Title: Freeman Drug Company Records
Inclusive Dates: 1872-1947

Creator:

• Freeman Drug Company (River Falls, Wis.)

Call Number: River Falls Mss C; PH 4029

Quantity: 0.6 c.f. (2 archives boxes), 1 photograph, and 6 items of ephemera (1 folder)

Repository:

Housed at the University Archives and Area Research Center, Chalmer Davee Library, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

UW-River Falls, Chalmer Davee Library / River Falls Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of a River Falls drug store; including cashbooks and other financial records, formula books, biographical information on owners R.S. and R.W. Freeman, and miscellany including trade catalogues, advertisements, labels, and a tintype.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-rf000c

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Roscius S. Freeman was born in Potsdam or Buck Bridge, New York, on 18 May 1844, and began his career in pharmacy in a Madrid, New York, drug store when he was eighteen. On 1 November 1866 he moved to River Falls, and the following August went to work at the Davis Drug Store. In September 1872 he was able to go into business for himself and soon established a reputation for honesty and care in preparing retail drug orders. Freeman ran the store by himself until his son, R.W. Freeman, had completed the course in pharmacy at the University of Illinois, and was admitted into partnership in the firm. By 1902 he was able to retire and leave the business completely to his son's management.

In 1904 R.S. Freeman and Son bought out the Bernard and Clough Company in River Falls and the stock of the Heinzel Drug Store in neighboring Hudson. The Heinzel stock was consolidated with the River Falls stock, and for some time both River Falls stores were open.

In 1920 the company incorporated as the Freeman Drug Company with $20,000 capital; members of the corporation were R.S. Freeman, R.W. Freeman, John A. Knapp, and Robert L. Hurd. The River Falls Journal carried the story of the incorporation in its 8 April 1920 issue and noted seventeen prominent doctors and pharmacists who had at one time learned about health services while working for the firm.

R.S. Freeman died in late October 1933, and the remaining members of the corporation continued the drug store until the mid 1940s. At that time Gerald Belisle bought an interest in the corporation and gradually took over full responsibility for what had become one of the oldest drug firms still operating in the River Falls area.

The records of the Freman Drug Company, 1872-1947 (mostly 1895-1933), contain information about the company's management under the founder, his son, and the corporation. The most valuable records are the five volumes of pharmacy cashbooks, 1895-1916, and five formula books, one dated 1924 and the others undated. In addition, the collection includes biographical information on R.S. and R.W. Freeman; four letters regarding drug wholesaling, 1920-1928; other financial records of the drug store and of R.W. Freeman personally; several company cards; and an undated reprint of an article, “Before the Doctor Comes,” about what to store in a home medicine chest. The arrangement is alphabetical by type of record.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Rosh Freeman, River Falls, Wisconsin, in two installments on June 15, 1972. Accession Number: M72-263, M72-264

Processing Information

Processed by Eleanor Niermann, 1972.

River Falls Mss C Box   1 Folder   1	Article: “Before the Doctor Comes,” undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Biographical information, 1920 April 8, 1933 November 1-13, 1942
Box   1 Folder   3	Cards, circa 1898
Box   1 Folder   4	Correspondence, 1920 April 20-1928 September 13
	Financial records
Box   1 Folder   5	R.W. Freeman personal account book, 1902-1911, 1947
	Pharmacy cashbooks
Box   1 Folder   6	1895 September 2-1906 November 22
Box   1 Folder   7	1902 February 1-1907 July 29
Box   2 Folder   1	1907 August 1-1910 June 29
Box   2 Folder   2	1910 July 1-1913 July 31
Box   2 Folder   3	1913 August 1-1916 March 31
Box   2 Folder   4	Pharmacy invoices, 1872 September 21-1873 November 29
Box   2 Folder   5	Price lists of R.S. Freeman & Son and of the Tubb's Medicine Company, River Falls, after 1906 undated
PH 4029	Ephemera Note: Trade catalogs, advertisements, and labels.
River Falls Mss C	Formula books
Box   2 Folder   6	1924
Box   2 Folder   7-10	undated
PH 4029	Tintype of R.S. Freeman, J.M. Smith, and C.R. Moore