After the big Market Street fire of 1908, merchants in Clinton rebuilt quickly. This corner building, built by Colonel Calvin J. Sawyer, and its twin next door, the Rutherford Building, were completed before the end of 1908. The Sawyer Building was leased to Clinton Drug Company, founded by William W. Medaris in 1895. Colonel Sawyer was known as modest and unassuming, but also as a brilliant lawyer and businessman with major ventures in Magnet Knitting Mills, Clinton Flouring Mill Co., Clinton Bottling Works, Clinton Iron Works, Clinton Water Works, and Union Bank.