Some time ago, Fourth Friday’s Chris Davis gave us a poster in a frame. We thought you might like to see some of the stores and businesses that were seemingly everywhere in the bustling community of Columbia. The poster measures about 11 1/2 inches wide x 18 inches high which is larger that our scanner can accommodate easily. So we scanned it in sections and tried to construct a composite replica.

We’re uncertain of the age of the poster, but if anyone can shed any light, or wants to share any history on the poster or any of the businesses, send an email to 17512@mail.com or post a comment.

ONE SIDE OF THE ADVERTISING POSTER

and THE OTHER SIDE

While this does not exactly date the poster, we found this information about the owner of Markel’s Drug Store. We’re guessing the poster is from around 1920.

“Chester Franklin Markel, son of Emmanuel and Margaret (Frey) Markel, was born  November 13, 1853, Shrewsbury, York county, Pennsylvania, and was educated in schools of the neighborhood. After teaching for a time he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, graduating in 1875 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then engaged in general practice in Winterstown, Pennsylvania, removing at the end of two years to Columbia, Pennsylvania, where he has since resided, having retired from active practice in 1912. In that year he became president of the Central National Bank of Columbia, of which he had been long a director, and he also holds directorships in a number of financial and industrial enterprises of his community.

“Dr. Markel owns and conducts a large drug store in his home town. He is a Democrat, and for sixteen years occupied a seat in the council of Columbia. He belongs to the Pennsylvania State and York County Medical associations, the Order of Artisans and the Heptasophs, and is a member of the Lutheran church, in which for a number of years he served as treasurer and deacon.

“Dr. Markel married, in February, 1876, Zana, daughter of Cornelius S. and Rebecca (Kline-felter) Beck, of Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, and their children are: James Clyde, mentioned below ; Maude, wife of Albert A. Becker, of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and mother of two children : Elva, of Columbia, Pennsylvania; Chester F., of Jacksonville, Florida, is married but has no children ; and Clarence Beck, of Columbia, Pennsylvania.

“Dr. James Clyde Markel, son of Chester Franklin and Zana (Beck) Markel, was born December 17, 1877, at Winterstown, York county, Pennsylvania, and received his education in schools of Columbia, Pennsylvania, attending its high school, from which he graduated. In 1900(?) he received from Gettysburg College the degree of Bachelor of Science and later that of Master of Science. Immediately after graduating he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania and in 1904 the institution conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

“After spending fourteen months as interne in the Germantown Hospital, Philadelphia, and one year at the Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Dr. Markel came in 1907 to Pittsburgh, and entered into practice as an ophthalmologist. In 1912 he associated himself with Dr. William F. Robeson, maintaining the connection until Dr. Robeson’s death, but has since practiced alone. He is a member of the staff of the Eye and Ear Hospital and of that of the Mercy Hospital, also holding the position of ophthalmologist for the Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Blind.

“Dr. Markel is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Pittsburgh Ophthalmological Society, the American Medical Association, the Pennsylvania State Medical Association and the Allegheny County Medical Society. He also belongs to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Alpha Omega Alpha, an honorary medical fraternity.

“In politics Dr. Markel is a Democrat, but the demands of his profession allow him to give no more attention to public affairs than is required of every conscientious citizen. He is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.”

In a “news brief” from the March 15, 1893 “Jewelers Circular and Horological Review,” this snippet stated, “H.F. Yergey, Columbia, Pa., who has been ill for some days past has been able to again attend to business.”

The January 1906 issue of “The Railroad Trainmen’s Journal,” among the new subscribers listed in Columbia, was the undertaker, J.H. Ostertag. It was rather commonplace for furniture stores to double up as undertakers; see the J.H. Ostertag ad on the first page.

To  be continued on Thursday.