Thomas Lyle Williams Sr (January 19, 1896 – September 26, 1976) was an American cosmetician and business executive. He was the founder of cosmetic firm The Maybelline Company.[1]
Thomas Lyle Williams Sr with his 14-year-old son, Thomas Lyle Williams Jr., in 1926
Thomas Lyle Williams Sr. was born in Morganfield, Kentucky, in 1896 to Thomas "TJ" Jefferson and Susan Williams.[2] In 1912, he married Bennie Gibbs, with whom he had one son, Thomas Lyle Williams Jr (1912–1978), who was to become the General Partner at Williams Investments and President at Maybelline Co, Chicago.[3] The marriage did not last long, however, and after it was annulled, Williams moved to Chicago and there met Emery Shaver (September 15, 1903 – October 22, 1964), who was working part-time in advertising while studying literature at University of Chicago.[4]
Careeredit
In Chicago, Williams first went to work for Montgomery Ward, a firm printing a mail-order catalog founded in 1872. After Montgomery Ward, he opened his own mail-order business. [4]
In 1915, Williams, then 19 years old, seeing his sister Mabel using a homemade mixture of petroleum jelly, coal dust and burnt cork to darken her eyelashes, had the idea to create a commercial product to enhance the eyes.[5][6] His own attempt was not a success but then he commissioned a drug manufacturer, and the resulting product was something that he could sell: the Lash-Brow.[5]
In 1917 Williams started producing eyebrow beautifier and cake eyelash, calling the product Maybelline, inspired by his sister Mabel.[7][8] Maybelline was the first mascara produced in America.[9] In 1929 Williams expanded the production to eye shadow and eyebrow pencils.[10]
Tom Lyle Williams and Emery Shaver
After World War II Maybelline became an international venture. Williams moved to California with his life partner, Emery Shaver. They bought Rudolph Valentino's house in the Hollywood Hills. [10] Shaver and Williams were in charge of advertising for the company, and in particular, Shaver contracted the movie stars of the time to promote Maybelline products. The headquarters of Maybelline remained in Chicago.[11] When Shaver died in 1964, Williams was deeply affected by the loss. He sold the business in 1968. In 2001, Maybelline became "Maybelline New York".[12][11]
^Flowers, Pugh Brown; Flowers, John Baxton (2000). Flowers chronicles: studies of Captain John Flower II, 1595–1657, mariner of London, Bermuda, and Virginia, and some of his descendants in the American South. Gateway Press. p. 440. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
^Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2015). World Clothing and Fashion: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence. Routledge. p. 427. ISBN978-1-317-45166-2. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
^"MAYBELLINE STORY BLOG: Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams". Retrieved 23 August 2017.
Sourcesedit
Williams, Sharrie; Youngs, Bettie (2011). The Maybelline Story: And the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It. SCB Distributors. ISBN978-1-936332-17-5.
February 15, 2024
thomas, lyle, williams, january, 1896, september, 1976, american, cosmetician, business, executive, founder, cosmetic, firm, maybelline, company, 18bornjanuary, 1896morganfield, kentuckydiedseptember, 1976, aged, angeles, californiaoccupation, cosmetician, bus. Thomas Lyle Williams Sr January 19 1896 September 26 1976 was an American cosmetician and business executive He was the founder of cosmetic firm The Maybelline Company 1 Thomas Lyle WilliamsThomas Lyle Williams Sr at age 18BornJanuary 19 1896Morganfield KentuckyDiedSeptember 26 1976 aged 80 Los Angeles CaliforniaOccupation s Cosmetician business executiveKnown forFounder of Maybelline Contents 1 Early life and family 2 Career 3 Death 4 References 5 SourcesEarly life and family edit nbsp Thomas Lyle Williams Sr with his 14 year old son Thomas Lyle Williams Jr in 1926Thomas Lyle Williams Sr was born in Morganfield Kentucky in 1896 to Thomas TJ Jefferson and Susan Williams 2 In 1912 he married Bennie Gibbs with whom he had one son Thomas Lyle Williams Jr 1912 1978 who was to become the General Partner at Williams Investments and President at Maybelline Co Chicago 3 The marriage did not last long however and after it was annulled Williams moved to Chicago and there met Emery Shaver September 15 1903 October 22 1964 who was working part time in advertising while studying literature at University of Chicago 4 Career editIn Chicago Williams first went to work for Montgomery Ward a firm printing a mail order catalog founded in 1872 After Montgomery Ward he opened his own mail order business 4 In 1915 Williams then 19 years old seeing his sister Mabel using a homemade mixture of petroleum jelly coal dust and burnt cork to darken her eyelashes had the idea to create a commercial product to enhance the eyes 5 6 His own attempt was not a success but then he commissioned a drug manufacturer and the resulting product was something that he could sell the Lash Brow 5 In 1917 Williams started producing eyebrow beautifier and cake eyelash calling the product Maybelline inspired by his sister Mabel 7 8 Maybelline was the first mascara produced in America 9 In 1929 Williams expanded the production to eye shadow and eyebrow pencils 10 nbsp Tom Lyle Williams and Emery ShaverAfter World War II Maybelline became an international venture Williams moved to California with his life partner Emery Shaver They bought Rudolph Valentino s house in the Hollywood Hills 10 Shaver and Williams were in charge of advertising for the company and in particular Shaver contracted the movie stars of the time to promote Maybelline products The headquarters of Maybelline remained in Chicago 11 When Shaver died in 1964 Williams was deeply affected by the loss He sold the business in 1968 In 2001 Maybelline became Maybelline New York 12 11 Death editWilliams died in Los Angeles California in 1976 He and Shaver are buried together in the Columbarium of Memories at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale California 13 References edit Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Preface Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 1 Inventing Tom Lyle Williams Flowers Pugh Brown Flowers John Baxton 2000 Flowers chronicles studies of Captain John Flower II 1595 1657 mariner of London Bermuda and Virginia and some of his descendants in the American South Gateway Press p 440 Retrieved 28 July 2017 a b Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 2 A Thousand Dimes a Day a b Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 3 A Secret from the Harem Wilson Sheena Carlson Adam Szeman Imre 2017 Petrocultures Oil Politics Culture McGill Queen s Press MQUP p 110 ISBN 978 0 7735 5040 7 Retrieved 28 July 2017 Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 4 The Little Red Box Snodgrass Mary Ellen 2015 World Clothing and Fashion An Encyclopedia of History Culture and Social Influence Routledge p 427 ISBN 978 1 317 45166 2 Retrieved 28 July 2017 Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 22 Rags and Riches a b Williams amp Youngs 2011 p Chapter 13 This You Gotta See a b Maybelline Mascara by Maybelline Co Distr c 1940s Retrieved 28 July 2017 Williams amp Youngs 2011 p hapter 57 Glory MAYBELLINE STORY BLOG Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams Retrieved 23 August 2017 Sources editWilliams Sharrie Youngs Bettie 2011 The Maybelline Story And the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It SCB Distributors ISBN 978 1 936332 17 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Lyle Williams amp oldid 1194037577, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
