AZOR THURSTON Was born on the farm, in Oxford Township, Erie County, Ohio, January 6, 1861, son of Asher and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. Shortly after his birth the family removed to Wood county, and soon after purchased land in section 10 of what is now Grand Rapids township. Our subject worked on the farm in summer and attended the district school in winter until he was fourteen, when he came to the "Rapids" and took a 4 years course in the graded schools. In 1879 he entered the Ohio State University, Columbus, and took a course in chemistry. In 1883 he entered the University of Michigan, where he took the course in pharmacy and continued analytical chemistry.
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes. and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and grooved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A. M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids
Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston carries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
----------------------------------------------------------
In memory of Azor Thurston, one of the eleven Founders of the Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, formed at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, on Friday evening, November 2, 1883. Azor Thurston served as our national president from 1915 to 1921 (including the great campus disruptions during World War I). As of November 2015, Phi Delta Chi has grown to 99 collegiate Chapters and initiated over 61,000 men and women (www.phideltachi.org).
Azor Thurston (1861-1922), the “Grand Old Man” of Phi Delta Chi, was born on January 6, 1861, on a farm in Oxford, OH to Asher E. and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. His father was a farmer and his mother kept house. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Wood County and purchased land in what is now Grand Rapids, OH. As a young boy, he worked the farm during the summer and attended the district school in the winter. At age 14, he entered the village graded schools on a four-year course.
After graduation in 1869, Brother Thurston entered Ohio State University taking a course in chemistry. In 1883, he entered the University of Michigan taking a course in pharmacy and continuing with analytical chemistry. He left the University of Michigan in 1884 and did not graduate with a pharmacy degree. In 1885, he opened a pharmacy in Grand Rapids, OH, and successfully ran the business for 30 years.
On October 14, 1886, Brother Thurston married his wife, Miss Lucinda A. (“Lula”) Mead. They had one son, Newman Reed Thurston (1899-1952), who went on to become a Brother at Xi Chapter, Ohio State University.
Brother Thurston was a very accomplished Brother. He inaugurated the first telephone exchange in Grand Rapids. He also promoted the Grand Rapids Banking Company in 1900 and became a principal stockholder. His ability as a chemist was so highly regarded that, regardless of political affiliation, the Ohio State Pure Food and Drug Commission retained his services for 19 years, beginning in 1903. His articles contributed to the leading pharmaceutical journals attracted wide-spread attention, and the compilers of the Standard Dictionary asked him for detailed information as to certain technical terms. He was the president of the Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association from 1911-1912.
From 1916 to 1919, Brother Thurston was lecturer on Pharmaceutical Research at Ohio State University. Mr. Thurston compiled a text book, Pharmaceutical and Food Analyses, which is a marvel of detail and reference completeness. He was a profound student, his personal library containing bound volumes of many texts and the leading text and reference authors. He also had a private laboratory that was complete and modern in every respect. For his long and prominent work in pharmacy in Ohio, the University of Michigan conferred a pharmacy degree upon him [featured in Pharmaceutical Era, Nov. 26, 1908; ‘Cator 1909 Feb:41].
Brother Thurston received the name “Grand Old Man” for his untiring efforts to promote the welfare of the Fraternity, his congeniality, and his sterling principles as a whole made him exceedingly popular with both active and alumni Brothers.
Brother Thurston served as Grand President from 1915 to 1921. At the 21st Grand Council (Indianapolis, 1921) he was presented with a gold watch for his work in the Fraternity.
Brother Thurston was preceded in death by his wife, Lula. She passed away on May 14, 1917. Brother Azor Thurston passed away on March 4, 1922, at age 60. His death was felt across the Fraternity. Grand President Emory Thurston attended his funeral as a representative of the Fraternity. Brother Azor Thurston is buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Grand Rapids. [blended from ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; Ammann, Alpha Tattler, 1994; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7]
In 1888, Brother Thurston formulated the now-celebrated Thurston’s Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. “His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston’s Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There’s no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor. The wonderful success of the Thurston’s Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well-known Thurston Remedies.”
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. … Mr. Thurston’s character: Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. “All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper’s expense.”
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck’s Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F&AM, Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant.
