Robert Wood Johnson I (February 20, 1845 – February 7, 1910) was an American industrialist. He was also one of the three brothers who founded Johnson & Johnson. Early life Johnson was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. His father was Sylvester Johnson III, and his mother was Frances Louisa Wood. Johnson grew up with two siblings: James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson. Johnson was educated in the public schools of Carbondale and at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania. The family belonged to an Episcopal church. Career In 1861, Johnson accepted an apprenticeship in Poughkeepsie, New York from his uncle James Wood to work for the apothecary of Wood & Tittmer. This was to become his training for a lifelong career. He later left Wood & Tittmer in 1864, to work in New York City for Roushton & Aspinwall. Lister While working for Rouston & Aspinwall, Johnson met George J. Seabury and they decided to leave the firm and go into business together under the name of Seabury & Johnson. Both men were interested in Joseph Lister's discovery of the implications of sterile surgery and tried to make products that would assist in the operating room. Johnson worked 12-hour days to try to invent aseptic surgical equipment. By 1878, the firm was making $10,000 a month () Seabury and Johnson disagreed on the distribution of the firm's profits. Seabury disapproved of having Johnson's brother, James Wood Johnson, in the firm. In 1880, Johnson sold his shares to Seabury, and agreed to abstain from the medical business for ten years. Johnson & Johnson Meanwhile, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson started a family business called Johnson & Johnson. The firm struggled to remain profitable, as it had insufficient capital for a startup company. While the two brothers were proceeding alone, Seabury was unable to pay RWJ the monthly payments that had been agreed upon when Johnson departed the partnership. Seabury agreed to let Johnson re-enter the medical industry if Seabury could cease making the monthly payments. Johnson agreed, and joined his brothers' firm, providing the capital for a fresh start. The new partnership gave Johnson half of the company's shares in return for management of the company. His brothers received 30% of the company. Johnson commuted between the factory in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and the office in New York. By early 1888, Johnson & Johnson was making $25,000 a month