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(Text and Images from Stack & Beasley 1902)
"In 1874, Mr. J.R. [John Roland] English, then a young man just 21 years old, came from the Quaker settlement of Guilford and pitched his tent in Monroe. Today no man in the county stands ahead of him in the public's confidence in his integrity of character, thrift and business enterprise. Since the beginning, with slight intermissions, he has continued in the drug business, beginning as clerk for Blair, Walsh & Flow, druggists. With H.C. Ashcraft he soon bought out the old firm, and as English & Ashcraft moved to his present stand in 1883. In 1885 he bought his partner's interest. In 1888, he, with Mr. S.O. Blair, bought out L.H. Blair & Co., and a year later the two stocks were united, Mr. English and Mr. S.O. Blair forming the present English Drug Company.
"The firm has a branch store in Raleigh—C.B. Crowell & Co.—and has at different times established branch stores at other points, and afterwards disposing of them. The firm enjoys a large retail, jobbing and country store supply trade. Beside this business, Mr. English is thoroughly identified with all the various interests of the town.
"Mr. Blair has been in the drug business since boyhood. He graduated at the Maryland College of Pharmacy in 1888, and immediately began business in Monroe.
"Mr. Frank [Franklin Stevens] English, another pharmacist of the company, graduated at the Maryland College of Pharmacy in the class of 1900."
Children of John Roland English (1851-1915) and Margaret Ann Stevens: Franklin Stevens (1879-1916), Mildred Estelle (1881-1966), Allen Tomlinson (1882-1933), Nereus Clarkson (1884-1952), Elizabeth Stewart (1887-1952), Eleanor Phifer (1890-1955), John Roland (1892-1962), Mary Stevens (1895-1992), Dewey Lee (1898-1959) and Everett Steven (1900-1961).