Every member of Phi Delta Chi is the loser through the untimely death of our most beloved Brother Azor Thurston. Brother Thurston died at his home in Grand Rapids, Ohio, from paralysis on Saturday, March 4 [1922]. He had been ill for approximately two months and for the several weeks preceding his death it was feared that he would not recover. His funeral was held on Tuesday March 7, and was attended by Brother Grand President E. W. Thurston as a representative of the fraternity.
The loss to the fraternity is so great it cannot be expressed through words. Our entire membership cannot fail to realize what Azor Thurston meant to the fraternity. It gives to all of us the feeling that we can but try a little harder ourselves to do something for the fraternity which will in a small way offset our loss. The following paragraph will tell you something regarding Brother Thurston’s life but not nearly enough. It is impossible to put in type anything which will begin to give us a true word picture of the man. …
It was while attending the University of Michigan in 1883 that Brother Thurston, together with ten other men organized to form what we all know is now one of the leading scientific fraternities of the country. Records tell us that these men worked faithfully and I am sure the present status of the fraternity would give those that have gone every reason to believe that work was not in vain. We have always talked of Brother Thurston as the “Grand Old Man,” and he was well worthy of such a name. His untiring efforts to promote the fraternity, his congeniality, and his principles as a whole made him the everlasting friend and brother of the chapters. … At the time of his death he was engaged in one of the fraternity’s greatest problems, that of compiling a history and directory, which great work still necessarily have to be completed by those now in office.
He was regarded as a leading citizen of Grand Rapids, Ohio, from 1882 to the time of his death in 1922. Brother Thurston was a member of several social organizations and at the date of his death was a past master of the Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F.&A.M. and was treasurer of Grand Rapids Chapter No. 356, O.E.S. [He was the village treasurer for many years.]
The untimely death of Brother Thurston marks a milestone in the history of Phi Delta Chi, and more particularly in the history of our own chapter. Thoughts, not words, are appropriate. In Tau Chapter’s Katalyzer we find what few words can best approach our feelings: “It seems rather futile to recount the things he has done or to tell of the fraternalism for which he has stood. He needs no monument. The fraternity stands as a living memorial to his life of service, and his example may well serve as a model for all Phi Delta Chi’s to pattern after.” Grave: Beaver Creek Cemetery, Grand Rapids, 55602616. [blended from 1920s manuscript; ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; www.grandrapidshistoricalsociety.org/thurston-azor.html; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7].
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes. and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and grooved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A. M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids
Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston carries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
----------------------------------------------------------
In memory of Azor Thurston, one of the eleven Founders of the Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, formed at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, on Friday evening, November 2, 1883. Azor Thurston served as our national president from 1915 to 1921 (including the great campus disruptions during World War I). As of November 2015, Phi Delta Chi has grown to 99 collegiate Chapters and initiated over 61,000 men and women (www.phideltachi.org).
Azor Thurston (1861-1922), the “Grand Old Man” of Phi Delta Chi, was born on January 6, 1861, on a farm in Oxford, OH to Asher E. and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. His father was a farmer and his mother kept house. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Wood County and purchased land in what is now Grand Rapids, OH. As a young boy, he worked the farm during the summer and attended the district school in the winter. At age 14, he entered the village graded schools on a four-year course.
After graduation in 1869, Brother Thurston entered Ohio State University taking a course in chemistry. In 1883, he entered the University of Michigan taking a course in pharmacy and continuing with analytical chemistry. He left the University of Michigan in 1884 and did not graduate with a pharmacy degree. In 1885, he opened a pharmacy in Grand Rapids, OH, and successfully ran the business for 30 years.
On October 14, 1886, Brother Thurston married his wife, Miss Lucinda A. (“Lula”) Mead. They had one son, Newman Reed Thurston (1899-1952), who went on to become a Brother at Xi Chapter, Ohio State University.
Brother Thurston was a very accomplished Brother. He inaugurated the first telephone exchange in Grand Rapids. He also promoted the Grand Rapids Banking Company in 1900 and became a principal stockholder. His ability as a chemist was so highly regarded that, regardless of political affiliation, the Ohio State Pure Food and Drug Commission retained his services for 19 years, beginning in 1903. His articles contributed to the leading pharmaceutical journals attracted wide-spread attention, and the compilers of the Standard Dictionary asked him for detailed information as to certain technical terms. He was the president of the Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association from 1911-1912.
