Swifties Since 1826 ~ Colonel Charles T. Swift's Obituary ~ He Died Suddenly
SSS Pharmaceuticals has been in business since 1826. We were founded by Colonel Charles T. Swift. So, this makes us swifties for almost two hundred years, well before it was cool.
Charles Swift acquired the formula for our famous iron tonic product, SSS Tonic (Liquid). Unfortunately, Mr. Swift passed away in 1890, before all of us were born.
What do we know about our founder's death? Thanks to Archive.org, we have access to the original obituary published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mr. Swift's obituary was published in the November 16th, 1890 issue of the AJC.
Here is the full text of the obituary.
HE DIED SUDDENLY.
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MR. CHARLES THOMAS SWIFT DIES OF AN APOPLETIC CONVULSION.
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After a Remarkable Career as a Business Man, One of the Most Prominent Men of the City Passes Away.
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Mr. Charles Thomas Swift passed away at his home, No. 315 Capitol avenue, yesterday afternoon at 1 o'clock.
He had been in ill health for about a year, and six weeks ago he took to his bed, but even then his condition was not such as to excite special alarm.
But yesterday at 1 o'clock, he suddenly rose up in bed and displayed such strange symptoms that his family immediately summoned assistance.
Everything possible was done to relieve him, but it was of no avail, and in a few minutes he was dead.
The immediate cause of his death was an apoplectic convulsion.
The news of his death soon spread over the city, and many were the expressions of sorrow over his death and sympathy for his bereaved family from those who had known him so pleasantly.
His Early Life.
Charles Thomas Swift was a son of Judge Swift, long time ordinary of Houston county.
He was born in Morgan county December 10th, 1845, and had just entered his fifty-fifth year. In his childhood his father removed to Lee county, near Salem, Ala., and remained there for some years.
Afterwards he removed to Houston county, where he reared a family of several children.
The subject of this sketch remained in Houston county until 1872, when he came to Atlanta and has remained here ever since.
Prior to his removal here he discovered the formula of the old Indian remedy for blood poison, and manufactured and sold it in a small way.
After he came to Atlanta he continued to make the medicine, and such were the merits of the remedy that it soon gained quite a local reputation.
The S. S. S. Company.
In 1879 Mr. Swift entered into partnership with Mr. Henry J. Lamar, of Macon, and Dr. W. Rankin, of this city, in forming the company adopting the cabalistic title 'S. S. S.,' under which it enjoys a world-wide fame.
Mr. Swift was vice president of the company, and by pushing the business it soon secured such a reputation that the company leaped to the front as one of the wealthiest patent medicine concerns in the country.
After it had been introduced into every nook and corner of the world a special representative was sent over to England to introduce the remedy there, and it became one of the most popular medicines in the British empire.
Other Enterprises.
Despite his great wealth, Mr. Swift was, in his tastes, one of the most unostentatious of men.
He became identified with quite a number of business enterprises in the city.
He was a heavy stockholder in the Georgia Improvement Company, which built the Atlanta and Florida railroad.
He was also connected with several of the large manufacturing enterprises in and around Atlanta.
In addition to these, he had great faith in the future of Atlanta, and it was his often-expressed opinion that the city would become one of the greatest in the south.
His Family.
Mr. Swift married an Atlanta lady, Miss Lena Burckhardt, on the 4th of May, 1880.
His wife and five children, four little girls and a six-weeks old baby boy, survive him.
His father is a resident of Macon. His brother, Mr. John S Swift, was connected with him in business in this city.
He leaves five sisters, Mrs. Margaret Northern, of this city; Mrs. L. S. Frierson and Fannie Akin, of Shelbyville, Tenn.; Mrs. Judge Warren D. Nottingham, of Macon, Ga., and Miss Dora Swift, of this city.
He was a man of the most genial disposition, affable manners, and of large and generous heart.
All who knew him loved him for his amiable qualities.
As a business man he was phenomenally successful, and few men of his age have accomplished more.
He was a member of St. Philips' Episcopal church, and was a true and consistent Christian.
In his death his family have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community.
Atlanta lost one of her best and foremost citizens, and it was the earnest and great-hearted Christian gentleman whom his eyes were closed in death.
Here is a scan of the image.
