Kicakapoo Indian Oil
The Kickapoo oil company was an Indian Medicine Company. They frequently had impressive Indian Medicine shows to promote their medicines. It is unknown the actual beginnings of this company. Some say that it was started by John H. Healy and Charles F. Bigelow of Philadelphia although some reports have it starting in Worchester, Mass and then moving to Connnecticut. John Healy was involved in patented medicines as early as the 1860’s…but Bigelow doesn’t show up on any records until the 1880’s. The patents for Sagwa and the Indian Oil were received in July of 1882. The address on the patents was in new Haven , Connecticut. The first advertising material was copyrighted in 1885.
Together Healy and Bigelow built a thriving business. They added the concept of putting on medicine shows. They employed Indians (supposedly the Kickapoo’s) to go on tour to demonstrate Indian life and to promote the ‘indian’ medicines.
Sometime around 1894 Healy put the business in the management hands of Bigelow and james Averil who moved a portion of the business from Conneticut to new York City. In 1901 the business moved back to Connecticut to a town called Clintonville, very close to New Haven ….it is believed that the company was purchased by someone else and at this time became the Kickapoo Indian Medicine Co. Inc.
The food and drug act of 1906 changed the face of this company, just as it did so many other. In 1907 new packaging started for the medicines….most notably dropping the word Indian from the advertising and title. Laboratories were started in Philadelphia and St. Louis. The company was bought by the Hood Co….proprietors of “Hood’s Sarsaparilla”. References to Kickapoo Oil is still seen up through the late 1930’s.
Together Healy and Bigelow built a thriving business. They added the concept of putting on medicine shows. They employed Indians (supposedly the Kickapoo’s) to go on tour to demonstrate Indian life and to promote the ‘indian’ medicines.
Sometime around 1894 Healy put the business in the management hands of Bigelow and james Averil who moved a portion of the business from Conneticut to new York City. In 1901 the business moved back to Connecticut to a town called Clintonville, very close to New Haven ….it is believed that the company was purchased by someone else and at this time became the Kickapoo Indian Medicine Co. Inc.
The food and drug act of 1906 changed the face of this company, just as it did so many other. In 1907 new packaging started for the medicines….most notably dropping the word Indian from the advertising and title. Laboratories were started in Philadelphia and St. Louis. The company was bought by the Hood Co….proprietors of “Hood’s Sarsaparilla”. References to Kickapoo Oil is still seen up through the late 1930’s.