Worden Co Pharmacists Bottle

[fallfares]

Good morning! I'm hoping someone can help - I have a bottle reads: "The Worden Co Pharmacists" & there's an owl with "Hinsdale, NH" underneath.

The bottom is marked with 3 stars &:

C
USA
PAT JAN 5 1892

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

[epackage]

Welcome to the forum, they went out of business in 1911, pic's would be great...jim

 

[fallfares]

Here goes

 

[fallfares]

Another..

 

[surfaceone]

Hello Autumn,

Welcome to A-BN, and thanks for bringing the Worden Brothers bottle.

The Wordens had their drug store in this building

in the Todd Block of Hinsdale. "In 1873, the town's first drugstore was opened in the building and continued in business uninterrupted until 1956. In 1883 N. M. and E. A. Worden purchased the drugstore with F. H. Jones and expanded the line of goods to include hardware, books, stationery, and jewelry; by 1889, it was the largest store of its kind in southwestern New Hampshire. The Worden Brothers' business continued to expand and in 1911 was sold to Jesse Field, who continued to operate the drugstore until its closing... The first drugstore in Hinsdale was opened in the Todd Block in 1873, and a sizeable livery stable was added to the rear of the building c. 1877. (Exhibit 5). Under the ownership and management of the entrepreneurial Worden brothers, who had established themselves in the mill soap industry in Hinsdale, hardware, books, and jewelry were added, and the store became the largest of its kind in southwestern New Hampshire. (Exhibit 10). The drugstore continued uninterrupted until 1956... Significant dates include the dates of construction (1862, 1895); the date Hinsdale's first drugstore was opened (in the Todd Block); and 1911, the date the Worden Company business dissolved and Jesse Field took over the drugstore... In 1873, the town's first drugstore, owned and managed by Dr. L. B. Lamson, opened in the Todd Block. Dr. Lamson operated the drugstore for approximately ten years from the Todd Block, and sold the store in 1883. An account from the Vermont Reformer of 1883 describes the sale:

"Dr. L. A. Lamson, having bought an apothecary store in Milford, Mass., removes with his family the present week. He has sold his drug and hardware store here to Messrs. Worden and Jones, who will continue the business as heretofore... As regards the new firm, Mr. Worden, who will have charge of the hardware department, it is well known as a careful and accurate business man, and F. H. Jones, the junior member, is amply qualified to take charge of the druggist department, so that the business will continue uninterruptedly.(5)

Although there were two other drugstores in Hinsdale by the time the Worden brothers established themselves in the Todd Block, their business grew rapidly, soon occupying the entire first floor of the block. For a short period, c. 1886, the Wordens sold their interest in the business, but by 1888 they had repurchased the drugstore and merged it with another family business; the store became the largest of its kind in southwest New Hampshire. In addition to drugs, the store offered books, hardware, jewelry, newspapers, and livery, and employed six attendants. The Worden brothers also were involved with the manufacture of soap at a nearby location, and were one of the largest such manufacturers in New Hampshire.

The Vermont Reformer of 1889 describes Worden's Store as follows: "This establishment is, without doubt, the largest of its kind in South-western New Hampshire. It occupies the lower part of the recently enlarged Todd's Block, and it embraces under one roof a well-appointed drug department, an extensive hardware store with spacious store-rooms, a section for books, periodicals, and newspapers, and a large line of jewelry and fancy goods. Each department is in charge of competent persons, there being employed on the floor at the present time six attendants, besides the two heads of the firm. The store is heated by steam and lighted by gas manufactured on the premises."(6)

Growth during the period 1880 to 1890 was booming; the town grew in population from 1,868 to 2,253 people and was at this point a thriving commercial center directly competing with Keene... "The Worden Company have this week put in a Lamson Cash carrier into their store, and the Gilbert & Barker M'F'g Co. of Springfield are putting in gas fixtures, as the store is to be lighted by gas."(9)

"The Worden Co. have equipped their store with a system of electric bells."(10)

The Wordens remained in business until 1911 when the store was bought by Jesse Field." From.

"E. & N. WORDEN commenced the manufacture of factory, laundry, and
family soap in 1870, near the depot, on the site of the Fisk soap
works. In 1872 they removed to their present location on the
Connecticut river, at the foot of "Swift Water," a name familiar to
boatmen when the river was navigated by flat boats and rafts. This
location is about half a mile above the confluence of the Ashuelot's
with the Connecticut, and once an important station. The
"Boatman's Tavern," a public house for many years, is located here,
and is now used as a farm house by these brothers." From.

This is a pretty amazing go-with that contains Worden, Jones & Co. items

From.

 

[Poison_Us]

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Classic!

You two can't fight in here, this is a war room!

 

[botlguy]

I know that out here in the West that a number of pharmacies were knock offs of the very successful Owl Drug Company of San Francisco and used the owl motif. The owl & morter & pestle on your bottle look very much like those on the Owl Drug Co. bottles

BTW SURFACEONE, all that information is amazing, terrific.

 

[surfaceone]

Thanks Jim,

Sometimes you can find some cool stuff if yer googler is cooperating.

 

[fallfares]

Awesome - lots of cool info! I didn't have much luck with Google - must not've liked me that day! It makes me wonder how it wound up down this way. I live by Hopkins and I find things from there in my garden from time to time. Maybe it was brought with a doctor or med student? Curiouser and curiouser....

 

[mkworden09]

Fallfares,
Hello!! I am actually a Worden from Hinsdale, NH...I have been looking for years for this bottle. In my search for a bottle like this, I came across your posting. If you have any interest in selling this bottle, I would love to purchase it from you. If not, thank you for sharing what the bottle looks like.
Thank you so much,
Marcus J. Worden
Hinsdale, NH