Karl Christian Friedrich Pfizer (; March 22, 1824October 19, 1906), known as Charles Pfizer, was a German-American businessman and chemist who co-founded the Pfizer pharmaceutical company with his cousin, Charles F. Erhart, in 1849, as Chas. Pfizer & Co. Inc.
Life and family
He was born Karl Christian Friedrich to Karl Frederick Pfizer and Caroline Klotz. Like his older cousin, future business partner and brother-in-law, Karl Erhart, Pfizer was born in Ludwigsburg, Kingdom of Württemberg During his early years, he worked as an apothecary's apprentice.
Pfizer married Anna Hausch, in 1859, in his hometown of Ludwigsburg. He met Hausch during one of his trips to Europe to establish contacts with exporters of raw materials. The couple had six children, five of whom survived to adulthood: Charles Jr (1860–1928), Gustavus (1861–1944), Emile (1864–1941), Helen Julia (born 1866, who married Sir Frederick Duncan, 2nd Baronet), Alice (who married Baron of Austria), and Ann (1875–1876). Charles and Emile also worked for Pfizer's company.
Career
In 1849, he borrowed US$2,500 from his father to buy a commercial building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He then co-founded Chas. Pfizer & Co. Inc. Due to Pfizer's experience in chemistry and his partner's background as a confectioner, the company was initially engaged in the manufacture of food flavorings, iodine preparations, and citric acid for softdrink production.
Pfizer's partner and cousin, Charles F. Erhart, also wed his sister, Frances, becoming his brother-in-law. When Erhart died, in 1891, their partnership agreement came into effect, which stipulated that the surviving partner could buy the other's share of the company for half of its inventory value. Pfizer promptly exercised this option, paying his partner's heirs $119,350 for Erhart's half of the business. at his summer home, "Lindgate", in Newport, Rhode Island; his main residence was in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. His death followed a fall down stairs, a few weeks prior, in which he broke an arm and was further injured. He was buried at New York's Green-Wood Cemetery.