Blacknall family scrapbooks, ledgers and other materials

Sadie Fuller Blount Blacknall (1862-1933) grew up in Durham, the daughter of R.H.J. Blount and his wife Sarah E. Blount. In 1881 she married Richard Doak “Dick” Blacknall (1847-1900), the first pharmacist in Durham. Richard Doak Blacknall was the son of Dr. Richard Blacknall (1809-1881), a physician. Together they established Blacknall’s Drugstore, which stood on North Corcoran Street from its establishment in 1873 until it was destroyed by fire in 1914. Blacknall’s Drugstore moved into the new building constructed after the fire at the same location. The company remained a tenant until 1932, when it moved west on West Main Street and became Durham Drug Company, which existed until 1986. Sadie and Richard Doak Blacknall were prominent members of the Presbyterian Church. Richard, his father, and brother established the Presbyterian congregation in West Durham in 1892 as a mission, based from First Presbyterian downtown. This collection also contains the ledgers of James “JR” Blacknall (1843-1923), Richard Doak Blacknall’s brother, who became the first sheriff of Durham in 1881.