In enlisting men of enterprise and integrity in furthering its general
business activities, is mainly due the precedence and prosperity enjoyed by
Marion county, and the firm of which the gentleman whose name initiates this
paragraph is a member, is recognized as one of the representative druggists
of the county, being engaged in business in Centralia and enjoying an
extensive wholesale and retail trade.
H. S. McBride was born in
Decatur, Illinois. September 5, 1869, the son of Dr. Alexander and Mary E.
(Jones) McBride, the father of the subject having been born in Ross county,
Ohio, June 21, 1821. His wife was born in Urbana, Ohio, April 18, 1835, and
they were married in the Buckeye state and came to Illinois in 1866,
locating in Decatur. They became the parents of three children, two of whom
are living, H. S., our subject, and Frank A., who was born in 1875 in
Decatur.
The subject of this sketch began his education at Decatur,
where he attended school for two years. He was then sent to Carthage,
Missouri, remaining in school there until 1887, where he made an excellent
record, and after completing his education, he returned to Decatur and
worked as a drug clerk for one year in the employ of A. J. Stoner. He then
went to St. Louis and worked for the P. G. Alexander Drug Company for two
years and while there took a course in pharmacy in the St. Louis School of
Pharmacy. From there he went to Webb City, Missouri, to work for the
McClelland Drug Company in whose employ he remained for about two years,
when he moved to Mattoon, Illinois, remaining there until 1898, clerking for
the Killner Drug Company. He gave entire satisfaction in all these positions
owing to the fact that he had an intimate knowledge of drugs and was
courteous to customers.
Our subject was one of the patriotic
citizens of the great Sucker state, who felt it his duty to assist the cause
of humanity when Cuba was being oppressed by the tyranny of Spain, and when
the Spanish-American war broke out he enlisted in Company A, Fourth Illinois
Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Joseph P. Barricklom and remained in service
until the close of the war, having been mustered out of service at Augusta,
Georgia. He served at Springfield, Illinois, as first sergeant and was
promoted to second lieutenant at Camp Cuba Libre, Jacksonville, Florida,
September, 1898.
In 1900 Mr. McBride moved to Centralia and clerked
for Will J. Blythe for two years, then for L. H. Reed for four years. He
then opened the Red Cross Pharmacy at 204 East Broadway, an incorporated
institution under the state laws of Illinois, the company consisting of C.
D. Tufts, president; C. E. McMahon, vice-president; H. S. McBride, secretary
and manager; F. Pullen, treasurer. The room occupied is twenty-four by one
hundred feet. It is large, airy and commodious. A general wholesale and
retail drug business is carried on among physicians and surgeons, covering a
radius of forty miles. The house carries a large, complete and carefully
selected stock, and the fixtures and equipment are modern, well arranged and
up-to-date in every particular, and a very liberal trade is enjoyed.
H. S. McBride was united in marriage with Ida A. Mattock on September 8,
1895. She was reared at Mattoon, Illinois, and is the daughter of W. D. and
Temperance (Hackett) Mattock. Four interesting children constituted the
Mattock family, three girls and one boy, Ida A, being the oldest. Mr.
McBride is recognized as a first class pharmacist by all who have had
occasion to investigate his work. He is registered in Illinois, Missouri and
Florida, and he stands at the front of Centralia's business men. Fraternally
he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 493, of
Centralia. In politics he is a Democrat and follows the teachings of his
parents in religious matters, affiliating with the Episcopal church.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 410-411.