J.H. Ritsch & Co
Company Names, addresses, dates:
  J.H. Ritsch & Co, Covington VA (1885-1930)1
Notes:
John Henry Ritsch (1864-1939)2 went to Lexington as a child, and
learned the drug business working in the store of
Benjamin H. Gorrell in Lexington VA.
He started his own drugstore business in Covington in 1885.1
In 1895, a newspaper reported that Ritsch's mind had become somewhat impaired,
and that he was taken to the asylum at Staunton to recover. It mentioned that
he had recently taken the "Keeley Cure", which was a popular treatment for
alchoholism in the 1890s. 3
Whatever his issue was, he apparently recovered as he continued to run his
drugstore successfully in subsequent years.
Bottles:
This is a clear 4.25" bottle embossed: horizontal: FROM / J.H.RITCH / & CO / PRESCRIPTION / DRUGGISTS / COVINGTON / VA base: PAT JUNE 17 88 / S.B. |