The California Perfume Company Laboratory, Suffern, New York
~1900

Mr. David H. McConnell Sr. realized early on that the small bottles of perfumes that he was using to gain entry into the homes of prospective buyers generated much greater interest than did the books that he was canvassing. He purchased the Union Publishing House, New York, the company to which he was employed, in 1886. And with that purchase McConnell, along with his wife, Lucy Hays, began the entrepreneurial experiment that would one day become the world-renowned cosmetics (and so much more) company: Avon Products, Inc. 

During the period of 53 years (1886 to 1939), the California Perfume Company experienced exponential growth under McConnell's leadership. By his side for the majority of the those years were key partners who painstakingly helped to build this great company: Alexander D. Henderson, Treasurer; William Scheele, Executive Secretary and General Manager, and others. As the company grew, so did its rich history and its many positive effects on the lives of so many women of this nation!