DEWAYNE'S CORNER | History of Graves Drug Company

In 1912, a young man from Mansfield, Ark. graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in Missouri. Wm Dixon, then 21, accepted a position as a registered pharmacist in Ardmore, OK. He entered the business world of his chosen profession to serve people with desire and ambition.

A traveling pharmaceutical salesman suggested to young Graves that he form a partnership with another young pharmacist, Carl Jones, and that they buy a drugstore in Pernell, Ok.. The partnership was formed and from the Pernell store, with a dream of a chain of stores in their minds. Jones and Graves, in 1924 opened the Jones and Graves Drug in Marlow.

In 1926, they bought the Palace Drug in Duncan. Mr. Jones would manage the Duncan store while Mr. Graves managed the Marlow store.

Jones and Graves became the gathering place for young people. To listen to the Victrola and sip sodas. One of the young ladies was a new member of Marlow, Ethel Rogers from Quanah, TX. She caught the eye and fancy of young Graves. Ethel and Dixon were married May 5, 1925. To this union, on Feb. 17, 1926, was born an only son, Jack Dixon Graves.

Another store in Maud, OK, was purchased during these years, but was sold. The Jones-Graves partnership was dissolved in 1950. The Jones family continued to live in Duncan and the Graves family would continued Graves Drug Company in Marlow.

After high school graduation and serving in the U.S. Air Corps during World War 11, Jack D. Graves returned home and married Betty Sparks. Jack graduated from O.U. School of Pharmacy in 1950, returning home again to follow the chosen profession of his father and himself in Graves Drug.

Wm Graves died March 9, 1969. Jack and his mother Ethel continued to operate the family-owned business in Marlow, for better health and service to the community they loved. I had an accident at work and went and asked Jack for some bandaids and he said "No, you need stitches". That's the kind of people they were, always concerned with your health. After his mother's passing Jack closed the store and worked for Marlow WalMart and when Gary Newberry opened Newberry Pharmacy he worked for Gary a few years until retirement. A great friend.

Just one of the long-running businesses I remember in Marlow. A GREAT place to grow up in and Live, MARLOW, OKLAHOMA U.S.A.