Historic Louisiana

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Above: Morris & Dickson’s warehouse from
1905 to 1984 on Travis Street is now a
downtown hotel.
Below: Even in its early years, Morris &
Dickson took great care to provide the
best pharmaceuticals.
MORRIS &
DICKSON
CO., LTD.
HISTORIC LOUISIANA
116
With a history dating back over 160 years,
Morris & Dickson Co., the oldest familyowned
drug wholesaler in the United States,
combines traditional customer service with
cutting-edge technology to continue as a
leader in the field.
In the spring of 1838, John W. Morris and
Thomas Henry Morris, brothers from Wales,
received degrees in pharmacy and chemistry
and immigrated to the United States. With a
letter of recommendation from the Church of
England, they met with Bishop Leonidas Polk.
Bishop Polk told them, “Shreveport is
destined to be one of the most considerable
towns of the upper Red River.” In 1841 they
opened J.W. Morris & Co., an apothecary
shop, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Despite the adverse effects of the Civil War,
Reconstruction, and an 1873 yellow fever
epidemic, the community, with its financial
base including timber, cotton, and retail
commerce, prospered, and the business grew
along with it. After John Morris’ death in
1854, his brother Thomas changed the
business’ name to T.H. Morris & Co.
A dozen miles upstream from Shreveport,
the Dickson family operated Rush Point
Plantation. Two of the family’s sons, W. L. and
Samuel A. Dickson, studied medicine at
Tulane and eventually set up practice in
Shreveport as doctors and social leaders. In
1885, Dr. Samuel Dickson purchased an
interest in the Morris Company, the name
of which had been changed to Iler, Morris &
Hibbett. After Thomas Morris’ death, his
son, Allen Morris, continued working in
the business.
In 1896, the company was incorporated in
the name Morris & Dickson Co., LTD., and
with Allen Morris’ departure to Fort Smith,
Arkansas, W.L. Dickson bought his interest.
That left the company under the management
of the Dickson family where it continues into
its third century.
In addition to leading the company’s
growth and prosperity, S.A. Dickson was
active in civic affairs, serving as city
councilman and for two terms as mayor. He
also was the head of the levee board, of vital
importance to a river community, and was
influential in state politics. After the deaths of
W.L. Dickson in 1912 and S.A. Dickson in
1916, the company’s presidents have been
Mrs. W.L. Dickson, 1916-1920; S.A.’s son,
Allen Dickson, 1920-1924; Claudius
Markham Dickson, 1924-1946; Markham
Allen Dickson, 1952-1995; and Markham
Allen Dickson, Jr., 1995 to present. Markham