Ossian Sumner was a practicing physician at 237 Broad Street in Providence in 1847. In 1856 he also became an apothecary at the same address. A year later he moved to 196 Broad Street where he continued the practices of physician and apothecary/druggist and soon after the move teamed with William H. Emerson, changing the name of the company to Ossian Sumner & Co. Physicians & Druggists. The partnership only lasted about one year and Ossian continued to run the company on his own.

In 1867 he moved to 267 Broad Street and three years later, in 1870, took in his son, George C., and renamed the company Ossian Sumner & Son.

The company remained at this address until 1889 when Ossian and George moved to 326 Broad Street. This section of Broad Street was renamed Weybosset Street in 1892 and the company's address was changed to 326 Weybosset Street.

George died in 1893 and Ossian continued in the business until his own death in 1906.

Ossian Sumner & Son continued in business with Fred Thompson and Maurice J. Louzon as proprietors. The address was still 326 Weybosset Street. In 1930 the company went out of business.