The Barclay Brothers in Cairo 20221224

James Samuel Barclay in the 1890s.

Photo from Philander Barclay Photo Collection, Book 6; pg. 13; BB49G; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

Philander Walker Barclay (P.W. Barclay)

Cropped photo from 1907 Proceedings of the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors--General of the Thirty-third and Last Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America. Accessed at ForgottenBooks.com on March 25, 2024.

The Barclay Brothers in Cairo

(or The Roots of Oak Park’s “Sign of the Golden Lion”)

By Anna-Maria Manuel

Published December 24, 2022.

Updated March 26, 2024.

Please note: According to R. Burnham Moffat’s “The Barclays of New York: Who They Are and Who They Are Not, — and Some other Barclays” (Robert Grier Cooke, 1904), there were four individuals named “Philander Barclay” in the family of bicycle mechanic and Oak Park Village Historian, Philander Walker Barclay. Apparently, it was a popular name in the family. To avoid confusion in this article, Philander Barclay, aka “Bicycle Barclay,” is referred to as “Philander.” Philander Walker Barclay, the druggist and brother of James S. Barclay, is referred to as “P.W.”

Despite this article’s exotic-sounding main title, James S. Barclay (January 17, 1831 – January 23, 1902 [1]) and his brother P.W. Barclay (December 30, 1832 -- July 6, 1907 [2]) were not druggists in Egypt, but in the southern Illinois city of Cairo, pronounced Kay-ro.

James, the father of Philander Barclay, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, [3] “the nation’s first pharmacy school.” [4]

According to his obituary, P.W., James’ brother and Philander's namesake, “learned the drug business in Philadelphia and established himself in Bowling Green, Ky during the Civil War, but came to Cairo in 1867.” [5]

James’ obituary in the February 1902 issue of The Western Druggist reported that he and his brother P.W. founded Barclay Brothers, a wholesale drug business at the corner of Dearborn and South Water streets in Chicago. The company operated in Chicago from 1854 until 1865, when the brothers moved the business to Cairo. [6]

There seems to be a clash of facts surrounding the Chicago business. Was P.W. in Kentucky or Chicago during the Civil War? Barclay Brothers may have been established as early as winter 1853, according to James’ obituary in the February 1902 Meyer Brothers Druggist. [7] The Oak Park Reporter mentioned 1867 — not 1865 — as the year James moved to Cairo. [8]

1. James S. Barclay obituary; The Oak Park Argus; January 24, 1902; pg. 1.

2. “P.W. Barclay’s Death Ends Noble Life”; The Cairo Bulletin; July 7, 1907; pg. 9.

3. James S. Barclay obituary; “Chicago” (section); The Western Druggist; February 1902; pg. 104.

4. https://www.sju.edu/departments/philadelphia-college-pharmacy. Accessed December 14, 2022.

5. “P.W. Barclay’s Death Ends Noble Life”; The Cairo Bulletin; July 7, 1907; pg. 9.

6. James S. Barclay obituary; “Chicago” (section); The Western Druggist; February 1902; pg. 104.

7. “News from Here and There”; James S. Barclay obituary; Meyer Brothers Druggist; February 1902; pg. 46.

In this obituary, James S. Barclay is erroneously listed as James C. Barclay.

8. “The Golden Lion”; Oak Park Reporter; June 19, 1891; pg. 4.

Business in Cairo

Despite the discrepancy as to when Barclay Brothers opened in Cairo, the business was more than likely well established and popular by 1868, since the masthead of the newly formed Cairo Evening Bulletin gave the address of their Editorial Rooms as “Ohio Levee, over Barclay’s Drug Store.” [9]

In Cairo, Barclay Brothers served wholesale and retail customers. [10] The brothers sold everything, from “pure drugs and chemicals,” “genuine patent medicines” to “pure wines and liquors for medicinal use.” [11] Ah, the pre-FDA days!

If the brothers couldn’t sell you medicines, they had you covered for other needs:

“Colognes, extracts, pomades, soaps, etc. — all of the best quality” [12]
Blue Lick and Saratoga spring water [13]
Horse and cattle medicine and disinfectants for stables [14]
“Wax flower material,” varnishes, toilet articles, “dye stuffs,” and window glass [15]
Paint and oil (like linseed oil). [16]

The Barclay Brothers opened a second location at the corner of Washington Avenue and 8th Street, on July 3, 1872. [17] This new location served retail clients and filled prescriptions, while the original location, at 74 Ohio Levee, served wholesale and retail clients. [18]

9. Masthead; The Cairo Evening Bulletin; December 21, 1868; pg. 1 (Newspaper’s first issue.)

10. “News from Here and There”; James S. Barclay obituary; Meyer Brothers Druggist; February 1902; pg. 46.

