John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, sold it off in pieces while addicted to morphine, and died poor in 1888, leaving his widow a pauper

John Pemberton was a pharmacist and a Confederate lieutenant colonel. In April 1865 he was cut across the chest by a sabre at the defence of Columbus, Georgia. He became addicted to the morphine he took for the pain. From 1866 he experimented with opium-free painkillers, then coca wines, including "Pemberton's French Wine Coca". When Atlanta passed a temperance law in 1886, he made a non-alcoholic syrup to mix with carbonated water. His bookkeeper Frank Robinson named it Coca-Cola. It went on sale at Jacobs' Pharmacy in May 1886 and sold 25 gallons in its first year. Pemberton fell ill and was near bankruptcy. He sold the formula rights in pieces to Atlanta partners to support his family and his habit. He wanted his son Charley to profit and for a time claimed that Charley owned the name while others could use the formula. In 1888 Pemberton and his son sold the remaining rights to Asa Candler. Pemberton died on 16 August 1888, aged 57, poor and still taking morphine. Candler later bought out Charley. Charley died in 1894, reportedly with opium beside him. Pemberton's widow spent the rest of her life as a pauper.