Bernadoitte Schmitt


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Dr. John G. Schmitt, Woodstock VA (1824-18??)
  B. Schmitt, 125 N. Main Street, Woodstock VA (c.1885-????)
  Schmitt's Drug Store, 125 N. Main Street, Woodstock VA (????-c.1944)
  Clower Pharmacal Company, Woodstock VA (c.1944-1956)

Notes:
Some information from the Woodstock Museum and the book "Early Woodstock Facts and Photographs"1:
- Schmitts drug store was established in 1824 by Dr. John G. Schmitt.
- Barnadoitte Schmitt erected a building in 1885 that was the family residence & drug store (the building depicted below in the photo that was taken May 2010).
- The Woodstock Museum has a large display on items from the Schmitt's Drug store.

    Joseph B. Clower (1879-1964)2
Joseph B. Clower apprenticed at the Schmitt drug store when he was 12 years old (circa 1891). In 1921 Clower became the president of the Virginia Pharmaceutical Association3.
In 1944, Clower bought the building and the business from the Schmitt heirs. Clower managed the store until 1956, when he sold the business to the owners of the Walton & Smoot Drug Store.1


Bottles:

schmitt_01 These are clear bottles - the left is 5.4" tall and th right is 3.5" tall. They are both embossed:
horizontal: ESTABLISHED / 1825
vertical: B. SCHMITT / DRUGGIST / WOODSTOCK, VA.
These bottles say 1825, whereas all the others (and the pamphlet below) say 1824. I don't know if 1825 was a mistake by the glass maker, or if somewhere along the way the Schmitt drugstore changed the story about when it was established.
schmitt_02 This is a clear (sun-colored-amythest) 4.5" bottle embossed:
horizontal: ESTABLISHED / 1824
vertical: B. SCHMITT / DRUGGIST / WOODSTOCK, VA.
base: G.
schmitt_03 This is a clear 3.7" bottle embossed:
horizontal: ESTABLISHED / 1824
vertical: B. SCHMITT / DRUGGIST / WOODSTOCK, VA.
schmitt_10 This is a clear 4.75" bottle embossed:
vertical: SCHMITT's DRUG STORE / THE STORE FOR QUALITY / WOODSTOCK, VA.
schmitt_12 This is a clear 4.3" bottle embossed:
in circular slugplate: B. SCHMITT / EST'D / 1824
base: S B W
schmitt_15 This is a clear 5.7" (4 oz) bottle with a blue Applied Color Label (ACL) that says:
ACL: (Mortar/Pestle with 'Rx') / Schmitt's PHONE 39 / DRUG STORE / "THE STORE FOR QUALITY " / WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA.
embossed on shoulder: 3iv
embossed on base: Knoxall / 10



Other Schmitt items:
schmitt_07 This is the building that housed Schmitt's drug store, at 123 & 125 Old Valley Pike (route 11). Photo was taken May 2010. The building is still called "The Schmitt building", as can be seen on the sign on the front door in the center. The left side of the building (123) was the family residence, while the right side (125) was the drug store.
schmitt_13 This is a postcard depicting the interior of Schmitt's drugstore. It is postmarked 1913. It has a sign on the left that says "Rexall", and it shows a fancy soda fountain with at least 6 stools for soda drinkers. It also has a table in the middle with more chairs. I wonder if the person in the back is supposed to be Mr Schmitt? At the bottom center, it says:
Schmitt's Drug Store / "The Store of Quality" / Woodstock Va.
schmitt_08 This is a c.1932 pamphlet for Woodstock VA, published by Schmitt's Drug store. The front says:
A Panorama of Beauty / SEE THE MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF / The Shenandoah Valley / From / SHENANDOAH TOWER / ON MASSANUTTEN MOUNTAIN / At / WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA / Ask us for information - we are at your service, / it is real pleasure to aid you. / We have been in budiness on this site since 1824 / Incidentallh if it is a cool drink, delicious ice / cream, a good cigar, or anything to be found / in a first class drug store we have it. / SCHMITT'S DRUG STORE / "The Store for Quality" / WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA
schmitt_09 This is the back side of the above pamphlet, showing a map of Woodstock, with Schmitt's Drug Store highlighted. The center of the pamphlet has two pictures and some information about Woodstock. It says the County Courthouse was built "137 years ago", which would date this pamphlet at about 1932.
schmitt_16 This is 3.2" tall, 2.4" diameter tin can with a label from 1941. The label says:
label: PHONE / 39 / Schmitt's DRUG STORE / "THE STORE FOR QUALITY" / WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA / 173757/ 6-7-41 / TEASPONFUL IN WATER AFTER MEALS. / DR. R.C. FRAVEL
schmitt_11 This is an advertising card for Jayne's Carminative Balsam and Jayne's Tonic Vermifuge. On the back at the bottom, it says:
PRESENTED BY / B. SCHMITT, / Woodstock, Shenendoah Co., / Virginia.
schmitt_14 This appears to be a holder for an emory board. It says:
front: Compliments of Schmitt's Drug Store. / Woodstock, Va.
back: Goods Right. Prices Right. / Established 1824.
schmitt_04 This is a label, presumably for a drugstore bottle. It's marked:
EMULSION / OF PURE NORWEGIAN / COD LIVER OIL / WITH / HYPOPHOSPHITES / LIME, SODA, and POTASS. / ... PREPARED AT / SCHMITT'S PHARMACIES, / WOODSTOCK, VA., STRASBURG, VA., / MOOREFIELD, W.VA.
schmitt_05 This is another label. It's marked:
BEEF / WINE/ AND IRON / ALCOHOL 21 PER CENT / ... PREPARED AT / SCHMITT'S DRUG STORE, / "THE STORE FOR QUALITY." / JOSEPH B. CLOWER, MGR. / WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA.



Joseph B. Clower items:
schmitt_06 This is a label from Clower Pharmacal Company, marked:
11 FLUID OUNCES / TONAK / ALCOHOL 18 PER CENT. / A / Purely Vegetable Tonic and Alterative ... ... MANFD. BY / CLOWER PHARMACAL / COMPANY / WOODSTOCK, VA.


1 Book: "Early Woodstock Facts and Photographs", by Joseph B. Clower, Jr., Copyright 1996, The Woodstock Museum
2 Find-a-grave entry for Joseph B. Clower
3 Book: A Century of Virginia Pharmacy, published by VA Pharmaceutical Association, 1981


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This page last updated on August 10, 2021.