The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-05-07
TRIBUTE T0A MOTHER.
Interview with Charles II. Pink
ham.
Malicious Stories About Lydia E. Pink
ham Never Having Existed Refuted.
Son of the Famous Lynn Benefactor Tells
of Her Kindly Interest in Woman
kind and Her Actual Personality.
Times Herald. CHICAGO. I


Lydia E Pinkbam, who is so widely known
by the benign face in the celebrated patent
medicine advertisement, is not many people
suppose. a myth. To this fact there is no
stronger evidence than her son, Charles Ii.
Pinkham, whom the Tmes-Herald reporter
had the pleasure Of interviewing to-day.
Lydia Pinkham's personality has probably
never been described in any Of the publications
illuminated by her kindly portrait, but that she
was living force in the world was positive
fact.
Charles Fl. Pinkham passed through Chicago
the other day on his way to spend n vacation
in the west. To a representative of the Times
Herald he spoke feelingly of his mother and
the painful impression that prevails in some
quarters as TO her non ex istence.
"Of course" said Mr. Pinkham, "the mere
idea is absurd to me- her son. who knew her to
be the kiniest sweetest, gentlest mother in the
world. She was all her portrait speaks her to
be, and her whole life was given up to doing all
the good she could in this weary world"
SIMPLE LIFE AND SYMPATHETIC.
"Her life was simple and her heart full of
sympathy and tender feeling. After the bust.
ness grew wi til almost miraculo rspidity, she
devoted Ter entire time to t, or at least TO that
branch of it which related TO correspondence
with women seeking her advice, and her
pleasure was in that duty. / am proud to say
was not drop Of selfshness in her make up"
Mrs. Pinkham was unique among the makers
OF proprietary medicines She was the first TO
print her portrait in her al vertisements, and
that face has seldom failed to warm the heart
| of any onc who has seen il. Mr.. Pink ham car
| ries portrait of his mother in his inside
pocket. 1t is the face of the advertisement
sure enough.
Lydia Estes-that was her maiden name
was born in Lynn, Mass, aud before her mar
riage she taught school in the little Yankee
town. Her parents were Quakers and it Was
in that simple fraternity she exhibited her early
ideas of Kindness. Her husband was a sue
cessful real estate man. and possessed consid-
! cradle wealth. There were four children, two
of whom-Charles II. Pinkham and Aroline
Chase Pinkham-surviye, and who now own
the business equally.
FIRST BREWING ON STOVE.
Mrs. Pin!Eham had for years brewed the COM
pound that now bears her name on her kitchen
stove, and had given it away to her neighbo
When the panic Of 1873 came Mr. Pinkham,
senior, lost his fortune. 1t was while the family
were in straitened circumstances that one day
two ladies drove TO the Pinkham residence and
asked Mrs. Pinkham to sell some Of her already
/ famous compound This fact suggested the
bright idea Of making the medicine in quant-
ties and Offering it for sale. What followed,
on carrying her own correspondence, sIIar-
ing her work with her daughter-in-law. Mrs.
Charles III. Pinkhsm and she soon came to be
regarded as public benefactor. This title she
deserved in ample measure.
When she died she bequeathed her place at
the head OF the business to her daughter,
who to-day, with years OF experience and study,
and by the aid of corps of assistants, person
ally attends to the,great mass OF correspondence
that flows in and out of the big concern in Lynn.
and that bond of confidence so thoroughly es-
tablished between Lydia L. Pinkliam and the
women Of America whereby they were enabled
to talk freely of their private illness to woman,
has never been broken.
1t has been the aim of this great woman's
children to carry the work begun by the
mother in the same spirit of kindness that
characterized her whole life.
Lydia Z. Pinkham is more than a dispenser
OF mediciue. She is fact in history.