From 1916 to 1919, Brother Thurston was lecturer on Pharmaceutical Research at Ohio State University. Mr. Thurston compiled a text book, Pharmaceutical and Food Analyses, which is a marvel of detail and reference completeness. He was a profound student, his personal library containing bound volumes of many texts and the leading text and reference authors. He also had a private laboratory that was complete and modern in every respect. For his long and prominent work in pharmacy in Ohio, the University of Michigan conferred a pharmacy degree upon him [featured in Pharmaceutical Era, Nov. 26, 1908; ‘Cator 1909 Feb:41].
Brother Thurston received the name “Grand Old Man” for his untiring efforts to promote the welfare of the Fraternity, his congeniality, and his sterling principles as a whole made him exceedingly popular with both active and alumni Brothers.
Brother Thurston served as Grand President from 1915 to 1921. At the 21st Grand Council (Indianapolis, 1921) he was presented with a gold watch for his work in the Fraternity.
Brother Thurston was preceded in death by his wife, Lula. She passed away on May 14, 1917. Brother Azor Thurston passed away on March 4, 1922, at age 60. His death was felt across the Fraternity. Grand President Emory Thurston attended his funeral as a representative of the Fraternity. Brother Azor Thurston is buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Grand Rapids. [blended from ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; Ammann, Alpha Tattler, 1994; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7]
In 1888, Brother Thurston formulated the now-celebrated Thurston’s Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. “His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston’s Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There’s no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor. The wonderful success of the Thurston’s Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well-known Thurston Remedies.”
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. … Mr. Thurston’s character: Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. “All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper’s expense.”
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck’s Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F&AM, Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant.
Every member of Phi Delta Chi is the loser through the untimely death of our most beloved Brother Azor Thurston. Brother Thurston died at his home in Grand Rapids, Ohio, from paralysis on Saturday, March 4 [1922]. He had been ill for approximately two months and for the several weeks preceding his death it was feared that he would not recover. His funeral was held on Tuesday March 7, and was attended by Brother Grand President E. W. Thurston as a representative of the fraternity.
The loss to the fraternity is so great it cannot be expressed through words. Our entire membership cannot fail to realize what Azor Thurston meant to the fraternity. It gives to all of us the feeling that we can but try a little harder ourselves to do something for the fraternity which will in a small way offset our loss. The following paragraph will tell you something regarding Brother Thurston’s life but not nearly enough. It is impossible to put in type anything which will begin to give us a true word picture of the man. …
It was while attending the University of Michigan in 1883 that Brother Thurston, together with ten other men organized to form what we all know is now one of the leading scientific fraternities of the country. Records tell us that these men worked faithfully and I am sure the present status of the fraternity would give those that have gone every reason to believe that work was not in vain. We have always talked of Brother Thurston as the “Grand Old Man,” and he was well worthy of such a name. His untiring efforts to promote the fraternity, his congeniality, and his principles as a whole made him the everlasting friend and brother of the chapters. … At the time of his death he was engaged in one of the fraternity’s greatest problems, that of compiling a history and directory, which great work still necessarily have to be completed by those now in office.
He was regarded as a leading citizen of Grand Rapids, Ohio, from 1882 to the time of his death in 1922. Brother Thurston was a member of several social organizations and at the date of his death was a past master of the Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F.&A.M. and was treasurer of Grand Rapids Chapter No. 356, O.E.S. [He was the village treasurer for many years.]
The untimely death of Brother Thurston marks a milestone in the history of Phi Delta Chi, and more particularly in the history of our own chapter. Thoughts, not words, are appropriate. In Tau Chapter’s Katalyzer we find what few words can best approach our feelings: “It seems rather futile to recount the things he has done or to tell of the fraternalism for which he has stood. He needs no monument. The fraternity stands as a living memorial to his life of service, and his example may well serve as a model for all Phi Delta Chi’s to pattern after.” Grave: Beaver Creek Cemetery, Grand Rapids, 55602616. [blended from 1920s manuscript; ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; www.grandrapidshistoricalsociety.org/thurston-azor.html; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7].
