E. R. Hunter


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  S. W. Hunter & Co, High Street, Portsmouth VA (1869) 2
  Edward R. Hunter, 56 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1870-1872) 1,3
  E. R. Hunter, 66 High Street, Portsmouth VA (1874-1875)
  Edward R. Hunter, 234 High Street (High corner Middle), Portsmouth VA (1880-1885)

Notes:
Edward R. Hunter (1821-1884)4 ran a drugstore in Portsmouth, VA.

The earliest reference I can find to Hunter being in the drugstore business was an 1870 Virginia State Business Directory, which listed a drugstore with his name at 56 High Street. 3
There was a mention of "S.W. Hunter & Co" in an 1869 Richmond city directory. 2
This may have been Edward's son, Samuel Watts Hunter (ca.1842-1884)5,6.

It seems Edward was a philanthropist. In the years before he became a drugstore owner, he had jobs such as "agent in Portsmouth of the Sothern Orphans' Gift Association".7 In 1874, he helped create the "Portsmouth Humane Association".8 And in 1879 he was awarded a contract for furnishing free prescriptions and medical supplies to needy people. 9


Bottles:
hunter_01 This is an aqua 3.5" BIM bottle embossed:
horizontal: "ERH" logo
vertical: E. R. HUNTER / DRUGGIST / PORTSMOUTH, VA.
base: WT&CO / C


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 Richmond City Directory from 1869 (has some businesses in other Va cities)
3 Virginia State Business Directories, years 1870,71
4 Find-a-grave entry for Edward R. Hunter
5 Ancestry.com, person number 382238999069 "Samuel Watts Hunter"
6 Norfolk Virginian, 30-Mar-1884, p.4 ("Death of a Former Citizen)
7 Norfolk Journal, 14-Jun-1867, p.3
8 Norfolk Virginian, 18-Dec-1874, p.1
9 Norfolk Virginian, 25-Jan-1879, p.4


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This page last updated on August 14, 2026.