Home Bitters (H 158) – Meyer Collection

The Home Bitters – St. Louis

Today, I have reason to quickly educate myself to The Home Bitters of St. Louis. I need to review the variants, the history and find out the rest of the story. First of all, let us not confuse this bottle with the Wheeling, West Virginia Old Home Bitters or Old Homestead Bitters.

James A. Jackson initially developed The Home Bitters in 1870 and took on partners James McQ. Douglas and Paris S. Pfouts in 1874. They were selling wholesale groceries and liquors in Saint Louis when The Celebrated Home Stomach Bitters was introduced. It may well have been an offshoot of the liquor business, as a number of patent medicines were at that time. There is an abundance of support material on this brand and it is refreshing to get history, patent, label, advertising, postal, tax and other information on a brand that was relatively short lived.

The Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham listings in Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplement for the numerous St. Louis Home Bitters are as follows:

H 155.7  HOME BITTERS

HOME BITTERS // HOME BITTERS / COMPANY // PROPRIETORS // ST. LOUIS. MO. // f //
9 x 2 3/4 (6 3/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, 3 sp, Rare

H 156  HOME BITTERS

HOME BITTERS // sp // SAINT LOUIS MO. // f //
9 x 2 3/4 (6 3/4)
Square, Amber, LTC, 3 sp, Common

H 157  HOME BITTERS

HOME BITTERS // JAS A. JACKSON & CO. / PROPRIETORS // SAINT LOUIS MO // f //
L… The Celebrated Home Bitters
James A. Jackson & Co. Sole Proprietor No. 105 and 107 North Second Street
9 1/8 x 2 3/4 (6 3/4) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, 3 sp, Common
The Daily Picayune (New Orleans) March 4, 1871
Junction Union (Kansas) February, 1872
Drug Catalogs: 1872 Fuller & Fuller, Melliers
Trade Mark No. 39 November 1, 1870
Home Bitters was marketed from 1870 to 1874 by Jackson alone.

H 158  HOME BITTERS

HOME BITTERS // JAS A. JACKSON & CO. / PROPRIETORS // SAINT LOUIS. MO //
James A. Jackson & Co. Sole Proprietor No. 105 and 107 North Second Street
9 x 2 3/4 (6 3/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTC, 3 sp, Common
Bottle differs from H 157 by having 2 dots under the ‘S’ of JAS

H 159  HOME BITTERS

HOME BITTERS // JACKSON. PROUTS (sp: PFOUTS) / & DOUGLAS / PROPRIETORS / ST. LOUIS, MO. // f //
L… The Celebrated Home Bitters
9 x 2 3/4 x 1 1/4 (7 1/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, 3 sp, Common
North Second Street
Label: Any physician or chemist in the United States is invited to call and examine the formula and manner of combining the ingredients. The best tonic stimulant known to the medical faculty. Indorsed by every physician who has examined them, among whom are some of the most eminent in the country, as beingthe best and purist made. These bitters are prepared from the most valuable roots, barks and herbs known to medical science, and are unequalled as a preventative for all summer disorders, biliousness, fever and ague, intermit tents, indigestion, dyspepsia.

The Home Stomach Bitters are no patent medicine, nor is the formula kept secret from the honorable members of the medical fraternity, and we ask a thorough investigation of their component parts from the scientific gentlemen.

Jackson became partners with Prouts (sp: Pfouts) and Douglas in 1874.
Drug Catalog: 1872 Mellier, 1878 CB&Co.

Detail of HOME BITTERS / JACKSON, PFOUTS & DOUGLAS (H 159) embossed panel – BottlePickers.com

Jackson, Pfouts & Douglas directory listing – 1874 City Directory for St. Louis, Missouri

THE CELEBRATED HOME STOMACH BITTERS

Advertisement for The HOME – The Celebrated Home Bitters – Gazeteer of Utah and Salt Lake City Directory, 1874

JACKSON, PFOUTS & DOUGLASS (-S?)

