J.A. Watkins Pharmacy


Company Names, addresses, dates:
  J.A. Watkins Pharmacy, Old Point Comfort, VA (ca.1897) 1

Notes:
 James Andrew Wakins (1842-1897)2 was a member of the Knights Templar, and came to Old Port after the civil war. 3

He is listed in the 1870 US Census as a "merchant". I see newspaper mentions of his grocery store and his restaurant.
But the only mention I found of a pharmacy was from 1897, shortly before he passed away.1

I did find a reference that said Watkins "operated a general store and pharmacy", that his store was "located next door to the present day Post Office on the military installation", and that he was in business from "about 1880 to 1896". 4


Bottles:
watkins_01 This is a clear 5.2" mouth-blown bottle embossed:
vertical: (scales) J.A. WATKINS / PHARMACY / OLD POINT COMFORT, VA
base: * * * / A / U S A


1 Daily Pilot (Norfolk), 16-Jan-1897, p.2 (mention of Watkins Pharmacy in Old Point)
2 Find-a-grave entry for James Andrew Watkins
3 Norfolk Landmark, 30-Mar-1897, p.1 (Obituary for James A. Watson)
4 Book: "Old Bottles of the Virginia Peninsula 1885-1941" by Fred Rawlinson, (c)1968, page 105


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This page last updated on July 16, 2026.