History of Roath’s Products
The history of Roath’s Products would date back as near as we can determine to the 1860’s! William M. Roath was born in 1838. He would have lived in the Warsaw, Indiana area. The first product that we know that he sold was “Egyptian Blood Syrup”.
The second label states ”put up by Ira & W.M. Roath, sole proprietors” We believe that Ira Roath was a cousin to William, took over the Roath’s Products. William Roath later moved out west, and is buried in Idaho.
Ira Bly Roath was born in 1848, and was married and had 5 children. His obituary states that he was a “traveling medicine manufacturer for many years”. He had lived in Etna Green, Indiana, and moved to his unmarried son Bly, of Elkhart Indiana a few years before his death. Bly continued to make the Roath’s Products.
At one time 5 products were sold:
- Roath’s Oil of Herbs - still made today
- Roath’s Family Tincture - still made today
- Roath’s Cough Syrup - no longer made
- Roath’s Herb Tonic - no longer made
- Roath’s Liniment - no longer made
- In looking at an old ledger, Hair Tonic, Balsam, Eczema Remedy were also sold in the 1930’s and 1940’s
In 1962, Ray and Betty Thomas purchased the Roath’s products from the Roath family. They continued making four of the products - Oil of Herbs, Family Tincture, Cough Syrup and Herb Tonic.
The Herb Tonic and Cough Syrup products were discontinued by Ray and Betty. Sometime during the last number of years of ownership by the Thomas’ the FDA(Federal Drug Administration) came in and held yearly inspections. Their standards and rules became more and more burdensome. Finally the FDA said that they would need to come under new stricter rules, which were impossible for her to keep. Ray Thomas had passed away in 2004, and Betty was approaching 80 years old and sold the business to her daughter, Virginia King and her husband, Keith in 2008. They were able to find a FDA compliant company in Montana to make the products for them. A new bottle shape and label changed the appearance of the medicine, but they were able to use the same original recipes in making of the products.
