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A story of a painting in a drugstore

by Ray Berg, Manchester Area Historical Society

The Manchester Area Historical Society occasionally has the chance to see inside some of Manchester’s oldest buildings. Recently we were able to visit the second and third floors of the 1866 “Unterkircher/Daily Block” (128-130 E. Main), most recently known as the Manchester Pharmacy building. The first floor has always been a pharmacy type of business, while the second and third floors have held numerous businesses, as well as serving as a community meeting place for a variety of social and club functions.

On the back wall of the second floor, we found the painting shown in Figure 1 below. It is a portrait of John Hampden Kingsley (left) and Charles Elbert Lewis (right), made by an unknown artist and dated October 6, 1877. At that time, Kingsley and Lewis were partners in a business which developed what we would today call homeopathic or patent medicines, as well as some which included a little “boost” (like opium). They ran this business on the second floor in the late 1870s, until Kingsley eventually partnered with George Haeussler in the 1880s to operate the pharmacy on the first floor. Charles Lewis then started what became a very well-known and profitable celery farm outside Manchester.

Figure 1 – Painting of John H. Kingsley (left) and Charles E. Lewis (right)

Though we searched, we have not found any record of who the painter was. The profile of John Kingsley matches photos the Society has of him. Kingsley eventually grew his investments, expanded into general merchandise, bought the eastern Premium Mills complex (current Village Hall), built the first electric power plant at this mill, installed Manchester first street light system, and served as “mayor” via his leadership of the Village Council. He constructed his fine new home on the four corners intersection in 1904, currently the MAHS Kingsley-Jenter House.

Kingsley carried forward his interest and belief in patent medicines. As partner with George Haeussler in the pharmacy business, he promoted “Dr. Thomas’ Eclectric Oil,” a medicine “proven” to cure everything from sore muscles, headaches, infected throats, etc. through serious diseases like arthritis and deafness. Figure 2 shows the Haeussler and Kingsley store in the 1880s, which sold not only drugs, but books, stationery, lamps, school supplies, and some groceries. Kingsley stands to the right of the door, against the post, with the lighter colored overcoat.

Figure 2 – Haeussler and Kingsley in Front of Store, 1880s

Of particular interest are the two hitching posts in front of the store. Each carries an advertisement for “Thomas’ Eclectric Oil.” An unbroken, sealed bottle of Dr. Thomas’ Eclectric Oil was found recently in a rural Freedom Township “midden” (trash heap), still containing some of the original liquid from the 1880s. Apparently the bottle was purchased from John Kingsley, but the purchaser (local farmer John Gumper) apparently discarded it before drinking it all (or was “cured”). Figures 3 and 4 show the medicine that John Kingsley promoted.

Figure 3 – Thomas’ Eclectric Oil Bottle

Figure 4 – Eclectric Oil as Marketed by John Kingsley

The Historical Society keeps finding unusual photos or objects from our early days, and will be highlighting these on our Facebook page (“Manchester Area Historical Society”) as Historical Tidbits. Follow along with us!

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.