Jackson, Pfouts & Douglas from Saint Louis, the Commercial Metropolis of the Mississippi Valley – L. U. Reavis – Tribune Publishing Company, 1874

PRIVATE DIE STAMPS & POSTAL

James A. Jackson & Co. private die stamps were issued from October of 1870 until April of 1875. 206,532 were issued on old paper and 521,025 on silk paper. This copy is printed on silk paper. – rdhinstl.com

In April of 1875 The Home Bitters Company took over from Jackson, Pfouts & Douglas. They had stamps printed in three denominations beginning with the four-cent green, first issued in June of 1875 and last issued March 3,1883. 271,514 were released on silk paper and 213,617 on watermarked paper. The copy above is on silk paper.
The three-cent green stamp was printed next, from 1876 until February 12, 1883. 482,130 were issued on silk, pink and watermarked papers. The one above is on watermarked paper. – rdhinstl.com

Jackson, Pfouts and Douglas advertising cover for Home Stomach Bitters – Richard D. Sheaff

It appears that someone in Texas was passing himself off as a representative of the Home Bitters Company and writing merchant’s drafts on the company to obtain money. When this one came back to the company to be approved they denied it, which led to a protest filed in 1875. – rdhinstl.com

All three of these are clear bottles are unique. Left to right, THE / OLD HOMESTEAD / MFG. CO. // TURNER & DINGEE // FORT WORTH, TEXAS *** PATTON’S / CHILL TONIC SYRUP /  OAK CLIFF DALLAS, TEXAS *** CHAPINE CREAM / DEAN’S DRUG STORE / WACO, TEX - Seigler Collection

A Few Extraordinary Texas Bottles

20 August 2013

Brad holding a TOBACK jar (Indian tobacco) at the 2013 Houston Antique Bottle Show

I am finally going to get off my butt, and right an article on my decade long chase of Texas patent med bottles, and submit it to bottles & extras. If they do not except it I will post the article here.

I am finally going to get off my butt, and write an article on my decade-long chase of Texas patent medicine bottles, and submit it to Bottles and Extras. If they do not accept it, I will post the article here on Facebook.

Guys if any of you have any Texas bottles like these, please – please – please let me know. I am on a never-ending hunt for them.

Brad Seigler

Brad, these are wonderful pictures as these are very tough bottles to photograph. If the article and pictures are anything like our discussions and your pictures, I suspect we can get the material in Bottles and Extras PLUS get a cover. I have a connection over at the FOHBC.

Brad is also trying to organize a second Texas bottle show in Palestine which is in east Texas (north of Houston and southeast of Dallas). At one time in the distant past, Texas was at the epicenter of antique bottle and glass collecting with strong bottle clubs and shows. You would hear names like Mebane, Greer, Neatherlin, Agee, Albers and so many more. Elizabeth and I have even considered a ‘Glass in the Grass’ at Peach Ridge somewhat like the Heckler Hayfield event.

Enjoy Brad’s pictures and bottles. A lot of history here. Stay tuned for his article too!

Two very rare mineral water bottles. There are less than a handful of either bottle. On the left: STAR WELL WATER / RELIEVES INDIGESTION IMMEDIATELY / MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS. On the right: STAR WELL WATER / FOR THE STOMACH / MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS – Seigler Collection

Embossing detail STAR WELL WATER / FOR THE STOMACH / MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS – Seigler Collection

Star Well – Mineral Wells, Texas – This is a picture of the place that bottled the mineral water bottles I posted. David (Cole) has a huge collection of them, and I think their story would also make for an interesting article. I may photograph his, and mine to write story on them as well.

MORLEY’S T-X-S HAIR TONIC in amber. Another rare one with very few examples. Now all I need is the square t-x-s liver cordial, and the tiny t-x-s liver pills. – Seigler Collection

PAGEMATIC FOR THE RHEUMATIC / TRADEMARK  (embossed man walking) WEATHERFORD TEXAS. This one is unique to Texas collectors. I have owned a couple from Dallas, but this one is the only example ever seen by our collectors ever from Weatherford, Texas. – Seigler Collection

Embossing detail PAGEMATIC FOR THE RHEUMATIC / TRADEMARK (embossed man walking) WEATHERFORD TEXAS. – Seigler Collection

TUCKER & WILLIS / MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS / WACO TEXAS. Same size as the below bottle, but even rarer. The only known whole example in this huge 12″ size. - Seigler Collection

This is THE Texas med in my opinion. I have chased an example of this bottle for the entire time I have collected. There are less than 5 out there, and this is the best example. Applied top, twelve inches tall. TUCKER & WILLIS /  IMPROVED /  IRON (motif) INVIGORATOR / WACO, TEX – Seigler Collection

TUCKER & WILLIS / IMPROVED / IRON (motif) INVIGORATOR / WACO, TEX detail of embossing – Seigler Collection

Dr. E. G. Patton & Co.

