H. L. and Margaret Ernest Collection. Material from the estate of Dr. and Mr. H.L. Ernest (Margaret Mann) (Ellis & Ernest Drugstore).

Dr. Harold Longsdorf Ernest, Sr. (Doc) was born in Carlisle, PA in 1895. He grew up working in a drugstore. After graduating from high school, he attended Philadelphia College of Pharmacy where he met his future business partner of 40 years, Dr. Wilbur J. Ellis. After moving to Knoxville, Dr. Ernest married Margaret Mann, the granddaughter of Major Louis Gratz, in 1928. Mrs. Ernest was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church who was well known for her charity work, Red Cross volunteer work, being on the original board of directors of the Ramsey House, and for helping to organize the first Knoxville Chapter of the Colonial Dames of America and the Daughter of the American Revolution. The collection consists of material relating to Dr. Ernest’s family and business, Ellis and Ernest Drug Store. The majority of the collection is Margaret Ernest’s personal daily journals and ephemeral materials. The ephemeral material is concerned with the Ernest family and the Ellis and Ernest Drug Store.