Stone Gardens: The Applegate family were early trailblazers in the pharmacy business in Northwest Arkansas
- Dennis McCaslin
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
John Buchanan Applegate lived a life rooted in service, family tradition, and community stewardship in Northwest Arkansas.
As a pharmacist, veteran, and father, he helped sustain the Applegate family’s multi-generational legacy in the drugstore business during an era of growth, challenges, and change in Benton County.
Born on October 2, 1890, in Rogers, John was the son of Joseph Edgar “J.E.” Applegate (1857–1937) and Anna Buchanan Applegate (1860–1921). His father, originally from Illinois, arrived in Rogers in late 1881 with his brother A.R. and purchased a drugstore shortly after the town’s founding as a railroad hub.
J.E. built a thriving business, later constructing a notable 1906 masonry building. John grew up immersed in the family pharmacy environment in Rogers before moving into Bentonville operations.
He had several siblings, many of whom entered the profession, and completed schooling consistent with the family’s apprenticeship-to-ownership path for pharmacists.
After finishing school around 1920, John returned to Bentonville and acquired a drugstore at 103 N. Main St. He operated Applegate Drug Store successfully for decades, serving as a vital community resource for prescriptions, sundries, and local needs.
he store’s prescription files dated back to 1900, with one of the Southwest’s most complete stocks. A major setback occurred on October 3, 1945, when fire broke out in the basement of the three-story Terry building housing the store.
Damage reached about $40,000 total; the drugstore’s stock and fixtures (valued at around $25,000) were a near-total loss, though the building itself sustained less structural damage. Assistance came from the Rogers Fire Department and Camp Crowder, Missouri.
John’s business recovered, underscoring his perseverance. His son George Joseph “Joe” Applegate (1923–1997) continued the tradition, helping in the store from a young age and later opening his own Rexall location in Bentonville in 1957.
John is honored as a veteran on his headstone, with the inscription “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.” Given his birth year, he was of prime age for World War I service (likely 1917–1919). Public records do not detail his exact unit, rank, or deployments in readily available sources, but many Benton County men served in the U.S. Army during that conflict.
His veteran status and burial in a Knights of Pythias-linked plot reinforce a commitment to duty.
His son Joe later served in WWII, extending the family military tradition.
John married Blanche R. Marney Applegate (1897–1993) in 1921. They raised a family in Bentonville, contributing through business and civic involvement typical of pharmacists. He navigated personal losses, including the death of daughter Nancy in 1932 at a young age, and broader family challenges. His father J.E. and mother Anna predeceased him, as did several siblings.
John passed away on October 15, 1951, in Bentonville. He is buried in Bentonville Cemetery His wife Blanche lived until 1993. Son Joe carried forward the pharmacy name and opened a new store, preserving the family’s commercial footprint.
The Applegate Drug Stores symbolized small-town Arkansas enterprise, blending professional healthcare with soda fountains and daily commerce. John’s era bridged the pioneer pharmacy founding in 1881 to post-WWII modernization.
In an age of chain stores and rapid change, John Buchanan Applegate’s dedication to the independent pharmacy model left a lasting imprint on Benton County’s heritage.
