James Vernor

James Vernor, Sr. (April 11, 1843 – October 29, 1927) was an American pharmacist and druggist who invented Vernor's ginger ale in 1866.

Vernor was born in Albany, New York and moved with his parents to Detroit, Michigan in his youth. While employed at Higby and Sterns' Drug Store in Detroit, Vernor began experimenting with ginger ale. With the emergence of the American Civil War in 1862, he enlisted and served with the 4th Michigan Cavalry until 1865, becoming a Second Lieutenant before being discharged.

Prior to his term in the war, Vernor had mixed together a ginger ale recipe that he let age in a cask. When he returned to the pharmacy years later, his recipe had created a new ginger ale soda drink. Vernor opened his own pharmacy on Woodward Avenue and made the drink available to customers through his soda fountain, advertising it as Vernor's Ginger Ale.

In 1896 Vernor and his son, James Vernor, Jr., together organized a manufacturing plant and by 1915 had expanded operations to include a bottling company, which widely manufactured Vernor's Ginger Ale. In addition to his duties as a drug store pharmacist, Vernor also served on the Detroit City Council for 25 years.

In 1927 Vernor died in Grosse Ile, Michigan at age 84 from pneumonia and influenza.