AZOR THURSTON Was born on the farm, in Oxford Township, Erie County, Ohio, January 6, 1861, son of Asher and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. Shortly after his birth the family removed to Wood county, and soon after purchased land in section 10 of what is now Grand Rapids township. Our subject worked on the farm in summer and attended the district school in winter until he was fourteen, when he came to the "Rapids" and took a 4 years course in the graded schools. In 1879 he entered the Ohio State University, Columbus, and took a course in chemistry. In 1883 he entered the University of Michigan, where he took the course in pharmacy and continued analytical chemistry.
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes. and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and grooved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A. M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids
Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston carries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
----------------------------------------------------------
In memory of Azor Thurston, one of the eleven Founders of the Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, formed at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, on Friday evening, November 2, 1883. Azor Thurston served as our national president from 1915 to 1921 (including the great campus disruptions during World War I). As of November 2015, Phi Delta Chi has grown to 99 collegiate Chapters and initiated over 61,000 men and women (www.phideltachi.org).
Azor Thurston (1861-1922), the “Grand Old Man” of Phi Delta Chi, was born on January 6, 1861, on a farm in Oxford, OH to Asher E. and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. His father was a farmer and his mother kept house. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Wood County and purchased land in what is now Grand Rapids, OH. As a young boy, he worked the farm during the summer and attended the district school in the winter. At age 14, he entered the village graded schools on a four-year course.
After graduation in 1869, Brother Thurston entered Ohio State University taking a course in chemistry. In 1883, he entered the University of Michigan taking a course in pharmacy and continuing with analytical chemistry. He left the University of Michigan in 1884 and did not graduate with a pharmacy degree. In 1885, he opened a pharmacy in Grand Rapids, OH, and successfully ran the business for 30 years.
On October 14, 1886, Brother Thurston married his wife, Miss Lucinda A. (“Lula”) Mead. They had one son, Newman Reed Thurston (1899-1952), who went on to become a Brother at Xi Chapter, Ohio State University.
Brother Thurston was a very accomplished Brother. He inaugurated the first telephone exchange in Grand Rapids. He also promoted the Grand Rapids Banking Company in 1900 and became a principal stockholder. His ability as a chemist was so highly regarded that, regardless of political affiliation, the Ohio State Pure Food and Drug Commission retained his services for 19 years, beginning in 1903. His articles contributed to the leading pharmaceutical journals attracted wide-spread attention, and the compilers of the Standard Dictionary asked him for detailed information as to certain technical terms. He was the president of the Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association from 1911-1912.
From 1916 to 1919, Brother Thurston was lecturer on Pharmaceutical Research at Ohio State University. Mr. Thurston compiled a text book, Pharmaceutical and Food Analyses, which is a marvel of detail and reference completeness. He was a profound student, his personal library containing bound volumes of many texts and the leading text and reference authors. He also had a private laboratory that was complete and modern in every respect. For his long and prominent work in pharmacy in Ohio, the University of Michigan conferred a pharmacy degree upon him [featured in Pharmaceutical Era, Nov. 26, 1908; ‘Cator 1909 Feb:41].
Brother Thurston received the name “Grand Old Man” for his untiring efforts to promote the welfare of the Fraternity, his congeniality, and his sterling principles as a whole made him exceedingly popular with both active and alumni Brothers.
Brother Thurston served as Grand President from 1915 to 1921. At the 21st Grand Council (Indianapolis, 1921) he was presented with a gold watch for his work in the Fraternity.
Brother Thurston was preceded in death by his wife, Lula. She passed away on May 14, 1917. Brother Azor Thurston passed away on March 4, 1922, at age 60. His death was felt across the Fraternity. Grand President Emory Thurston attended his funeral as a representative of the Fraternity. Brother Azor Thurston is buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Grand Rapids. [blended from ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; Ammann, Alpha Tattler, 1994; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7]
In 1888, Brother Thurston formulated the now-celebrated Thurston’s Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. “His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston’s Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There’s no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor. The wonderful success of the Thurston’s Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well-known Thurston Remedies.”
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. … Mr. Thurston’s character: Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. “All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper’s expense.”
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck’s Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F&AM, Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant.
