Rural Retreat Drug Co /
Dr. Pepper
Company Names, addresses, dates:
  Rural Retreat Drug Co, Rural Retreat VA (ca.1875-1994) 1
Notes:
Dr. Charles Taylor Pepper (1830-1903)2
graduated from the UVA medical school in 1855. He became a surgeon, and
patched up Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. He later gave up the
surgical profession, bought a drug store in Rural Retreat, and became a
pharmacist.3
I've seen newspaper articles that claim he started his drug store in
Rural Retreat on or before 1875, but a newspaper article from November
of 1875 said his residence was in Bristol VA, which is about 60 miles
away from Rural Retreat.4
The 1880 US Census listed Dr Pepper living in Black Lick VA, which was
only 2 miles from Rural Retreat, so he may have started his drug
store there by that time.
Dr Pepper passed away in 19031, but the Rural Retreat drug store
continued until 1994.1
Dr. Pepper Soda connection?
There are stories that Dr Pepper soda may have been named after Dr. Charles T.
Pepper in Rural Retreat. This is based on: 1
    (1) An old ledger in the pharmacy had references to
"swamp root, quinine, spices, raisins and soda", which sounds like ingredients
that would make a soda tasting somewhat like Dr Pepper.
    (2) Dr Pepper soda was invented at Wade Morrison's drug store in
Waco Texas in the year 1885. Before that, Morrison had been an assistant in
Pepper's Rural Retreat drug store.
    (3) Some claim Morrison was romantically involved with Pepper's
daughter, however research shows she would have been in elementary school
at the time Morrison worked in Rural Retreat.
This is a clear 4.25" screw-top bottle with a label that says: label: ... Bay Rum ... / RURAL RETREAT DRUG CO. / RURAL RETREAT, VA. |