Crayola Creators: Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith

Crayola Creators: Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith — page 1
Chapter 1 All inAll in THE FAMILY THE FAMILY THE FAMILY THE FAMILY THE FAMILY How did a small charcoal business lead to one of the most successful toys ever The formula was a mix of opportunity teamwork and color The result was the Crayola crayon Its creators Harold Smith and Edwin Binney were cousins But the Crayola story really begins with Edwin’s father Joseph Joseph W Binney was born in England on December 6 1836 In the 1800s many people were moving to the United States It was known as The Land of Opportunity Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1860 Joseph’s sister Eliza decided to stay in England That same year she had a son His name was C Harold Smith In 1864 Joseph founded a factory near Peekskill New York It was called Peekskill Chemical Works The company packaged hardwood charcoal which was used for heating fuel It also manufactured lampblack from soot and whale oil Lampblack was used in everything from ink to shoe polish 4