Warfield Drug Stores


Company Names, addresses, dates:1
   Warfield & Hall, 300 Prince Street, (corner Fairfax & Prince Sts) Alexandria VA (1866-1906) 2
  Warfield, Frank, 300 Prince Street (corner Fairfax & Prince Sts), Alexandria VA (1907-1929)

  Edgar Warfield Jr, 501 King Street, Alexandria VA (1892-1940) 3
  Warfield's Drug Store, 501 King Street, Alexandria VA (1942-1952)

  Warfield, A.A., 152 King Street, Alexandria VA (1883-1887) 16
  Warfield, A.A., 604 King Street, Alexandria VA (1888) 17

Notes:
General Edgar Warfield Sr (1842-1934)4 entered the drug business at the age of 15 (about 1857)5. The 1860 US Census listed him as an apothecary apprentice.
His career in the drug store business spanned about 3/4 of a century, except for a four year interval during which time he served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He served as a private and fought in many battles, including battles at Manassas, Antietam, Richmond and Appomattox. He was bevetted brigadier-general in 1932.6

In 1866, Edgar teamed up with William J. Hall, and purchased the drug store on the corner of Prince and Fairfax Street from Mr. Pauli2. Edgar & William ran the "Warfield & Hall" drugstore until 1906, at which time William Hall retired, and Edgar took sole control of the store7.
That didn't last long, because in early 1907, Edgar sold the drug store to his brother Frank 8 (more about Frank below), and chose to join his son, Edgar Warfield Jr, at his son's drug store at 501 King Street 9.

Edgar Warfield Jr (1870-1945)10 had purchased Ernest L. Allen's drugstore at 501 King Street (corner of King and Pitt Streets) in 18923. When he teamed up with his father in 1907, he kept the drug store in his own name (which only differs from his father's name by the addition of "jr"). For a time, 3 generations were working as pharmacists at this store: Edgar Warfield Sr, his son Edgar Warfield Jr, and his grandson Edgar Ashby Warfield (1896-1951)5,11.
This drugstore lasted until just after Edgar Ashby Warfields death, which was on December 25th, 195111,1.

Frank Warfield (1857-1929)12 was Edgar Warfield Sr.'s brother. As stated above, Frank purchased the Warfield & Hall drugstore in 19076.
Before that, he was at the J. T. Creighton & Son drug store at 924 Queen Street, which he actually took ownership of in 189213.
It's not clear why he kept the name "J T Creighton & Son" for almost 15 years when he actually owned the store. But the drugstore business at 924 Queen street ended after 1906. Frank ran the drugstore at 300 Prince Street from 1907 until his death in 1929.

Andrew Adgate Warfield (1850-1917)14 was another brother of Edgar Warfield Senior. Andrew became a partner with the Janney & Co drug store in 187515.
In 1883, Andrew took over the Janney & Co drug store at 152 King Street16.
In the 1888 he moved to a new building at 604 King Street1. But later that year, he sold that drug business to Mr Charles G. Lennon. Later mentions in the newspaper indicate he got out of the drug store business and into the Insurance business.


Warfield & Hall Bottles:

warfield_01 book # 599 (in medicines section)
Clear 4.5" bottle embossed:
vertical: (mortar & pestle) WARFIELD & HALL / DRUGGISTS / ALEXANDRIA VA
base: WT&CO / PAT JAN 5 1892
warfield_06 book # (unlisted)
Clear 3.5" bottle embossed:
vertical: WARFIELD & HALL / DRUGGISTS / ALEXANDRIA VA
warfield_05 book # 600 (in medicines section)
Clear 4.2" bottle embossed:
horizontal in fancy slugplate: WARFIELD & HALL / DRUGGISTS / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
base: WT&CO / C USA


Edgar Warfield Jr Bottles:
warfield_03 book # 596 (in medicines section)
Clear 5.5" bottle embossed:
vertical in block letters : EDGAR WARFIELD, JR
vertical: ALEXANDRIA, VA.
warfield_04 book # 596 (in medicines section)
Clear 3.7" bottle embossed:
vertical: EDGAR WARFIELD, JR / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
warfield_08 book # (unlisted)
This is a clear 3.2" bottle with an unusual slopped neck, embossed:
vertical: EDGAR WARFIELD JR / PHARMACIST / ALEXANDRIA, VA.



Other Items:
warfield_02 This photo (taken Dec 2009) is of the building that stands at 300 Prince Street today, where Warfield & Hall's drugstore was at.
warfield_07 This postcard appears to be from the 1920s, based on the look of the automobiles. I beleive the drug store on the right side was E.J. Warfields at 501 King Street. This is based on the fact that I saw old newspaper ads for W.T. Farley's Clothing store (depicted on the left side of the street) which listed it's address at 500 King Street.
warfield_09 This is a photo from a booklet commemorating the 1949 Bicentennial of the city of Alexandria. It depicts Warfield's Drug store on the right. Appears to be the same building that is depicted in the post card above, corraborating that that is indeed Warfield's drugstore on that postcard.


1 Various city directories & phone books
2 Alexandria Gazette, 9-Mar-1866, page 3 (Warfield & Hall purchase a drug store)
3 Alexandria Gazette, 22-Jun-1892, page 3 (Edgar Warfield (jr) purchases E.L. Allen's drug store)
4 Find-a-grave for Edgar Warfield
5 Suffolk News-Herald, 20-Jan-1933, page 3 (article about Edgar Warfield Sr)
6 Richmond Times Dispatch, 28-Nov-1934, page 7 (Obituary for General Edgar Warfield)
7 Alexandria Gazette, 16-Nov-1906, page 3 (Warfield & Hall Disoloved)
8 Alexandria Gazette, 8-Feb-1907, page 3 (Frank Warfield successor to Warfield & Hall)
9 Alexandria Gazette, 2-Feb-1907, page 3 (Edgar Warfield Jr teams with his father)
10 Find-a-grave for Edgar Warfield Jr
11 Find-a-grave for Edgar Ashby Warfield
12 Find-a-grave for Frank Warfield
13 Alexandria Gazette, 10-May-1892, page 4 (Frank Warfield takes over for Creighton & Son)
14 Find-a-grave for Andrew Adgate Warfield (has a mistake - he was born 1850 not 1860 as per multiple years in the US Census)
15 Alexandria Gazette, 1-Oct-1875, page 2 (A.A. Warfield has interest in Janney & Co)
16 Alexandria Gazette, 5-Nov-1883, page 4 (A.A. Warfield successor to Janney & Co)
17 Alexandria Gazette, 23-Jul-1888, page 4 (A.A. Warfield disposes drug business)


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This page last updated on March 22, 2023.