RS174dj S. Mansfield & Co. Stamp Block, Memphis, TN

Soon after he opened the door of his apothecary shop in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1840, Samuel Mansfield inserted an announcement in the Memphis Daily Enquirer “On Madison Street nearly opposite the Post Office.” Three decades later he entered into a partnership with Hugh H. Higbee under the firm name of Mansfield and Higbee. Between them they had several proprietaries to promote including Dr. Brazier’s Liver Cor­dial; Dr. Gilbert’s Tetter Ointment; Texas Tonic Syrup; Dr. Jackson’s Female Vigorator and Dr. Gunn’s Eureka Life Cordial. Gradually they developed their own proprietaries including Mansfield’s Arnica Liniment; Chill and Fever Tonic; and others. When Higbee dropped out of the firm in 1875 the new firm was called S. Mansfield and Co., wholesale and manufacturing druggist. In the 1880’s the firm name was again changed to Mansfield Drug co. and in 1895, Van Vleet and Company, wholesale druggists of Memphis, took over the firm which was in turn purchased by McKesson and Robbins in 1930. (Holcombe, Henry W., Stamp and Cover Collector’s Review, 3: 139-141 July, 1939)