Wm F. Spotswood


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Spotswood & Easter, corner Sycamore & Bank, Petersburg VA (ca.1817-1819) 2,3
  Dandridge Spotswood, Old Street, Petersburg VA (1819-ca.1935) 3,4
  Spotswood & Robertson, Petersburg VA (ca.1838-1849) 5,6
  Francis H Robertson & Co, cor Bollingbrook & Sycamore, Petersburg VA (ca.1855) 7
  Wm F. Spotswood, Petersburg VA (1859-1860) 8,9
  William F. Spotswood, Sycamore cor Bollingbrook, Petersburg VA (1860-1882) 10,1
  William F. Spotswood, 220 n Sycamore, Petersburg VA (1886-1891)
  William F. Spotswood, 217 n Sycamore, Petersburg VA (1893)

Notes:
 Dandrige Spotswood (1787-1849)11 was an early druggist in Petersburg. I don't know when he got started, but the earliest newspaper mention I found for him as was from 1817. It was an ad for medicines sold by "Spotswood & Easter". 2
In 1819, Spotswood & Easter disolved their partnership, with Dandridge continuing the business at a new location on Old Street, and offering to rent the original location which was at the corner of Sycamore & Bank Streets. 3

The "Dandridge Spotswood" apothecary was mentioned in newspapers over the subsequent years, with last mention I could find in 1835.4
Starting in 1838 I found mentions of Spotswood & Robertson.5
In 1849, that partnership was dissolved, with F. H. Robertson taking over the business. Dandridge said he could "generally be found at the store by those wishing to see me", so apparently he was retiring. 6
Dandridge died later that year.9

By 1855, the store was called "Francis H. Robertson & Co.", where the "& Co" partners were James G. Traylor and Wm. F. Spotswood.7
The partner William Francisco Spotswood (1827-1895) was the son of Dandrige Spotswood. 12
By 1859, William had taken his own drugstore.8
I couldn't find the location of that store, but an 1860 ad for "BOWDEN & BUFORD" said they were "Successors to Wm. F. Spottswood", so they probably took over William's first store.9
An 1861 ad is the first I could find that described the location of William's store at "Corner of Sycamore and Bollingbrook Streets".10
That's the address listed in the Petersburg city directories up until 1886. His drug store lasted up until the year he died in 1895.1

William F. Spotswood was the Great-Great Grandson of Alexander Spotswood, who was the governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722.13


Bottles:
spotswood_01 spotswood_02 This is a clear (flint glass), 2.8" free-blown bottle with a no embossing & a pontil scar on the base. It has a label that says:
label: PERUVIAN BARK / WM. F. SPOTSWOOD, Apothecary, / PETERSBURG, VA.
According to wikipedia, Peruvian Bark is also known as Jesuit's Bark or cinchona bark, and was used with some success as a remedy for Malaria.


1 Petersburg VA city directories for years: 1866,70,72,76-77,79,82,86,88,91,93,95,97,99,1901,03,05,07,09,11,13,15,17-18,20-22,24,27,29,31,33,35,37,39,41,43,48,50,52,54-55,57,59
2 American Star (Petersburg), 28-Aug-1817, p.4 (ad for Spotswood & Easter)
3 Petersburg Republican, 5-Oct-1819, p.2 (dissolution notice for Spotswood & Easter)
4 Political Arena (Petersburg), 29-Sep-1835, p.3 (Last newspaper mention I found for D Spotswood Apothecary)
5 Enquirer (Richmond), 01-May-1838, p.4 (ad mentions Spotswood & Roberts on Petersburg)
6 Petersburg Republican, 3-Jan-1849, p.3 (dissolution notice for Spotswood & Robinson)
7 Daily Express (Petersburg), 4-Jan-1855, p.2 (Ad for Frs. H. Robertson & Co)
8 Richmond Whig, 20-May-1859, p.2 (Ad mentions Wm Spotswood in Petersburg)
9 Daily Express (Petersburg), 1-Dec-1860, p.4 (Ad for Bowden & Buford says "Successors to Wm. F. Spottswood")
10 Daily Express (Petersburg), 24-Jun-1861, p.3 (Ad for William F. Spotswood @ corner Sycamore & Bollingbrook Streets)
11 Find-a-grave entry for Dandridge Spotswood
12 Find-a-grave entry for William Francisco Spotswood
13 The Times (Richmond), 15-Apr-1895, p.2 (Obituary for William F. Spotswood)


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This page last updated on July 4, 2026.