Mary Jane is an old-fashioned taffy-type candy made from peanut butter and molasses. First marketed in 1914, Mary Jane has remained in production for over a century save for a two-year pause when its ownership changed hands.
History
In the 1800s, molasses was a popular confectionery ingredient for making taffy, with many candy companies situated in and around Boston, Massachusetts, then a major port in the molasses trade. These included the New England Confectionery Company (better known as Necco) in Cambridge, the Austin T. Merrill Company in Roxbury, and Charles H. Miller and Sons who began operating out of the former North End residence of Paul Revere starting in 1884.[1] In 1914, Charles H. Miller's son, Charles N. Miller, developed the formula for a taffy-like candy that mixed peanut butter into the molasses for a softer texture than earlier candies.[2] Miller chose to call his candy "Mary Jane," citing that it was the name of his favorite aunt while also choosing a cartoon mascot who resembled a character of the same name that appeared in the popular Buster Brown comic strip at that time.