Daily AncestorApothecary
An apothecary prepared and sold medicines, and in colonial times often gave medical advice too, an early form of pharmacist.
Apothecaries mixed remedies from herbs and chemicals and sold them in their shops. In colonial America, where trained doctors were few, an apothecary might also treat patients.
During the 1800s Americans increasingly said druggist, and later pharmacist. An apothecary in a record points to an older document or an English usage.
As seen in a recordColonial and early 1800s records
Jno. Pell, apothecary, New York
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Daily Ancestor. "Apothecary." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/apothecary. Last checked 2026-10-01.