A. (Augustin) Thompson

Born in Union, Maine, in 1835, Augustin Thompson trained as a physician and later served in the Civil War. He went on to build a public reputation not only as a doctor, but also as a businessman with a talent for promotion and product-making.

He is most closely associated with Moxie, first introduced as a patent medicine and later transformed into the soft drink that carried his name into popular culture. That mix of medicine, marketing, and invention makes him an interesting figure from a time when health tonics and new consumer brands often overlapped.

Thompson died in 1903. Although he is not chiefly remembered as a literary figure, his name still stands out in American history because of the unusual path he took from medical practice to creating a lasting commercial brand.