Family tree Smith/Bais » (1830-1907)

Personal data  

• He was born on June 28, 1830 in Morgantown, Virginia, USA.
• Profession: Druggist.
• He died on April 29, 1907 in Montezuma, Tennessee, he was 76 years old.
• A child of Jabez Breckenbridge Larwill and

Household of

Notes about

(See article in "Meyers Brothers Drugists," Nov. 18, 1892, Vol X11, No 11). Joseph Larwill recieved a very good education both public and private, for his time. His father had been engaged as a drugist , so he was exposed to it at an early age. There was a Dr. A.S. Todd, originator of "Todd's Liver Pills," in Wheeling, W. Virginia, where Joseph had an Uncle, so Joseph studied medicine with him and recieved a practical training in prescription work such as was demanded at that time.
While living in Cincinatti, he formed an acquaintance with W. J. M.
Gordon, a Druggist of the City and Dr. Chapman, president of the
Newly formed College of Pharmacy. Joseph was elected a member
of the College, and a Certificate was given to him signed by those
great pioneers of the Pharmaceutical arts, WB. Chapman, president,
and W.J.M. Gordon, secretary. On 19 April, 1855, he left for
Memphis where he was assigned to duty at the store at a larger
than expected salary of $1000.00. After six months he was assigned
to travel by horseback through Northern Mississippi to look after
the interests of the House, settlements and sales, collections etc, in
which he was very successful. The reason for his being selected
was that he could get along with people better than the older
Clerks in the House.
In failing health, Joseph returned to Ohio, but was not there long
before he was asked to go to Columbia Tennessee, by the firm of
Hawkins & Frierson, where he was asked to try to build up the
Perscription trade and make himself generally useful.
Having decided to go into the Drug business in Columbia for
himself, in 1860, he travelled to New York and Philadelphia
where he bought a stock of goods for his store. However, as war
became emminent, he sold out his stock to Jas. P. Bryan, who
could claim British Protection as an Irishman.
Assigned to the Medical Staff of the Ninth Regiment of
Tennessee Cavalry which he joined, he had trouble obtaining
enough drugs. However, with the few purchases he was able to
make and with what was captured from Uncle Sam, his regiment
and brigade usually had enough. The end came with surrender at
Gainsville Alabama, of the force commanded by General N. B.
Forrest, to which he belonged.
Back in Columbia, after the war, he was in charge of a Drug store,
owned first by Dr. Wm. Wiles, and later by Dr. T.B. Rains, with
who he remained untill the Cholera epidemic in Nashville.
He was solicited by Mr. Wm. J. Parkes to take charge of the
Parkes's Drug store there in Nashville. On his first day at the store,
there passed by the door, seventy eight funeral processions!
When the epidemic was over, Joseph decided to go into business
again for himself. He opened a store in Bolivar Tennessee, which
he operated for seven years. Business was good, and he decided
to expand into manufacture of a farm implement of which he was
co-inventor. But the good times ended, the crash came, and he
lost his store to other people at a ruinous sacrifice.
He tried his hand at farming and a few other endevours before
getting back into owning a drug store again in in about 1899 in
Henderson, Tennessee. Here he remained for the rest of his working
life, still changing with the trade and the times. He had dispensed
medicines to those who were in need of it for about 40 years.
(by Henry Larwill-2000)

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