Oak Cliff – Dallas, Texas

21 August 2013

In my quest to better understand Texas medicine and bitters history, Texas medicine collector Brad Seigler sent me this picture of a cobalt blue E. C. PATTON / OAK CLIFF / DALLAS, TEXAS bottle saying it was somewhat akin to the Holy Grail (with the exception of the cobalt blue Dog and Cat Hospital bottle. That comment prompted a little research on Dr. Patton.

What I find interesting here is the abundant information on Dr. E. G. Patton, his brother J. C. G. R. Patton, his influence in the founding of Oak Cliff in Dallas and a fire that once destroyed six buildings of Dr. Patton’s. No wonder one can not find many examples of his bottles. 

Tarrant Co., TX – Obituary – Dr. E. G. Patton

where he studied medicine under Dr. Phillips and afterward under Dr. Clopton of Douglasville; worked in a drug store in Jefferson.

PATTON, Dr. E. G. – Age 77 years, for many years a citizen of Dallas, died at his home at Cockrell Hill station on the Fort Worth inter urban, from a stroke he had last December. He came to Dallas from Sulphur Springs. He was born in Troup County, Georgia, in 1838. His father was a Presbyterian preacher. When a lad of 16, he came to Texas and made his home with his brother, Rev. J. C. G. R. Patton, at Linden, Texas, where he studied medicine under Dr. Phillips and afterward under Dr. Clopton of Douglasville; worked in a drug store in Jefferson. With the assistance of his brother, J. C. G. R. Patton, he attended the University of Louisiana, graduating in 1858.

He was an army surgeon during the entire time of the Civil War.

He began practice of medicine in Hopkins County, Texas, and remained in the general practice for 18 years, afterward establishing a drug store at Sulphur Springs where he accumulated considerable property. He was an army surgeon during the entire time of the Civil War. In 1888 he came to Dallas where he established the Patton-Worsham Drug Co., leading wholesale drug house. He established the Patton’s Institute in Oak Cliff, a school for boys and girls. He was married in Hopkins County to Miss
Texana Boyd who was born and reared in that county and who died in 1901 in Dallas county. He never had children. Funeral services will be held at his home at Cockrell Hill; burial beside his wife in Oak Cliff cemetery. (S. S. Gazette, Fri., Nov. 19, 1915) - [USGenWeb Archives]

Attached is a photograph of the Reverand James C G R Patton with wife Sarah and Dr. Edward G. Patton. Presumed that this photo was taken in Johnson County, Texas. This photograph was found in the Johnson County Century Re-Call, 1854-1954 program, page 19.

The unidentified man noted in the caption in the photo above is the brother of Rev. Patton (holding Bible on the left). His name is Dr. Edward G. Patton. There is a photo of Dr. Patton with his obituary in the archives of the Dallas Morning News dated Nov. 12, 1915. Below is information concerning Dr. Patton who lived in Cass County when he and his brother first came to Texas.

Dallas Morning News Obituary – Nov. 12, 1915

Dr. E. G. Patton dies after long illness. Well-known in Dallas and Sulphur Springs as Druggist, Charity worker and Educator. Dr. E. G. Patton, 77 years old, for many years a prominent citizen of Dallas, died late yesterday afternoon at 5:20 o’clock in his home at Cockrell Hill station on the Fort Worth interurban. He had a stroke last December, from which he never recovered.

he attended the University of Louisiana, graduating with the class of 1858.

