Richard Joshua “R.J.” Reynolds (1850–1918) was an American businessman and tobacco magnate. Born on July 20, 1850 in Patrick County, Virginia, he was the son of Hardin W. Reynolds (a prosperous tobacco farmer) and Nancy Cox. Young Reynolds studied at Emory & Henry College (1868–1870) and later at Bryant & Stratton Business College in Baltimore. In the early 1870s he worked in his father’s tobacco business and gained experience selling chewing tobacco in Virginia and nearby cities. By 1874 he had sold his share of the family enterprise and moved south to Winston (now Winston-Salem), North Carolina, where he built his own tobacco factory.
Career and Tobacco Empire
In 1875 Reynolds officially founded the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston, taking advantage of the town’s rail connections for shipping. His new factory produced about 150,000 pounds of tobacco in its first year. Reynolds rapidly expanded production and introduced innovations: for example, he added saccharin as a sweetener to chewing tobacco, making it more popular. By the 1890s his output had reached millions of pounds annually. He also diversified into cigarettes, selling tobacco blends in new ways.
- Founded the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston, NC in 1875.
- Scaled production from 150,000 pounds (1875) to millions of pounds per year by the 1890s.
- Pioneered new products: in 1913 he launched Camel cigarettes, one of the first national cigarette brands (Camel sold 425 million packs in its first year).
- Became extremely wealthy: by 1918 he was the wealthiest man in North Carolina, paying more in taxes than anyone else in the state.
During his career Reynolds was known for bold marketing and product development. In 1913 he introduced a machine-made packaged cigarette (Camel) that blended flue-cured and Turkish tobacco. Camel’s immediate popularity helped cement his fortune – Reynolds sold hundreds of millions of packs within a year. By the time of his death, the R.J. Reynolds company had grown to occupy over 120 buildings in Winston-Salem and had become the largest tobacco manufacturer in the United States.
Family and Personal Life
Reynolds married Mary Katharine Smith on February 27, 1905, when he was 54 years old and she was 24. He and Katharine (who was his first cousin once removed) had four children: Richard Joshua “Dick” Reynolds Jr. (born 1906), Mary Katharine (1908), Nancy Susan (1910), and Zachary Smith (1911). The couple initially lived in town above the factory; in 1917 they moved to a grand country estate on the edge of Winston-Salem.
By 1917, the Reynolds family had settled into the newly built Reynolda House estate – a 1,000-acre complex of manor, farms, and a village for workers. Katharine Reynolds managed the estate’s model farm and community programs, and she and R.J. Reynolds provided services (schools, a chapel, etc.) for their workers. The estate still exists today as the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.
After Reynolds’s death, his children were raised by his brother William Neal Reynolds. His eldest son, R.J. Reynolds Jr., later became a prominent local politician (mayor of Winston-Salem and treasurer of the Democratic National Committee). Another grandson, Patrick Reynolds, became known as an anti-smoking activist (born 1948).
Legacy and Public Interest
R.J. Reynolds died on July 29, 1918, at age 68 of pancreatic cancer. He is buried at Salem Cemetery in Winston-Salem. Reynolds left a substantial legacy: the tobacco company he founded (R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.) continued as a major industry player. Today that company is part of Reynolds American Inc., a subsidiary of British American Tobacco. Brand names he helped create – notably Camel – are still well known.
Reynolds was also a local leader: he served on the Winston-Salem city council and in 1884 helped improve working conditions (shorter hours and better pay) in his factory. He supported public education and charitable causes, endowing orphanages, colleges, and even a hospital for African Americans. These civic contributions, and the prominence of his family, keep his name in historical and tourism contexts (for example, the Reynolda House museum highlights his family’s story).
Today public interest in R.J. Reynolds centers on tobacco-industry history and local heritage. Common search queries include his role in founding the RJR Tobacco Company, his personal history, and the products he introduced (like Camel cigarettes). Because Reynolds was active in the late 19th and early 20th century, most information about him comes from historical records and biographies rather than current media. The Reynolda House Museum (the former Reynolds estate) and North Carolina historical archives are good places to learn more about him.
FAQ
- Who was R.J. Reynolds? He was an American businessman who founded the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. He built one of the largest U.S. tobacco firms and introduced the Camel cigarette brand.
- When and where was he born and when did he die? Richard J. Reynolds was born July 20, 1850 in Patrick County, Virginia, and died July 29, 1918 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
- What did R.J. Reynolds do for a living? He was a tobacco industrialist. He sold his stake in his father’s tobacco business and in 1875 founded his own company in Winston-Salem. Under his leadership the company grew rapidly, producing chewing tobacco and later packaged cigarettes (like Camel).
- Who was his spouse and did he have children? He married Mary Katharine Smith in 1905. The couple had four children: Richard Jr., Mary, Nancy, and Zachary. His eldest son, Richard Jr., later became mayor of Winston-Salem.
- Was R.J. Reynolds very wealthy? What was his net worth? Exact net worth figures are not public, but by 1918 R.J. Reynolds was clearly North Carolina’s richest citizen. He paid more in taxes than anyone else in the state and controlled a vast tobacco empire.
- Is R.J. Reynolds still alive? No. He died in 1918 at age 68.
- Where is he buried? He is interred in Salem Cemetery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
- What is the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company? It is the tobacco company he founded in 1875. It became the largest U.S. tobacco manufacturer. Today the company (often called RJR) operates as a subsidiary of Reynolds American (part of British American Tobacco).
- Did R.J. Reynolds have any social media or online presence? No – he lived long before the internet and died in 1918. Any modern social media accounts (for example, a Reynolds American corporate page) are run by the tobacco companies or historical organizations, not by the founder himself.
Conclusion
R.J. Reynolds remains a significant figure in American business history, known for building a tobacco empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His innovations (especially in cigarette manufacturing and marketing) and his role in North Carolina’s economy are well documented. For more information on his life and legacy, readers can explore resources like the Reynolda House Museum or historical archives of Winston-Salem. As history projects and museum exhibits update, new details about Reynolds and his era may continue to emerge, so interested readers are encouraged to follow museum websites and official Reynolds American news for updates.