In this obituary, James S. Barclay is erroneously listed as James C. Barclay.

11. Barclay Brothers ad; The Cairo Evening Bulletin; December 21, 1868; pg. 2.

12. Barclays’ Drug Store ad; The Cairo Bulletin; June 3, 1870; pg. 3.

13. Barclay Brothers ad; The Cairo Bulletin; November 25, 1870; pg. 4.

14. Barclay Brothers ad; The Cairo Daily Bulletin; December 6, 1872; pg. 2

15. Barclay Bros. ad; The Cairo Bulletin; November 14, 1874; pg. 1.

16. Barclay Bros. ad; The Cairo Bulletin; March 31, 1876; pg. 2.

17. The Cairo Bulletin; July 3, 1872; pg. 4.

18. Barclay Bros. ad; The Cairo Bulletin; November 14, 1874; pg. 1.

Interior of the drug store at Washington Avenue and Eighth Street, Cairo, Illinois, 1887. Left to right: James S. Barclay, Ned Taylor (porter), P.W. Barclay, and Mr. Rowe (clerk).

Photo and information from Barclay Photo Collection, Book 6; pg. 15; BB54G; Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest.

Masthead for The Cairo Evening Bulletin from December 21, 1868, the first issue of the newspaper. Note that the Editorial Rooms were advertised as being “over Barclay’s Drug Store,” perhaps indicating the popularity or familiarity of the business.

An 1881 map of Cairo, Illinois. The Barclay Brothers’ first store was on Ohio Levee. The second store was at the corner of Washington Avenue and 8th (or Eighth) Street. From: https://www.loc.gov/item/75693203/; accessed December 22, 2022.

This Barclay Brothers ad lists their two locations and identifying features: 74 Ohio Levee, Sign of the Golden Lion, and Corner of Washington Avenue and Eighth Street, Sign of the Crystal Mortar. When James opened his drug store in Oak Park, he retained the gilded lion statue from the Ohio Levee shop and the name, Sign of the Golden Lion. From The Cairo Bulletin, December 18, 1873, pg. 1.

Barclay Brothers stocked a lot of stuff! From The Cairo Bulletin, October 3, 1877, pg. 2.

One wonders whether this is an illustration of the original store at 74 Ohio Levee or a generic drawing. The ad lists the two locations. The Levee address conducted wholesale and retail business, while the other location took care of retail customers and prescriptions. From The Cairo Daily Bulletin, December 6, 1872, pg. 2.

Christmas ad. From The Cairo Daily Bulletin, December 25, 1883, pg. 4.

A Barclay Brothers (Cairo) drug bottle with their Golden Lion logo molded into the glass. From: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/cairo-ill-barclay-bros-emb-lion-116220291; accessed December 15, 2022.

A Victorian trade card, a type of business card, issued by the Barclay Brothers, the drug business established by James S. Barclay and his brother P.W. Barclay. Trade card from the author’s collection.

After Barclay Brothers

The exact year when James and P.W. dissolved their drug business in Cairo is unclear. The Western Druggist cited 1891. [19] The Oak Park Argus reported 1888. [20]

After retiring from the drug business, P.W. became a general agent of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. [21]

James and his wife Mary headed back north to Chicago, “for the benefit of [her] health.” [22]

In June 1891, James opened his drug store, Sign of the Golden Lion, in Oak Park, in Dunlop’s Block, [23] at the northwest corner of Marion Street and North Boulevard. He continued to work in the store until a couple months before he died in 1902. [24]

19. James S. Barclay obituary; “Chicago” (section); The Western Druggist; February 1902; pg. 104.

20. James S. Barclay obituary; The Oak Park Argus; January 24, 1902; pg. 1.

21. “P.W. Barclay’s Death Ends Noble Life”; The Cairo Bulletin; July 7, 1907; pg. 9.

22. James S. Barclay obituary; “Chicago” (section); The Western Druggist; February 1902; pg. 104.

23. “The Golden Lion”; Oak Park Reporter; June 19, 1891; pg. 4.

24. “Death of J.S. Barclay”; Oak Leaves; January 24, 1902; pg. 4.

An ad for James Barclay’s drugstore in Oak Park. From The Oak Park Reporter, September 18, 1891, pg. 8.