Dr. Patton came to Dallas from Sulphur Springs. He was born in Troup County, Georgia in 1838. His father was a distinguished Presbyterian preacher and educator. When a lad of 16 years he came to Texas and made his home with his brother, the Rev. J. C. G. R. Patton, at Linden, Texas, where he studied medicine under Dr. Phillip, and afterward under Dr. Clopton of Douglasville, and subsequently worked in a drug store at Jefferson. With the assistance of his brother, the Rev. J. C. G. R. Patton, he attended the University of Louisiana, graduating with the class of 1858. Next he began the practice of Medicine in Hokpins County, Texas, and remained in the general practice for eighteen years, afterward establishing a drug store at Sulphur Springs, where he accumulated considerable property. He was an army surgeon during the entire time of the Civil War.

In 1888 he came to Dallas. Here he established the Patton-Worsham Drug company.

In 1888 he came to Dallas. Here he established the Patton-Worsham Drug company. For many years one of the leading wholesale drug houses of Dallas. Two other medical companies were established by him. He also established Patton’s Institute in Oak Cliff, a school for boys and girls.

He was married in Hopkins County to Miss Texana Boyd, who was born and reared in that county, and who died in 1901 in Dallas County. He never had any children. He was known as a philanthropist and on numerous occasions contributed liberally to worthy causes, such education, religion, and charity. He often said nothing gave him more pleasure than to help the deserving, He is survived by many relatives, including nieces and nephews in Dallas and in other places.

The funeral will be held in his late home at Cockrell Hill this afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. The Rev, J. W. Hill, former pastor of the First Methodist Church, and for thirty-five years his warm personal friend, will conduct the services. He will be buried by the side of his wife in the Oak Cliff Cemetery.

The following will be pallbearers:

Active-Phil H. Fosque of Sulphur Springs, Dan Uptnegrove, W.W. Crow, B. M. Burgher. S. J. Hay, W.T. Henderson and I. M. Yesner. Honorary-the Rev. George W. Owens, Royal A. Ferris, Judge Edward Gray, Judge. E. B. Perkins, R. C. Ayers, Mayor Henry D. Lindsley, Alex Sanger, E. M. Reardon. Louis Blaylock, Dr. W. M. Lively, John W. Field, and James Lynn.

Patton-Worsham Drug Co. noted as one of the oldest firms in Texas. – The Pharmaceutical Era, Volume 27 – D. O. Haynes & Company, 1902

Texas Death Certificate #23962 gives parents’ names as William K. Patton and Jane Campbell.

Edward G. Patton listed on founders plaque for Oak Cliff.

He had a hotel and bank in the Oak Cliff area. Mentioned in the Handbook of Texas under the history of Oak Cliff.

Was one of the first millionaires in Dallas helping in the development of Oak Cliff.

Even paid to have an oil well dug in his back yard during the days of the oil boom in Texas. (Dallas Morning News stories)

Will was contested by a cousin of Texana Boyd Patton which ultimately failed. Was a major news story for a while in the Dallas Morning News.

Donated $25,000 for the establishment of Southwest University in Dallas.

[The Cass County TXGenWeb Project]

Horse-drawn buggies as well as automobiles were part of the parade that celebrated the opening of the Dallas-Oak Cliff Viaduct, known today as the Houston Street bridge, on Feb. 22, 1912. – Dallas Historical Society

Oak Cliff – Dallas, Texas

Oak Cliff is a district in Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town located in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1903. It has since retained a distinct neighborhood identity as one of Dallas’ older established neighborhoods. Oak Cliff has turn-of-the-twentieth-century and mid-20th century housing, many parks, and proximity to the central business district of downtown Dallas. [Wikipedia]

In 1890 Oak Cliff incorporated with a population of 2,470 and secured a post office which operated until 1896. The community had four grocery stores, two meat markets, a hardware store, and a feed store. Businesses included the Texas Paper Mills Company (later Fleming and Sons), the Oak Cliff Planing Mill, the Oak Cliff Artesian Well Company, Patton’s Medicinal Laboratories, and the Oak Cliff Ice and Refrigeration Company. [Texas State Historical Association]

The boundaries of Oak Cliff are roughly Interstate 30 and the Trinity River on the north, Interstate 45 on the east, Interstate 20 on the south, and Cockrell Hill Road on the west. [Wikipedia]

Thirteen Houses Burned in Oak Cliff Early This Morning

September 25, 1891, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 2.

