William Procter was a
candle maker from England, and James Gamble was a soap maker from
Ireland. They settled in Cincinnati and met when they married
sisters, Olivia and Elizabeth Norris. They began business as Procter
and Gamble, October 31, 1837. Their first product was a floating
soap called Ivory.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the company sponsored a number of radio
programs. As a result, these shows often became known as 'soap
operas'.