Roy & Pauline McBeath Pitkin

PITKIN MCBEATH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/13/2010 at 20:14:12

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Roy and Pauline (McBeath) Pitkin
By Pauline Pitkin Roman

Roy Pitkin, son of William and Mary Pitkin, moved to Anthon, Iowa, form Underwood, Iowa, in 1914 to clerk in the McNiff Brothers Drug Store and to play with the famous local baseball team. He usually played outfield and his specialty was stealing bases. His interest in pharmacy as a career was kindled and so three years later he enrolled in Highland Park college of Pharmacy (later to be incorporated into Drake University) in Des Moines. After only six months of college work, he passed the state Pharmacy Board Examination. Then he returned to Anthon, to work in McNiff’s store and play another season baseball.

With the onset of World War I he enlisted in the Navy as pharmacist’s mate and served on Goat Island in San Francisco Bay. He was later sent to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy for more training. With the war’s end he returned to Anthon. Meanwhile, one of the McNiff brothers had died in France and the other wasn’t a registered pharmacist. Roy wanted to buy the store but had very little cash. Arrangements were made for a loan from the Anthon State Bank, and Mrs. Mary McNiff took Roy’s note. His full cash resource consisted of a twenty-dollar god piece which he put into the cash register drawer and Pitkin’s Drug Store was opened for business. The year was 1919, the summer was hot, the crops were good, and the speeded-up economy of the post-war period was in full swing. Roy paid off his loans as fast as he could and established a practice of maintaining good credit ratings with his wholesale suppliers. In later years, when economic conditions soured in the 1930’s, he was able to weather the Great Depression and maintain his service to the community.

In 1921, Roy married Pauline McBeath who had grown up in Anthon, attended College in Mankato, Minnesota, and returned to Anthon to teach first and second grade. They had four children, all born in Anthon: Barbara Jane, 1922; Priscilla Ann, 1925; Helen Janet, 1927; and Roy McBeath, 1934.

Barbara (Weirch), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has born children: Tom, Paula, Scott and Gretchen.

Priscilla (Gilbet), St Louis, Missouri, has four children: Richard, Virginia, William and Roderick.

Helen (Johnson), Moberly, Missouri, has three children: Allison, Janet and Elizabeth.

Dr Roy M Pitkin, Iowa City, Iowa, has four children: Barbara, Robert, Kathryn and William.

Roy continued in business until 1955 when his health began to fail. He sold his store after thirty-six years of hard work, long hours and appreciation of all the community had done for him and his family. Times were changing and the nature of the old time drug store was changing too. Roy realized this and accepted it.

He died suddenly December 14, 1957, in his easy chair, in his beloved home with his wife of thirty-six years beside him. He was buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Anthon. He belonged to the Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, and served for many years on the town council.