Marion County
ILGenWeb

Biography - H. S. McBRIDE

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.