Snapshots of History: McNeiley’s Drug Store
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McNeiley’s Drug Store in Mount Ayr.
By Mike Avitt
Finis Edward McNeiley purchased the Lawhead Drug Company in Mount Ayr in January 1941.
Dr. C. C. Lawhead, the former owner of the drug store, retained ownership of the building.
Dr. Lawhead opened this business in October 1934 and was associated with Walgreen products, known then as The Walgreen System.
Horne Pharmacy, on the north side of the square at 104 W. Madison, was associated with Rexall products as far back as 1920. Dey Middlesworth was the owner at that time.
His competition was the drug store of J. W. Luce. There were always at least two drug stores in Mount Ayr until 2001. That was the last year Mount Ayr had a drug store.
Drug stores in the 1880s and 1890s advertised often in the Ringgold County newspapers. It seems most medication sold was over-the-counter and testimonials from users were common.
Influenza, called “The Grippe” in those times, was a frequent ailment and there were dozens of products claiming to be a cure.
Health problems like tuberculosis and infection were fatal. Miracle drugs were sought just as much 140 years ago as they are now.
In the old days, drug stores sold paints and varnishes while hardware stores and lumber yards did not. I don’t know why that was. It didn’t change until after World War I.
The first mention I find in the newspapers of fountain service in a drug store is in June 1935 at the Rexall Drug Store when Harry Cook owned the business.
Although Fatty Collins didn’t have fountain service, he was selling Coca-Cola at his restaurant in 1896. Fountain service was and remained very popular for drug stores.
My favorite fountain drink was a Green River (lime phosphate).
130 years ago, a pharmacist could get a permit to sell intoxicating liquors even if it was illegal in the town, county, or state. Druggists could sell liquor for culinary, religious, medicinal, and mechanical purposes.
As a result, many druggists were quite wealthy and some found themselves in legal trouble.
Dr. J. T. Merrill was arrested twice in the 1890s for selling liquor illegally. I don’t know what punishment he received, but he both cases he took on a partner soon afterwards; I’m guessing for legal reasons.
A pharmacist in Kellerton was sued by the wife of an alcoholic (it went to court, but she lost). A drug store owner in Knowlton was arrested and subsequently left Ringgold County.
Barney Horne was never a pharmacist, but owned Horne Rexall from 1938 to 1962. His father John Horne was a druggist on the west side of the Mount Ayr square from 1875 until his death in 1913.
Barney graduated in 1916 so he wasn’t old enough to take over the family business, but Barney obviously got a liking for the pharmacy business in his youth. John had a brother named Dr. William Horne.
Dr. Horne was located in the rear of John Horne’s drug store, then had the building constructed at 117 S. Fillmore in 1902.
Ringgold County Development and the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce is located here today. Dr. Horne was a fifty year doctor in Mount Ayr, passing away in 1925.
Dr. Frank Landes then occupied the office at 117 S. Fillmore.
Today, Ringgold County’s only pharmacy is in the Mt. Ayr Hy-Vee. No drug stores since 2001.
So, why did drug stores go away? The reasons are numerous.
How much profit was there on a fifteen cent comic book? Technology made comic books obsolete anyway. Drug stores got replaced by other retail outlets like grocery stores, variety stores, and convenience stores. Pharmacies went solo as that industry became so profitable that chocolate sodas and comic books were deemed unnecessary.
Things change but I count myself blessed to have experienced the joys of a small town drug store.
