Sixth Ward Pharmacy / Totty


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
William A. Totty Stores
  William A. Totty, 247 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1897-1903)
  Sixth Ward Pharmacy, 247 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1905-1913)
  Sixth Ward Pharmacy, 301 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1915)
  Sixth Ward Pharmacy, 305 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1917-1920)
          Schulze Drug Co, 305 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1921)
  Sixth Ward Pharmacy, 305 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1924)
  Sixth Ward Pharmacy, 311 Halifax St, Petersburg VA (1927-1935)

Richard R. Totty Stores
  Richard R. Totty, 235 n Sycamore corner Grove, Petersburg VA (1905-1913)
  Richard R. Totty, 41 s Sycamore corner Halifax, Petersburg VA (1913)
  Richard R. Totty, 418 n Sycamore, Petersburg VA (1917-1918)
  Totty's Pharmacy, 36 s Sycamore corner Halifax, Petersburg VA (1915-1939)

Notes:
 William Arthur Totty (1867-1930)2 was a grocer who opened a drugstore about 1897. For a few years he owned both a grocery store and a drugstore. Sometime between 1903 and 1905 he changed the name of the drugstore to the "Sixth Ward Pharmacy". He continued to be the proprietor of that store until sometime between 1913 and 1915, although he had other interests as well, including opening the "Totty Trunk & Bag" store. The 1921 city directory listed a name change to "Schulze Drug Co", as the proprietor at that time was "H.E.C. Schulze". But for whatever reason the name changed back to Sixth Ward Pharmacy until it closed down about 1935.1

Meanwhile, William's brother, Richard Robinson Totty (1878-1956)3 was listed as a clerk at his brother's store in the 1901 and 1903 City directories. By the time the 1905 city directory came out, he had started his own drugstore under his own name. By 1915 he had opened a 2nd store called "Totty's Pharmacy", and a few years later he closed his first store. 1

Richard ran Totty's Pharmacy until at least 1931, after which it was owned by Reuben E. Woelffer for a while, then by Max Schwarz. By 1941, it had been replaced by the Vaughan Drug Co. 1.


Bottles:
totty_01 Clear 5.25" bottle embossed:
vertical: SIXTH WARD PHARMACY / W.A. TOTTY, PROP'R. / PETERSBURG, VA.
base: PAT DEC 13/87 / C L G CO 4



Other items:
totty_06 This photo (taken March 2019) is of what's left of Totty's Pharmacy at 36 Sycamore Street. Photo is courtesy of Banks Dupree.
totty_02 This is a white label with black markings. It says:
label: COMP. SYR. WHITE PINE / ... / SIXTH WARD PHARMACY / CHAS. A. LUM Manager. W.A. TOTTY, Prop'r. / 247 HALIFAX ST., Oppo. Liberty St., PETERSBURG, VA.
totty_04 This is a white label with black markings. It says:
label: CHALK MIXTURE / DOSE: For a child four to six months old half teaspoonful 1 to 2 years, a teaspoonful Adults a table-spoonful Repeat every 2 or 3 hours until relieved / SIXTH WARD / W.A. TOTTY, Prop'r. / PHARMACY / 247 HALIFAX ST., Oppo. Liberty St., PETERSBURG, VA.
totty_05 This is a white label with black markings that says:
label: SYRUP IPECAC / ALCOHOL 5% / ... / Sixth Ward Pharmacy / C. E. RIDENHOUR, Mgr. W.A. TOTTY, Prop. / 247 HALIFAX ST., PETERSBURG, VA.
totty_03 This is a white label with black markings. It says:
label: CEYENNE PEPPER / SIXTH WARD PHARMACY / H.E.C. SCHULZE. PROP. / PRESCRIPTIONS A SPECIALTY / PHONE 140 / 305 Halifax St., Petersburg, Va.


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 Find-a-grave entry for William Arthur Totty
3 Find-a-grave entry for Richard Robinson Totty


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This page last updated on July 1, 2026.