William C. Gleason Jr


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  William C. Gleason Jr, 204 6th Avenue, Portsmouth VA (1917-1918)
  William C. Gleason Jr, 359 Broad St., Portsmouth VA (1919-1960+)

Notes:
 William Charles Gleason Jr. (1891-1979)2 was the oldest active registered pharmacist when he passed away. He was a graduate of the Randolph-Macon Acedemy, and the UVA School of Pharmacy, and a Navy veteran of WW I. He was a practicing pharmacist at a store he owned in Portsmouth for 62 years.3

Gleason's drug store was in the "Port Norfolk" neighborhood in Portsmouth. Originally at 204 6th Avenue, a location that formerly held Edgar P. Wilkins drug store. He later moved his store to 359 Broad Street. That address was sometimes referred to in the Portsmouth city directories as the "Broad corner 3rd", and the "Broad corner Detroit". 1
I believe that 3rd street got renamed to Detroit Street.

The Portsmouth city directories I have access to only go as far as 1960. I've seen newspaper mentions of Gleason's drug store as late as 1974, so it apparently lasted until at least that year.4


Bottles:
gleason_01 Clear 5.8" un-embossed bottle with a label:
label: DOBELL'S SOLUTION / Use it in Atomizer or as a gargle undiluted / Wm. C. Gleason, Jr. / PHARMACIST / 3RD & BROAD STS., PORT NORFOLK, VA.



Other items:
gleason_03 4.5" x 3.0" label marked:
label: CITRATE OF / MAGNESIA / PREPARED FRESH / ... / Wm. C. Gleason, Jr. / PHARMACIST / 3RD & BROAD STS., PORT NORFOLK, VA.
gleason_04 2.25" x 3" label marked:
label: GLEASON'S / COMPOUN / WHITE PINE / AND TAR / COUGH SYRUP / ALCOHOL 5% / ... / Wm. C. Gleason, Jr. / PHARMACIST / 3RD & BROAD STS., PORT NORFOLK, VA.
gleason_02 2.75" x 4.75" label marked:
label: IMPROVED / COMPOUND / COD LIVER / EXTRACT / With Malt, Wild Cherry, / and Hypophosphites / ALCOHOL 16% / ... / Wm. C. Gleason, Jr. / PHARMACIST / Detroit & Broad Sts., PORTSMOUTH, VA. / PRICE $1.25
gleason_05 2.25" x 2.75" label marked:
label: EPSOM SALT U.S.P. / ... WM. C. GLEASON, JR. / PHARMACIST / BROAD & DETROIT STS., PORTSMOUTH, VA. / PHONES 3610 - 3611
gleason_06 1.5" x 3.25" label marked:
label: GLEASON'S / Lotion / A Soothing and Protective / Lotion for the relief of / Itching, minor Skin Irritations, / or the Pain and Discomfort / due to Sunburn. / ... / DISTRIBUTED BY / WM. C. GLEASON, JR. / PHARMACIST / BROAD & DETROIT STS. / PORTSMOUTH, VA.


1 Portsmouth VA city directories, years 1851,72,74-75,80,82-83,85-86,89-90,92,97,1900-05,07-08,10-15,17-20,22,24-5,27,30,36-42,44-47,49,51,53-54,56,58-60
2 Find-a-grave entry for William Charles Gleason
3 Virginian-Pilot, 16-Aug-1979, p.42 (obituary for William Charles Gleason Jr)
4 Virginian-Pilot, 21-Dec-1974, p.42 (mention of Gleason's drug store)


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This page last updated on August 9, 2026.