Lum Brothers


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  William E. Lum, Ettrick, Petersburg VA (1886-1891)
  William E. Lum, 107 W Washington Street, Petersburg VA (1893-1901)
  Lum Brothers, 107 W Washington Street, Petersburg VA (1903-1921)
  Lum Brothers, 103 N Sycamore Street, Petersburg VA (1922-1931)

Notes:
 William Emerson Lum (1854-1925)2 was listed as a drug clerk in the 1876, 1879, and 1882 Petersburg city directories. Starting in the 1886 directory, he had his own drugstore. Sometime between 1891 and 1893, he moved his store. 1

Sometime between 1901 and 1903, he teamed up with his brother, Charles Alexander Lum (1853-1925)3, and renamed the store "Lum Brothers". Charles had also started out as a drugstore clerk at various drugstores in early years, and had recently been the manager of William A. Totty's drugstore. 1

Starting in the 1913 city directory, brother Charles was listed as a clerk again, working at other drugstores. But the name of the store was still "Lum Brothers", so I presume Charles was still a partner. 1

Over the years, 2 of William's sons, Charles Powell Lum (1881-1940)4 and William Eldrige Lum Jr (1889-1951)5 worked as clerks at the Lum Brothers drugstore. 1
Charles Powell Lum went on to purchase the Bowman's drug store in 1925.6


William E. Lum Bottles:
lum_05 This is a clear 3.6" (1 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal on top: 3i
vertical: WILLIAM E. LUM / PHARMACIST / PETERSBURG, VA.
base: * * * / W T & CO / ? / U.S.A.
lum_03 Same as above but larger, this is a clear 4.5" (2 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal on top: 3ii
vertical: WILLIAM E. LUM / PHARMACIST / PETERSBURG, VA.
base: W T & CO / *** / B / U.S.A.


Lum Brothers Bottles:
lum_01 This is a clear 3.6" bottle embossed:
vertical: LUM BROS. / Pharmacists / Petersburg Va
base: PAT DEC 13 87 / C.L.G. Co 4
lum_02 This is a clear 5" bottle embossed:
vertical: LUM BROS. / Pharmacists / Petersburg Va
base: PAT DEC 13 87 / C.L.G. Co
lum_04 This is a clear 5.3" (3 oz) bottle embossed:
horizontal: 3iii
vertical: LUM BROS. / Is The Place


1 Petersburg VA city directories for years: 1866,70,72,76-77,79,82,86,88,91,93,95,97,99,1901,03,05,07,09,11,13,15,17-18,20-22,24,27,29,31,33,35,37,39,41,43,48,50,52,54-55,57,59
2 Find-a-grave Entry for William E. Lum
3 Find-a-grave Entry for Charles Alexander Lum
4 Find-a-grave Entry for Charles Powell Lum
5 Find-a-grave Entry for William E. Lum Jr.
6 Richmond News Leader, 24-July-1925, p.19


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This page last updated on June 22, 2026.