The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum Archival Collection is comprised of the letters, invoices, account books, and ledgers of the apothecary and pharmacy business owned by the Stablers and Leadbeater families from 1792-1933, in Alexandria, Virginia. 

The business was founded by Quaker apothecary Edward Stabler in 1792 after an apprenticeship training with his brother in Leesburg, Virginia. A devout Quaker, Stabler traveled frequently in his service to the Quaker faith and often left his eldest son, William, to run the business in his absence. Upon his father's death, William Stabler assumed control of the business. After several years, his brother-in-law, John Leadbeater, an apothecary and dentist, joined the business as a partner. William Stabler's death in 1852 made John the sole proprietor and the business name changed from Stabler to Leadbeater. John's eldest son, Edward Stabler Leadbeater ran the business upon John's death in 1860, eventually turning the business over to his three sons, Clarence, John, and Edward Stabler Leadbeater, Jr. The business finally closed in bankruptcy in 1933, and the contents and archives were sold at auction. A civic-minded group of locals, the Landmark Society, as well as a Baltimore ice cream merchant, L. Manuel Hendler, purchased a majority of the lots and opened the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum to the public in 1939. This organization, the Landmark Society, operated the museum from 1939-2006, when the museum was donated to the City of Alexandria. 

Search the The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum Archival Collection by placing a name, date, or document name in the search box. The Archival Collection includes the types of scanned documents listed below. More documents will be added in future.

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