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Since 1826

Company Leadership Over The Years

Nathan McFee

CEO
2022-Present

Charles M. Bentley

President & CEO

1983-2022

Mr. Bentley passed away in 2022.

Lamar Swift

President

XXXX - 1983

Mr. Swift passed away in 1983.

H.J. Lamar IV

CEO
September 25, 1941 -

Warren Roberts

President
September 25, 1941 -

W.D. Lamar

President
June 13, 1898 - July 1, 1919
January 28, 1920 - September 11, 1941

Mrs. F. L. Gately was acting President between terms.

Mrs. Lena B. Swift

President

June 14, 1897 - June 13, 1898

Charles Swift’s Widow

H.J. Lamar II

President
March 4, 1897 - June 14, 1897

J.W. Rankin

Director, Secretary, Manager

Jesse Willis: July 19, 1839 - February 25, 1892

Active: July 17, 1879 - February 25, 1892

H.J. Lamar

President
July 17, 1879 - December 25, 1896

Charles Thomas Swift

Founder & President
July 17, 1879 - December 30, 1890

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation & Captain Irwin Dennard

Chances are the year 1826 doesn’t strike a deep historical chord in most Americans. But to the people at the S.S.S. Company, it’s one of the most significant dates in history. For it was in 1826 that the mighty Muscogee (Creek) Nation bequeathed a treasured remedy of theirs, now known as S.S.S. Tonic, to Captain Irwin Dennard of Perry, Georgia as a reward for having saved the life of one of their Chieftains.

Captain Dennard sold the formula to Colonel Charles T. Swift who also lived in Perry, Georgia. Colonel Swift formed a partnership with Colonel H.J. Lamar of Macon, Georgia to bottle and sell the Tonic. In 1873, Colonel H.J. Lamar, foreseeing Atlanta as the Metropolis of the south, the manufacturer of S.S.S. Tonic was moved to Atlanta. According to the Companys’ History, the S.S.S. stood for Swift’s Southern Specific in the earlier years.

Officers and Directors

1879 - 1942

Directors

NameStartEnd
H. J. Lamar
July 17, 1879
December 25, 1896
C. T. Swift
July 17, 1879
December 30, 1890
L. W. Hunt
July 17, 1879
July 31, 1880
J.W. Rankin
July 17, 1879
February 25, 1892
H.J. Lamar II
July 31, 1880
June 14, 1897
Jno. G. Burckhardt
March 1, 1892
November 6, 1912
W. A. Loyless
March 1, 1892
August 10, 1894
W. D. Lamar
March 4, 1897
July 1, 1919
Mrs. Fannie L. Rankin
June 14, 1897
June 13, 1899
Mrs. Lena B. Swift
June 16, 1897
June 13, 1893
H.J. Lamar II
June 13, 1892
July 3, 1909
Mrs. Lena B. Swift (Mrs. Huntley, 1900)
June 13, 1899
January 4, 1922
Mrs. Fannie L. Rankin (Mrs. Cately 1904)
June 28, 1900
January 25, 1922
R. L. Hood, Jr.
November 18, 1912
January 27, 1915
Henry J. Lamar III
January 26, 1916
January 20, 1919
Shorter Rankin
January 31, 1917
December 20, 1918
C. L. Getely
July 2, 1919
January 28, 1920
B. D. Lamar
Jan 28, 1920
September 11, 1941
Warren Roberts
Jan 28,1920
January 4, 1922
Eli S. Shorter
January 28, 1920
January 4, 1922
E. H. Cone
January 4, 1922
July 22, 1941
W. W. Banks
January 4, 1922
July 1, 1926
Judge A. S. Powell
January 4, 1922
M. C. King
January 25, 1922
L. D. Ricks
July 1, 1926
January 25, 1939
Warren Roberts
January 25, 1933
F.D. Subank
January 25, 1933
F. B. Cranberry
January 25, 1939
J.C. Bagwell
January 25, 1939
Henry J. Lamar IV
September 25, 1941

Chairman, Board of Directors

NameStartEnd
E.H. Cone
January 4, 1922
July 22, 1941
M.C. King
September 25, 1941

Executive Committee

NameStart
Warren Roberts
September 25, 1941
M.C. King
September 25, 1941
F.D. Subank
September 25, 1941

Vice-President

NameStartEnd
C.T. Swift
July 17, 1879
December 30, 1890
Jno. G. Burckhardt
March 1, 1892
June 14, 1897
Mrs. Fannie L. Rankin
June 14, 1897
June 13, 1898
H.J. Lamar II
June 13, 1898
June 13. 1899
Mrs. Lena B. Swift (Mrs. Huntley, 1900)
June 13, 1899
January 28, 1913
Mrs. Fannie Lamar Gately
January 26, 1913
January 27, 1915

