St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company
Encyclopedia
The St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company was a Canadian
business founded in 1878 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
by brothers James
and Gilbert Ganong
and Freeman H. Todd. The bothers had earlier founded the Ganong confectionary company
and in 1884 dissolved their partnerships with the result that James became sole proprietor of the soap
making business.
The name is derived from the St. Croix River
on whose banks the town of St. Stephen is located.
James Ganong died unexpectedly at the age of forty-seven and his son Edwin
took over the running of the business. The St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company was best known for its Surprise Soap that became a national brand which lasted until 1946. Advertising helped sell the company's products such as the innovative 1894 publishing of The Surprise Cook Book, a recipe collection by the then widely popular American writer Marion Harland
. It was formally registered as The Premium Cook Book, the title used by the American Technical Book Company who published it in the United States. The book was reprinted in 1990 by the Atlantic-New England Heritage Committee. (ISBN 0969476906)
In 1913, Edwin Ganong sold the St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company to Lever Brothers
of Toronto, Ontario, a subsidiary of the British conglomerate. Ganong became president of Lever Brothers and moved to Toronto where he remained until his death in 1944. Two years later, Lever Brothers Ltd. closed the St. Stephen plant.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
business founded in 1878 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
by brothers James
James H. Ganong
James Harvey Ganong was a Canadian businessman in St. Stephen, New Brunswick who co-founded Ganong Bros. chocolate making company in 1873 and the St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Co. in 1878....
and Gilbert Ganong
Gilbert Ganong
Gilbert White Ganong was a Canadian politician, the 14th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick and co-founder of Ganong Bros. Limited, candy makers in the town of St...
and Freeman H. Todd. The bothers had earlier founded the Ganong confectionary company
Ganong Bros.
Ganong Bros., Limited is Canada's oldest candy company; it was founded by James and Gilbert Ganong in 1873 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick where it is based to this day. The primary product is boxed chocolates...
and in 1884 dissolved their partnerships with the result that James became sole proprietor of the soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
making business.
The name is derived from the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Maine-New Brunswick)
The St. Croix River is a river in northeastern North America, in length, that forms part of the Canada – United States border between Maine and New Brunswick . The river rises in the Chiputneticook Lakes and flows south and southeast, between Calais and St. Stephen...
on whose banks the town of St. Stephen is located.
James Ganong died unexpectedly at the age of forty-seven and his son Edwin
J. Edwin Ganong
James Edwin Ganong was a Canadian businessman. Known as Edwin, he was born in Boston, Massachusetts where his Canadian parents had relatives. The son of James H. Ganong and Susan E. Brittain, he is the brother of Susie, Kit , Arthur, and William.His family returned to their native New Brunswick...
took over the running of the business. The St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company was best known for its Surprise Soap that became a national brand which lasted until 1946. Advertising helped sell the company's products such as the innovative 1894 publishing of The Surprise Cook Book, a recipe collection by the then widely popular American writer Marion Harland
Mary Virginia Terhune
Mary Virginia Terhune , also known by her penname Marion Harland, was an American author. She began her career writing articles at the age of 14, using various pennames until 1853, when she settled on Marion Harland. Her first novel Alone was published in 1854 and would go on to sell over 100,000...
. It was formally registered as The Premium Cook Book, the title used by the American Technical Book Company who published it in the United States. The book was reprinted in 1990 by the Atlantic-New England Heritage Committee. (ISBN 0969476906)
In 1913, Edwin Ganong sold the St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company to Lever Brothers
Lever Brothers
Lever Brothers was a British manufacturer founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever and his brother, James Darcy Lever . The brothers had invested in and promoted a new soap making process invented by chemist William Hough Watson, it was a huge success...
of Toronto, Ontario, a subsidiary of the British conglomerate. Ganong became president of Lever Brothers and moved to Toronto where he remained until his death in 1944. Two years later, Lever Brothers Ltd. closed the St. Stephen plant.