R. L. Bowman


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Robert L. Bowman, Bank Cor Market, Petersburg VA (1888-1913)
  Robert L. Bowman, 140 W. Bank Cor Market, Petersburg VA (1915-1922)
  Bowman's Pharmacy, 140 W. Bank Cor Market, Petersburg VA (1925-1929)

Notes:
Robert Lee Bowman (1867-1924)2 was listed as a clerk at William F. Spotswood's drugstore in the 1886 Petersburg city directory. Starting in the 1888 directory, he was listed as owning his own drug store.1

Robert's younger brother, Edwin Rudolph Bowman (1869-1935)3 also had a drugstore in Petersburg for a short time. It shows up at the address 403 Lombard Street in the 1893 directory, and at 31 South Sycamore Street in the 1893 & 1895 directories.

Besides owning a drugstore, Robert is also listed as the owner of the manager of the Bowman Advertising Company in the 1920s.1

After Bowman passed away, Mr. C. Powell Lum purchased the store from Robert's widow.4
I don't know if he was related to the Lum Brothers who also had a Petersburg drugstore.

Bottles:
bowman_01 This is a clear 5.6" bottle embossed:
vertical: (mortar & pestle) / R. L. BOWMAN / DRUGGIST / PETERSBURG, VA.
bowman_02 This is a clear 5.1" bottle embossed:
vertical: BOWMAN'S / PHARMACY / PETERSBURG, VA.
bowman_03 This is a clear 3.7" bottle machine-made bottle with a label from 1924:
label: R. L. BOWMAN / PRESCRIPTION DRUGGIST / Cor. Bank and Market Sts., PETERSBURG, VA . / ... 9-13-24


1 Petersburg VA city directories for years: 1866,70,72,77,79,82,86,88,91,93,95,97,99,1901,03,05,07,09,11,13,15,17-18,20-22,24,27,29,31,33,35,37,39,41,43,48,50,52,54-55,57,59
2 Find-a-grave entry for Robert Lee Bowman
3 Find-a-grave entry for Edwin Rudolph Bowman
4 Richmond News Leader, 24-Jul-1924, p.19 (article: "Buys Bowman Pharmacy")


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This page last updated on May 28, 2026.