 130,000 people. While there is no evidence that the founders identified as Catholic, Robert Johnson was inspired to create the company's first commercial first aid kits after learning about antiseptic surgery from Dr. Joseph Lister at the 1876 World's Fair.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of founders | 3 |
| Names of founders | Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson |
| Profession before founding Johnson & Johnson | Pharmaceutical apprentices |
| Year founded | 1886 |
| Number of employees at founding | 14 |
| Gender ratio of initial employees | Eight women and six men |
| First product | Ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings |
| Aim of the company | To help people live longer, healthier lives |
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What You'll Learn
Robert Wood Johnson's early life and career
Robert Wood Johnson I, born in 1845 in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, was one of the three brothers who founded Johnson & Johnson. Johnson grew up with two siblings, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson. Johnson was educated in the public schools of Carbondale and at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania. The family belonged to an Episcopal church. Johnson's father, Sylvester Johnson III, and mother, Frances Louisa Wood, were anxious to protect their youngest son as two of his older brothers had enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War. So, at the age of 9, Johnson was apprenticed to his mother's cousin, James Wood, at the apothecary of Wood & Tittmer in Poughkeepsie, New York. This apprenticeship marked the beginning of Johnson's career in the pharmaceutical industry.
In 1873, at the age of 16, Johnson co-founded his own company, Seabury & Johnson, with George Seabury. The company became known for its medicated plasters and other healthcare products. In 1876, Johnson attended the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, the first World's Fair in the United States, where he heard Joseph Lister's lecture on antiseptic surgery. Johnson parted ways with Seabury in 1885 and joined his brothers' firm, Johnson & Johnson, in 1886. Johnson provided the capital for a fresh start, receiving half of the company's shares in return for management of the company. Johnson's influence on the company was significant, with his focus on innovation, acceptance of women in professional roles, and long-term management.
Johnson is best known for his pioneering innovations in sterile surgery and sanitary wound care. He created the first commercial first aid kits, which included sterile dressings, sutures, and surgical tape. These first aid kits became an essential part of American life, addressing the medical needs of travelers and those working in dangerous industries such as the railroad. Johnson's ideals and influence can still be seen in Johnson & Johnson today, with the company's instantly recognizable red logo derived from his brother James Wood Johnson's signature.
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James Wood Johnson, co-founder
Johnson & Johnson, one of the world's most valuable companies, was founded in 1886 by three brothers: Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson. The company was initially a family business, with James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson starting it before being joined by Robert.
James Wood Johnson was one of the co-founders of Johnson & Johnson, along with his brothers. The Johnson brothers grew up in an Episcopal church family and shared a vision of helping people live longer and healthier lives through their company. James' influence can be seen in the company's iconic red logo, which is derived from his signature on the company's first official check from 1886.
James and his brother, Edward, initially started Johnson & Johnson, but they struggled with profitability and insufficient capital. When Robert joined the company, he provided the necessary capital, and his experience in the pharmaceutical industry helped the company thrive. Robert had previously co-founded Seabury & Johnson with George Seabury in 1873, creating medicated plasters and gaining knowledge about antiseptic surgery.
The Johnson brothers' company focused on selling ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings and bandages, and they introduced innovations such as including containers of talc with their plasters. They also created the first commercial first aid kits, which were designed to help workers on the railroad who were often injured due to the dangerous nature of their work. These first aid kits included items like sterile dressings, sutures, and surgical tape, addressing the medical needs of travellers and those in remote areas.
The impact of James Wood Johnson and his brothers on Johnson & Johnson has lasted for over a century. The company has grown into a global healthcare leader, with offices in 60 countries and a vast workforce. The ideals and innovations of the founding siblings continue to guide the company, and their focus on helping people live healthier lives remains a core part of their legacy.
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Edward Mead Johnson, co-founder
Johnson & Johnson, one of the world's most valuable companies, was founded in 1886 by brothers Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson. The company was started with 14 employees, eight women and six men, and the aim to help people live longer, healthier lives.
Edward Mead Johnson, a co-founder of Johnson & Johnson, led the company's sales and marketing division in the 19th century. In 1898, Edward Mead left Johnson & Johnson, taking with him the company's digestive products line, which would eventually become a leading global company in the field of infant and child nutrition.
