J. Brown Baxley

Artist: Louis P. Dieterich; Oil on canvas

J. Brown Baxley was born in Baltimore and educated at St Mary’s Seminary. At 17, he went to Philadelphia and studied pharmacy there. He went south and for ten years operated a drug store in Mobile Alabama. In 1844, he returned to Baltimore and for many years conducted a pharmacy at the corner of Howard and Franklin streets, removing to Madison Avenue and McMechen Street in 1877 where he established himself under the firm name of J. Brown Baxley & Son.

It was Baxley who suggested an organization of pharmacists in the 1850’s which resulted in the reorganization of the Maryland College of Pharmacy. In 1870, the General Assembly of Maryland enacted a law to be locally applied to the city of Baltimore, he being the first appointed commissioner and the first president of the Maryland Board of Pharmacy.

He served the college in various positions being always faithful to his trust. He was for a short time its president and for many years its treasurer. He was also prominent in the American Pharmaceutical Association in its early history and was for some time its treasurer. Whatever duty he accepted was to bestow upon it all the power of his mind and body.

He retired from business and sold the pharmacy to his son Dr. Henry M. Baxley who was associated with him. After the pharmacy was sold Dr. Baxley took great interest in the Baltimore General Dispensary where he was employed as a young man.  He served as president of the organization for twenty-eight years, and held that position at the time of his death.

He was one of the oldest and most reputable pharmacists of Baltimore and died at his residence at 1531 Madison Avenue on March 30, 1896.