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WILLIAM OSCAR HEARN. Disease, accident, ordinary sickness_ "the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to"_render necessary in every community good drugs and medicants in sufficient quantities to meet requirements and within easy reach when they are needed, which is often with the utmost haste. The men who deal in these indispensable articles, and deal squarely with the public in handling them, are public benefactors and entitled to high consideration from those who are the beneficiaries of their enterprise.

For this reason, and because of his excellent character as a man, his public spirit and progressiveness as a citizen, his engaging social qualities and his ample and up-to-date provision for the wants of the people in his lines of trade, William O. Hearn, one of the successful and capable druggists of Carbondale, is held in the highest esteem by the residents of the city and the county of Jackson in which it is located. He has been connected with the drug trade in the city but seven years, and merchandising in it on his own account but one, but he has won their confidence by his ability in his chosen line of work and his integrity and square dealing in all his transactions with them.

Mr. Hearn was born in Carbondale, on April 30, 1881, and is a son of William L. and Mary (Pulley) Hearn. The father is a contractor and builder, and the evidences of his skill and capacity in his line of work are to be found in all parts of the city in residence and business structures, and also in some of the more pretentious works of public improvement put up for the enlarged comfort and convenience of the people. He takes a great interest in the growth and progress of the

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city and county, and is always willing to do all he can to aid in promoting this and providing for the general welfare of the community in every way.

The son received a high-school education, and after being graduated therefrom studied pharmacy at the State University in Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1904. He then returned to his native city and began his business career as a clerk with E. K. Porter. On May 1, 1910, he purchased the E. S. Patten Drug Store, now known as "The Hearn Drug Store," and that name has become synonymous with excellence in goods, skill in pharmacy and uprightness in dealing. This was the first drug store established in Carbondale.

It is to be said to the credit of Mr. Hearn that although he is still a young man in years and much younger, even, in business, he is very enterprising both in studying the wants of the community and in providing for them; and also that he is not only skillful but conscientious in the application of his science to the practical requirements of his trade. His prescription department is directly under his personal supervision at all times, and is all that full knowledge and the utmost care can make it in the purity of its drugs and the manner in which they are compounded.

On June 21, 1905, Mr. Hearn was united in marriage with Miss Jennie S. Hill, a daughter of W. S. Hill, editor of the Southern Illinois Herald, one of the wide-awake and progressive newspapers published in Carbondale. Mr. Hearn is a deacon in the Christian church and the secretary of its Sunday-school. Fraternally he is a Freemason, a Modern Woodmen of America and a Knight of Pythias, and at this time (1911) is chancellor commander of his lodge in the order last named.