From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 378-379.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


CHARLES J. MENKMELLER

Charles J. Menkemeller, a well-known druggist of Wheeling, is a 
native of the city, born April 16, 1856.  His father, Henry 
Menkemeller, who was born at Bielefield, near Berlin, Prussia, was 
there married to Mary Bruhn, and in 1854 came with his family to 
America.  He resided for a brief period at New Orleans, but soon came 
to Wheeling, and being a skillful craftsman, became a nail plate 
shearsman at the Belmont Nail works, where he has ever since been 
engaged, occupying the position of foreman.  His father and brother 
were both killed in the Franco-Prussian war.  He has reared a family 
of seven children: Charles J., Harry, George, Henry, William, Mary 
and Emma.  Charles J. Menkemeller was reared in this city, and having 
a liking for the drug trade, found employment in 1872 in Bocking & 
Carrol's drugstore at the corner of Twenty-fourth and Chapline 
streets, where he remained a year and a half.  He then was engaged 
for four years with Edmund Bocking, and in the fall of 1874 went to 
Philadelphia and entered the employment of Dr. Vernon, in his drug 
store.  At the same time he was taking a course of pharmacy in the 
Philadelphia college of pharmacy, at which he was graduated in 1876.  
After taking charge of a West Philadelphia drug store for eight 
months he returned to Wheeling and became a clerk for C. Schenepf for 
eighteen months.  In the summer of 1878 he embarked in business for 
himself, succeeding Hugh I. Roberts at the Central drug store, and 
since 1880 he has occupied his present business location, where he 
has built an extensive and lucrative trade.  He is secretary of the 
West Virginia Pharmaceutical association, and is a member of the 
Masonic order.  He was married in 1884 to Clara L., daughter of John 
W. and Kate (DeRolf) Stevens, of Barnesville, Ohio, and has two 
children, Gertrude and Earl. 


(Linda Fluharty)