Henry Hamilton Schieffelin

Henry Hamilton Schieffelin (June 20, 1783 – October 14, 1865) was an American businessman and lawyer.

Early life Henry Hamilton Schieffelin was the second son of Jacob Schieffelin and Hannah Lawrence Schieffelin. Schieffelin was born in Detroit and was named after Jacob’s General in the British Army.

Schieffelin & Co Schieffelin entered into his father Jacob Schieffelin's pharmaceutical business in 1805. On June 1st, 1805, Jacob sent a letter to all the employees of his company regarding the partnership with his son, and this was officially announced in a newspaper advertisement on July 3rd, 1805.

The father and son partnership dissolved through a mutual agreement in 1814; Jacob Schieffelin retired, and Henry Hamilton officially took over the management of the company. The new company was called H. H. Schieffelin & Co, a name that was in force from 1814 to 1849.

At the company, Schieffelin worked to improve the purity of pharmaceutical products and to institute ethical standards.

In 1849, Schieffelin retired and handed over the company to his four sons, Samuel, James Lawrence, Sidney Augustus and Bradhurst. Schieffelin had worked for Schieffelin for a total of 44 years and had acted as its manager for 35 of those years.

During his management the company had moved twice. First from the historic address on Pearl Street to the corner of Maiden Line and then to 104 & 106 John Street in 1841.

Committee work

Secretary of the New York Druggists Association

Character and hobbies Schieffelin was scientifically oriented and artistically educated. He had the reputation of being a walking encyclopedia. He was fond of animals, natural history, and fishing. He used to set his watch by making a solar observation with a sextant.