Every member of Phi Delta Chi is the loser through the untimely death of our most beloved Brother Azor Thurston. Brother Thurston died at his home in Grand Rapids, Ohio, from paralysis on Saturday, March 4 [1922]. He had been ill for approximately two months and for the several weeks preceding his death it was feared that he would not recover. His funeral was held on Tuesday March 7, and was attended by Brother Grand President E. W. Thurston as a representative of the fraternity.
The loss to the fraternity is so great it cannot be expressed through words. Our entire membership cannot fail to realize what Azor Thurston meant to the fraternity. It gives to all of us the feeling that we can but try a little harder ourselves to do something for the fraternity which will in a small way offset our loss. The following paragraph will tell you something regarding Brother Thurston’s life but not nearly enough. It is impossible to put in type anything which will begin to give us a true word picture of the man. …
It was while attending the University of Michigan in 1883 that Brother Thurston, together with ten other men organized to form what we all know is now one of the leading scientific fraternities of the country. Records tell us that these men worked faithfully and I am sure the present status of the fraternity would give those that have gone every reason to believe that work was not in vain. We have always talked of Brother Thurston as the “Grand Old Man,” and he was well worthy of such a name. His untiring efforts to promote the fraternity, his congeniality, and his principles as a whole made him the everlasting friend and brother of the chapters. … At the time of his death he was engaged in one of the fraternity’s greatest problems, that of compiling a history and directory, which great work still necessarily have to be completed by those now in office.
He was regarded as a leading citizen of Grand Rapids, Ohio, from 1882 to the time of his death in 1922. Brother Thurston was a member of several social organizations and at the date of his death was a past master of the Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F.&A.M. and was treasurer of Grand Rapids Chapter No. 356, O.E.S. [He was the village treasurer for many years.]
The untimely death of Brother Thurston marks a milestone in the history of Phi Delta Chi, and more particularly in the history of our own chapter. Thoughts, not words, are appropriate. In Tau Chapter’s Katalyzer we find what few words can best approach our feelings: “It seems rather futile to recount the things he has done or to tell of the fraternalism for which he has stood. He needs no monument. The fraternity stands as a living memorial to his life of service, and his example may well serve as a model for all Phi Delta Chi’s to pattern after.” Grave: Beaver Creek Cemetery, Grand Rapids, 55602616. [blended from 1920s manuscript; ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; www.grandrapidshistoricalsociety.org/thurston-azor.html; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7].
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes. and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and grooved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A. M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids
Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston carries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
----------------------------------------------------------
In memory of Azor Thurston, one of the eleven Founders of the Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, formed at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, on Friday evening, November 2, 1883. Azor Thurston served as our national president from 1915 to 1921 (including the great campus disruptions during World War I). As of November 2015, Phi Delta Chi has grown to 99 collegiate Chapters and initiated over 61,000 men and women (www.phideltachi.org).
Azor Thurston (1861-1922), the “Grand Old Man” of Phi Delta Chi, was born on January 6, 1861, on a farm in Oxford, OH to Asher E. and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. His father was a farmer and his mother kept house. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Wood County and purchased land in what is now Grand Rapids, OH. As a young boy, he worked the farm during the summer and attended the district school in the winter. At age 14, he entered the village graded schools on a four-year course.
After graduation in 1869, Brother Thurston entered Ohio State University taking a course in chemistry. In 1883, he entered the University of Michigan taking a course in pharmacy and continuing with analytical chemistry. He left the University of Michigan in 1884 and did not graduate with a pharmacy degree. In 1885, he opened a pharmacy in Grand Rapids, OH, and successfully ran the business for 30 years.
On October 14, 1886, Brother Thurston married his wife, Miss Lucinda A. (“Lula”) Mead. They had one son, Newman Reed Thurston (1899-1952), who went on to become a Brother at Xi Chapter, Ohio State University.
Brother Thurston was a very accomplished Brother. He inaugurated the first telephone exchange in Grand Rapids. He also promoted the Grand Rapids Banking Company in 1900 and became a principal stockholder. His ability as a chemist was so highly regarded that, regardless of political affiliation, the Ohio State Pure Food and Drug Commission retained his services for 19 years, beginning in 1903. His articles contributed to the leading pharmaceutical journals attracted wide-spread attention, and the compilers of the Standard Dictionary asked him for detailed information as to certain technical terms. He was the president of the Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association from 1911-1912.
