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John B. Curtis lacked formal education, but he would go on to invent one of the most impressive inventions of the 19th century: gum.
Curtis started as a manual laborer. He worked on a farm and even built roads in wooded areas.
These early experiences would give him the work ethic he needed to go out and eventually sell his invention to the people.
In 1848, Curtis invented chewing gum by cooking his first batch on a Franklin stove.
The stove is a fast-iron furnace invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1742. At that point, it was a common fixture in American homes.
His creation would be a nightmare for janitors everywhere in the future, as they would have to clean the gunk from under the school desks.
In 1848, John Curtis relocated his family to Bangor, Maine.
Bangor was a bustling lumber port experiencing rapid growth due to the booming timber industry.
The area was also full of spruce, which he needed to flavor his chewing gum.
He capitalized on the spruce in the region by creating and commercializing the first chewing gum product.
He named the product “State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum,” a wise brand name that evokes its origin.
John Curtis earned a meager $5 to $24 per month (equivalent to about $170 to $820 in 2024). A wage, even in that era when it would be hard to make ends meet.
At first, he struggled to sell the novel chewing gum product in Portland’s local markets.
Curtis had no choice but to embrace the hard life of a traveling salesman in 1850.
The role involved long, solitary journeys by horse, stagecoach, or early railroads.
He faced primitive lodgings in the frontier. Some of his receptions were good to ugly in the unfamiliar towns he visited.
He was not alone. In the mid-19th century, salesmen were at the forefront of introducing new products to a nation that was growing like a weed.
These salesmen and entrepreneurs helped pave the way for our modern consumer based economy that we take for granted today.
John Curtis’s dedication would eventually pay off.
His business would go on to employ 200 workers. The workers could produce 1,800 boxes of gum daily.
His home-based operation in Maine evolved into a successful factory in Portland.
Curtis invented machines for mass production, which contributed to the rapid growth of the chewing gum industry.
Curtis also eventually came up with other flavors, including “Licorice Lulu,” “Sugar Cream,” “Yankee Spruce,” “White Mountain,” “American Flag,” “Biggest and Best,” and “Four In Hand.”
By his death in 1897, Curtis had amassed a fortune.
He was worth approximately $17.2 million in today’s currency.
His fortune came from pioneering work in gum manufacturing and many commercial farming investments. He also had other business ventures.
John B. Curtis revolutionized the candy and gum industry.
He built the foundation for a global multi-billion dollar industry. Thanks to him, major gum brands like Wrigley’s would also make their mark.
He’ll be remembered for his innovative manufacturing, packaging, and marketing techniques.
But most importantly he created a new product category and transformed American snack culture and oral hygiene as we know it.
When he died, John Curtis left a philanthropic mark through his generous bequests, including the establishment of the John B. Curtis Free Public Library in Bradford, Maine.
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