David W. Murden


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  David W. Murden, 301 4th Street, Portsmouth VA (1890-1892)

Notes:
 David Walter Murden (1864-1942)2 was listed in Portsmouth city directories as a "clerk" or "drug clerk" from 1882-1889. Starting in 1890, he is listed with his own drug store at 301 4th Street. 1

The last year I was able to find any newspaper mentions of his drug store was 1894. 3
In 1896, he was elected as the Sanitary Inspector for the city of Portsmouth 4, so he had probably sold his drug store by that time.
In the next Portsmouth city directory I have access to (1897), the drugstore at 301 4th Street was listed in the name Ernest K. McCoy, so apparently McCoy had purchased Murden's store.1

Murden's obituary said he was the oldest employee of Portsmouth City Government, having spent 50 years working for the health department. 5


Bottles:
murden_01 This is a clear 4.5" bottle embossed:
horizontal: DAVID W. MURDEN / DRUGGIST / PORTSMOUTH , VA.
base: PAT'D JUNE 4, 89 / D


1 Portsmouth VA city directories, years 1851,72,74-75,80,82-83,85-86,89-90,92,97,1900-05,07-08,10-15,17-20,22,24-5,27,30,36-42,44-47,49,51,53-54,56,58-60
2 Find-a-grave entry for David Walter Murden
3 Norfolk Virginian, 10-Sep-1894, p.3 (ad mentions Murden's drug store)
4 Norfolk Landmark, 11-Jun-1896, p.4
5 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 23-Nov-1942, p.11 (Obituary for David W. Murden)


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This page last updated on August 20, 2026.