From 1916 to 1919, Brother Thurston was lecturer on Pharmaceutical Research at Ohio State University. Mr. Thurston compiled a text book, Pharmaceutical and Food Analyses, which is a marvel of detail and reference completeness. He was a profound student, his personal library containing bound volumes of many texts and the leading text and reference authors. He also had a private laboratory that was complete and modern in every respect. For his long and prominent work in pharmacy in Ohio, the University of Michigan conferred a pharmacy degree upon him [featured in Pharmaceutical Era, Nov. 26, 1908; ‘Cator 1909 Feb:41].
Brother Thurston received the name “Grand Old Man” for his untiring efforts to promote the welfare of the Fraternity, his congeniality, and his sterling principles as a whole made him exceedingly popular with both active and alumni Brothers.
Brother Thurston served as Grand President from 1915 to 1921. At the 21st Grand Council (Indianapolis, 1921) he was presented with a gold watch for his work in the Fraternity.
Brother Thurston was preceded in death by his wife, Lula. She passed away on May 14, 1917. Brother Azor Thurston passed away on March 4, 1922, at age 60. His death was felt across the Fraternity. Grand President Emory Thurston attended his funeral as a representative of the Fraternity. Brother Azor Thurston is buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Grand Rapids. [blended from ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; Ammann, Alpha Tattler, 1994; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7]
In 1888, Brother Thurston formulated the now-celebrated Thurston’s Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. “His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston’s Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alternative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There’s no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor. The wonderful success of the Thurston’s Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well-known Thurston Remedies.”
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. … Mr. Thurston’s character: Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning. “All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper’s expense.”
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck’s Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Druggist, The Analyst (London), and The Journal of the American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Master of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F&AM, Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291. O. O. F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I. O. O. F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 26, Patriarchs Militant.
Every member of Phi Delta Chi is the loser through the untimely death of our most beloved Brother Azor Thurston. Brother Thurston died at his home in Grand Rapids, Ohio, from paralysis on Saturday, March 4 [1922]. He had been ill for approximately two months and for the several weeks preceding his death it was feared that he would not recover. His funeral was held on Tuesday March 7, and was attended by Brother Grand President E. W. Thurston as a representative of the fraternity.
The loss to the fraternity is so great it cannot be expressed through words. Our entire membership cannot fail to realize what Azor Thurston meant to the fraternity. It gives to all of us the feeling that we can but try a little harder ourselves to do something for the fraternity which will in a small way offset our loss. The following paragraph will tell you something regarding Brother Thurston’s life but not nearly enough. It is impossible to put in type anything which will begin to give us a true word picture of the man. …
It was while attending the University of Michigan in 1883 that Brother Thurston, together with ten other men organized to form what we all know is now one of the leading scientific fraternities of the country. Records tell us that these men worked faithfully and I am sure the present status of the fraternity would give those that have gone every reason to believe that work was not in vain. We have always talked of Brother Thurston as the “Grand Old Man,” and he was well worthy of such a name. His untiring efforts to promote the fraternity, his congeniality, and his principles as a whole made him the everlasting friend and brother of the chapters. … At the time of his death he was engaged in one of the fraternity’s greatest problems, that of compiling a history and directory, which great work still necessarily have to be completed by those now in office.
He was regarded as a leading citizen of Grand Rapids, Ohio, from 1882 to the time of his death in 1922. Brother Thurston was a member of several social organizations and at the date of his death was a past master of the Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F.&A.M. and was treasurer of Grand Rapids Chapter No. 356, O.E.S. [He was the village treasurer for many years.]
The untimely death of Brother Thurston marks a milestone in the history of Phi Delta Chi, and more particularly in the history of our own chapter. Thoughts, not words, are appropriate. In Tau Chapter’s Katalyzer we find what few words can best approach our feelings: “It seems rather futile to recount the things he has done or to tell of the fraternalism for which he has stood. He needs no monument. The fraternity stands as a living memorial to his life of service, and his example may well serve as a model for all Phi Delta Chi’s to pattern after.” Grave: Beaver Creek Cemetery, Grand Rapids, 55602616. [blended from 1920s manuscript; ‘Cator 1922 May:45-6; 1960 May:9-10; www.grandrapidshistoricalsociety.org/thurston-azor.html; ‘Cator 2012 Spr:7].
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