Edward Mead Johnson's interest in digestive products was sparked by his son Ted, who was born in 1888 with a congenital heart defect and feeding problems. In 1895, Johnson developed a side business, The American Ferment Company, to create a digestive aid. In 1897, he left the family business to go into business on his own in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1905, his side business was re-established as Mead Johnson & Company. The firm's first major infant formula was developed in 1910, and Dextri-Maltose, a carbohydrate-based milk modifier, was introduced in 1911. It was the first American product for infants to be approved clinically and recommended by physicians. The creation of Dextri-Maltose was prompted by the life-threatening feeding problems experienced by his son as an infant.
Johnson retired from the firm and devoted his time to deep-sea fishing and golf. He was an active member of community organizations in Evansville and anonymously donated money to acquire a building used by an organization that fed sick babies. Edward Mead Johnson died at the age of 81 on March 20, 1934, of a heart attack suffered at his winter home in Miami Beach, Florida.
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Johnson & Johnson's beginnings
Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 by three brothers: Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson. Robert, the company's first president, began his career in healthcare at the age of 16, when he started working as a pharmaceutical apprentice at an apothecary run by his mother's cousin, James G. Wood, in Poughkeepsie, New York. The business, called Wood & Tittamer, was both a wholesale and retail drugstore. There, Robert learned about the business of mixing medicated plasters, which sparked his interest in healthcare and medical products.
After his apprenticeship, Robert moved to New York City, where he partnered with George Seabury to form Seabury & Johnson in 1873. The company became known for its medicated plasters and quickly expanded, becoming one of the most widely recognized brands in the world. In 1876, Robert attended the World's Fair, where he listened to Dr. Joseph Lister explain his new procedure of antiseptic surgery. This inspired Robert to create a line of ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings with his brothers.
In 1885, Robert parted ways with Seabury and joined forces with his brothers, James and Edward, to establish Johnson & Johnson. The company started with 14 employees, eight women and six men, and its first factory was located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Johnson & Johnson's initial product line included ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings and the first commercial first aid kits. The company was founded with the aim to help people live longer and healthier lives, and its values were shaped by Robert's early experiences in healthcare.
Within less than a decade, Johnson & Johnson had experienced significant growth, boasting 400 employees and spanning 14 buildings by 1894. Today, the company has offices in 60 countries and a global workforce of over 130,000 people. The impact of the pioneering Johnson brothers can still be seen in the company's values and practices, as well as in its iconic red logo, which is derived from the signature of co-founder James Wood Johnson.
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The company's growth
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation. It was founded in 1886 by three brothers—Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson—with 14 employees and the aim of helping people live longer, healthier lives. The company's first products were ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings, and its first factory was located in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
From these humble beginnings, Johnson & Johnson has grown into one of the world's most valuable companies, with a global workforce of approximately 138,000 employees and offices in 60 countries. The company has diversified its product offerings over time, manufacturing sterile surgical supplies, household products, and medical guides. They also published "Modern Methods of Antiseptic Wound Treatment", a guide on how to perform sterile surgery using their products, and distributed 85,000 copies to doctors and pharmacists across the United States in 1888.
Johnson & Johnson's iconic red logo, derived from the signature of co-founder James Wood Johnson, is one of the longest-used company emblems in the world. The company has been at the forefront of innovation, creating the world's first sterile surgical products, including sutures, absorbent cotton, and gauze, and developing first aid kits for consumers and workers in dangerous industries.
The company has faced challenges, such as the "Tylenol scare" in 1982, when individuals died after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol laced with cyanide, leading to one of the first major product recalls in American history. Despite this, Johnson & Johnson has maintained its strong reputation and financial performance, ranking 42nd on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of the largest US corporations and 45th in the Forbes Global 2000 in the same year.
Today, Johnson & Johnson continues to be a leader in healthcare innovation, focusing on developing and producing pharmaceutical prescription drugs and medical device technologies. The company operates manufacturing units worldwide and is committed to environmental initiatives, such as reducing water and energy use and increasing transparency. Johnson & Johnson's impact on the healthcare industry and its pioneering founders' ideals continue to shape the company's trajectory.
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Frequently asked questions
Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 by brothers Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson.
The Johnson brothers were pioneers in the medical products industry. Robert Wood Johnson began his career as a pharmaceutical apprentice at the age of 16. He co-founded Seabury & Johnson in 1873, which became known for its medicated plasters.
The Johnson brothers founded the company with the aim to help people live longer, healthier lives. They were inspired to create the first commercial first aid kits after learning about the high rate of injuries and deaths among railroad workers due to the dangerous nature of their work.
