Fit for a President
A Father’s Day story, 274 years in the making.
There are Father's Day gifts, and then there are Father's Day gifts with a story.
Caswell-Massey has a particularly good one.
Founded in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1752, Caswell-Massey was making its lotions, remedies and fragrances before there was a United States of America. Dr. William Hunter, a Scottish-born physician, established what was then known as Dr. Hunter's Apothecary—and began a company that has now survived for more than 270 years.
Which makes this an especially fitting year to rediscover it.
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, two Caswell-Massey fragrances offer a rather wonderful, and unusually fragrant, connection to American history.
George Washington's Number Six
In 1772, four years before the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Hunter introduced Number Six, which Caswell-Massey describes as the first fragrance made in America. George Washington discovered it while visiting Newport in 1781 and purchased it for his own use.
And remarkably, you can still wear it.
The Number Six Cologne we carry is citrus-forward and aromatic, with bergamot, rosemary and white narcissus, a heart of clove, and a lavender base. It’s a contemporary way to enjoy a fragrance with an extraordinary history.
Shop Number Six: Cologne · Aftershave · Bar Soap
JFK's Jockey Club
Nearly seventy years later came another American classic.
Jockey Club, introduced in 1840, took its inspiration from the sporting life and became a familiar fragrance from Saratoga to Churchill Downs. More than a century after its debut, it found another famous devotee: John F. Kennedy, who Caswell-Massey says remained a lifelong fan.
Our Jockey Club Cologne opens with citrus zest and bergamot, followed by jasmine, geranium and amber, with sandalwood and musk in the dry-down. Fresh and easy to wear, it carries the name and heritage of the original fragrance in a lighter cologne formulation.
Shop Jockey Club: Cologne · Aftershave · Bar Soap
And Something for the Dad Who Isn't Feeling Presidential
History aside, Caswell-Massey simply makes very good men's fragrance and grooming products.
For someone who prefers a beautifully made soap, we also carry Newport. Its fresh, coastal fragrance has aquatic notes and a cedar finish, in a plant-based, triple-milled bar.
Perhaps that's part of the pleasure of Caswell-Massey. The bottles may contain some formidable American history, but they're meant to be opened, lathered, sprayed and enjoyed.
For Father's Day, we're carrying a selection of Caswell-Massey soaps and fragrances at Clever Girl, including the presidential favorites.
Because after 274 years, a good thing doesn't necessarily need reinventing.
Sometimes it just needs wrapping.
Explore Personal Care at Clever Girl
Happy Father's Day.
A Little History for the Gift Tag
1752 — Caswell-Massey is founded in Newport, Rhode Island.
1772 — Number Six is introduced.
1781 — George Washington purchases Number Six in Newport.
1840 — Jockey Club makes its debut.
20th century — John F. Kennedy becomes a devoted Jockey Club wearer.
2026 — America turns 250. Caswell-Massey turns 274.