| American Express
1850 Before there was a Wells Fargo Company, there was a Mr. Wells and a Mr. Fargo (and a Mr. Livington, and a Mr. Wasson, and a Mr. Butterfield), and they all wanted to express things around this burgeoning country of ours. "We need to express money. We need to express packages. Boys...we need to express goods all over America." "Why, bless me britches. Let's form American Express." And so they did. The American Express Company received its FirstMention in the Daily Sanduskian, an Ohio newspaper, on April 6, 1850. 
1850! The Wells Fargo Wagon wouldn't be comin' round the bend for another few years, yet. You can find out more about the company's history at the American Express page in Wikipedia. On an entirely unrelated note, you see in the bottom left corner of the newspaper notice that little appendage: ap6dlm ...? Anyone who knows what that's all about (or who just wants to speculate), drop me a note at david@firstmention.com And on a totally related note, there are plenty of options (including American Express) for credit cards, debt consolidation, and other financial tools of the trade. Check out some the best ones, right here ===================>>> Know of an earlier FirstMention? Drop us a line at david@firstmention.com New from FirstMention. Search old newspaper archives for free...History at your fingertips. When was the first time a well-known word or phrase was used in print? FirstMention.com explores the history and origins of famous people and places, and of popular phrases, companies, brand names, products and ideas, along with familiar words and sayings. |