First Vice-President

NameStartEnd
Mrs. Fannie Lamar Gately
January 27, 1915
January 25, 1922

Second Vice-President

NameStartEnd
Mrs. Lena S. Huntley
January 27, 1915
January 4, 1922

Third Vice-President

NameStartEnd
Henry J. Lamar III
January 26, 1916
January 20, 1919

Fourth Vice-President

NameStartEnd
Shorter Rankin
January 31, 1917
December 20, 1916

Vice-President

NameStartEnd
Judge A. S. Powell
January 25, 1922
January 30, 1940
E.H. Cone
January 30, 1940
July 22, 1941
N. D. Eubank
September 25, 1941

Executive Manager

NameStartEnd
E.H. Cone
March 28, 1922
July 22, 1941

Secretary

NameStartEnd
J.W. Rankin
July 17, 1879
February 25, 1892
W. A. Loyless
March 1, 1892
August 10, 1894
Jno. G. Burckhardt
June 14, 1897
June 28, 1900
Mrs. F. L. Rankin (Mrs. Gately, 1904)
June 28, 1900
June 13, 1910
Jno. G. Burckhardt
June 13, 1910
November 6, 1912
R. L. Hood, Jr.
November 18, 1912
January 27, 1915
J. E. Dickey
January 27, 1915
May 31, 1917
J. M. Harrison
May 31, 1917
July 5, 1919
L. P. Howard (Acting)
July 1, 1919
July 7, 1919
L. P. Howard
July 7, 1919
May 1, 1921
J. C. Pagwell
May 1, 1921

Treasurer

NameStartEnd
L. W. Hunt
July 17, 1879
July 31, 1880
H. J. Lamar II
July 31, 1880
March 4, 1897
W. D. Lamar
March 4, 1897
June 13, 1898
Mrs. F. L. Rankin
June 13, 1898
June 13, 1899
H. J. Lamar II
June 13, 1899
July 3, 1909
Mrs. F. L. Gately
July 3, 1909
January 28, 1913
Mrs. Lena Swift Huntley
January 28, 1913
January 27, 1915
J. B. Dickey
January 27, 1915
May 31, 1917
J. M. Harrison
May 31, 1917
May 31, 1919
L. P. Howard
July 7, 1919
May 1, 1921
J. C. Bagwell
May 1, 1921
January 25, 1922
W. F. Banks
January 25, 1922
July 1, 1926
M. C. King
July 1, 1926
January 28, 1942
J. C. Bagwell
January 28, 1942

Assistant-Treasurer

NameStartEnd
J. C. Bagwell
January 25, 1938
January 28, 1942

Manager

NameStartEnd
J. W. Rankin
July 17, 1879
February 25, 1882
W. A. Loyless
March 1, 1882
August 10, 1894
Jno. G. Burckhardt
June 14, 1897
November 6, 1912
R. L. Hood, Jr.
November 18, 1912
February 17, 1915
Jno. F. Timmons
June 14, 1915
August 4, 1915
W. Frank Smith
September 15, 1915
September 25, 1917
W. S. Eakin (Acting)
December 20, 1918
July 1, 1919
W. S. Elkin, Jr.
July 1, 1919
April 28, 1920
J. C. Bagwell
August 24, 1920
March 22, 1921
K. R. Cranberry
March 22, 1921

Assistant Manager

NameStartEnd
J. M. Swift
July 23, 1903
November 1, 1904
R. S. Rankin
January 27, 1915
January 31, 1917
J. C. Bagwell
January 28, 1920
August 24, 1920
J. C. Bagwell
March 22, 1921
May 1, 1921

In Memoriam

NameStartEnd
Charles Thomas Swift
December 10, 1836
December 30, 1890
Jesse Willis Rankin
July 19, 1839
February 26, 1892
Henry J. Lamar I
March 21, 1825
December 25, 1896
Jack T. Lamar
May 16, 1856
December 30, 1903
Henry J. Lamar II
January 27, 1852
July 3, 1909
Mrs. Valerie Lamar Harriss
Walter D. Lamar II
April 10, 1892
December 8, 1914
Eli Shorter Rankin
June 1, 1891
February 20, 1918
Henry J. Lamar III
January 9, 1881
January 20, 1919
Mrs. Wylene Lamar Shorter
March 28, 1861
January 12, 1927
Chas. Thomas Swift, Jr.
November 12, 1890
January 20, 1931
Mrs. Corinne Swift Buchanan
April 18, 1881
December 3, 1931
Mrs. Lena Swift Huntley
July 25, 1857
May 18, 1934
Charles Lincoln Gately
September 5, 1830
June 13, 1934
Claude E. Buchanan, Jr.
April 25, 1911
June 21, 1934
Mrs. Fannie Lamar Gately
August 24, 1859
October 7, 1934
Eli S. Shorter
April 18, 1891
December 21, 1934
Mrs. Jack T. Lamar
April 4, 1860
November 17, 1937
Walter Douglas Lamar
August 21, 1883
September 11, 1941
Mrs. Lena Swift Jones (Daughter of Charles & Lena)
August 6, 1883
March 14, 1942