CLAY COUNTY THROUGH THE YEARS: Veteran Pharmacist Gives History of Brazil’s Oldest Drug Store

History of the Mendenhall’s No. 1 Pharmacy, as remembered by F. V. Zimmerman, local veteran pharmacist: “The building at 1 E. National Avenue was built in 1887 by Mr. Crosdale in which he started a drug store. Later he sold the store to his son-in-law, Dr. J. D. Sourwine, and it was managed by his brother, Nelson Sourwine.

In 1904 Dr. Sourwine sold the store to N. M. Mendenhall from Fairmont, Indiana. I came to work for Mr. Mendenhall as a registered pharmacist on March 1, 1910, the same year Mr. Mendenhall sold a half interest in the store to E. E. Artman. At that time the name was changed from Mendenhall’s NO. 1 Pharmacy, Inc.

Before Mr. Mendenhall’s death in 1920, he arranged with Mr. Artman for me to purchase an interest in the store.

After his death, his son, Norman Mendenhall, who had graduated from Purdue University School of Pharmacy, took his father’s place in the store. Later, Ralph Currie, who had been a clerk in the Bob Glenn Drug Store, was hired as a clerk in our store.

In 1927 Norman Ralph, and I purchased Mr. Artman’s half interest in the store, and the firm’s name was changed back to Mendenhall’s No. 1 Pharmacy, Inc.

The officers of the corporation were: F. V. Zimmerman, president and manager; Ralph Currie, secretary; and Norman Mendenhall, treasurer.

After a few years, Norman accepted a position with the Eli Lilly Company as salesman in the St. Louis district, and Ralph and I purchased his interest in the store. Mrs. N. M. Mendenhall retained her late husband’s interest in the business.

About 1939 James F. Rumbley, Ralph Currie, and I purchased Mrs. Mendenhall’s half interest and the store continued under the same name.

In 1954 Mr. Rumbley sold his interest to Ralph and me, and he joined his son, Bill, who had purchased the Kellar Pharmacy.

In 1960 the store was sold to Gene Maddy, a druggist from Anderson. After helping him get acquainted, I retired. Mr. Maddy later sold the store to Bill Rumbley. Recently, Bill moved the prescription department to the Community Medical Center across from the Clay County Hospital.

A few passing thoughts: Mr. Mendenhall told me that the first day he owned the store in 1904, his day sales were $1.85. He felt sick but not discouraged. He got busy and had thousands of hand bills printed announcing his new No. 1 Pharmacy and delivered them personally all over Clay County by horse and buggy. He also had boys put the bills in wagons and buggies every Saturday night. Soon business increased until he had to hire a registered pharmacist, John “Ginger” Ferrel. He was still working at the store when I came in 1910.

At that time there were six drug stores in the business section of National Avenue: Englehart’s Drug Store, Kellar’s Pharmacy, Mendenhall’s No. 1 Pharmacy (closed Dec 1968), Schultz-Weinland, Bob Glenn’s National Drug Store (currently Lynn’s Pharmacy), and Henry Neidlinger’s West End Pharmacy.”

(Bill Rumbly is the father of Mary Yelton, and James Rumbly was her grandfather.)

Submitted by Rhonda Tincher, Clay County Genealogy Society, Center Point, Indiana

Article first appeared in The Brazil Gazette, November 29, 1968 Page 8.