The Fire Stopped With Difficulty–Account of the Losses.

Dr. Patton, the heaviest loser, had six buildings burned.

Oak Cliff was visited by another disastrous fire at 1 o’clock this morning. The flames were first seen in W. H. Graves’ harness shop on the east side of Tenth street, almost at the station. In a few minutes, they had communicated with the building, in which W. J. Parchman & Co. did a drug business and an explosion soon followed, which awoke everyone living near. As soon as the fire was discovered, the alarm was given and the inhabitants aroused from their dreams by the explosion, dressed hurriedly and rushed to the scene of the fire.

In a short time, the flames had crossed the street and secured a hold upon the new brick buildings just in the rear of the post office.

Dr. E. G. Patton and Rosser Thomas were the heaviest losers.

The flames continued to leap from one building to another until nearly every building near the station on the west side were burning down with no possible means of saving them. Many of them were occupied by families and scores of people were seen in dishabille endeavoring to save their furniture. Every one present lent a helping hand saving furniture and buildings, but it was soon apparent that a number of good buildings were bound to go. Thirteen were destroyed and a number of others barely escaped. Dr. E. G. Patton and Rosser Thomas were the heaviest losers.

The following is a list of the property destroyed:

DR. E. G. PATTON.

One cottage.
One 2-story brick, valued at $2800; insured for $1000 in Hartford
One 2-story wood, valued at $1800; insured for $1000 in the German and Freeport.
One 2-story brick containing two stores, valued at $8000, with $2500 insurance in New York

Underwriter’s Agency, $2500 in Liverpool and London and Globe–total $5000.

Palace Hotel building, valued at $3000, insurance $1750;St. Paul, $750; St. Paul German, $500;

Liverpool & London & Globe, $______. One one-story wood and brick, valued at $800; no insurance.

Three one-story bricks, valued at $32,000; no insurance.

GOODS SAVED.

City hall.
Christian church.
Allen’s barber shop.
J. Davis saved furniture of the Palace hotel.
Mrs. Burke, household goods in Waller Cottage.

OTHER LOSERS.

W. E. Best, grocer, lost $200 by removal; insured in full.

F. A. Tripplet, feed store, building valued at $500; household goods, $500, insured; feed stock valued at $150; property insured for $450 in National of Hartford.

Felix L. d’Ablemont, vegetable market. Loss on building and household goods were: Building valued at $1250, insured for $350 in North British & Mercantile. Stock $600, household goods $500. Both total loss.

F. E. Walker, cottage, valued at $500; insurance not known.

Oak Cliff Journal, loss $3000 and carried $1000 insurance in British American.

Dr. T. J. Avirett, two-story wooden building, valued at $1300, insured for $800.

W. J. Parchman & Co., druggists, stock valued at $1875 and insured for $1200 in the North British and Mercantile. Household goods valued at $500 and $50 in cash burned.

W. L. Nolen, proprietor of the Oak Cliff China Hall, stock valued at $1200, and insured for $500 in the North British & Mercantile. Total loss.

Nussbaumer & Co., butcher’s stock, $500; no insurance.

Rev. Sam R. Hay, pastor of St. Mark’s M. E. Church, South, lost his clothing and parsonage furniture, valued at $500; no insurance.

HAD NO INSURANCE.

J. S. York, shoe shop, loss $300.

Moore, photographer, loss $500.

J. M. Regan, Germaside agent, $300.

Colored Masonic Lodge, $500.

This is the third fire at the Tenth street station in which several of the principal business houses of Oak Cliff were destroyed. Like the other, the origin of last night’s fire is unknown. Such destructive fires as these are forcible arguments for a fire department in Oak Cliff.

Among the heaviest losers is Rosser Thomas, editor and proprietor of the Oak Cliff Journal. He had just bought his partner out and was going ahead building up a good paper.

Dr. Patton, the heaviest loser, had six buildings burned.

It is said that it was with difficulty that the postoffice was prevented from burning, as the burning buildings were all around it.

Receipt from Patton – Worsham Drug Company, manufacturing druggists in Dallas, Texas in the year 1909. Names listed at the top are Jno. (John) Hearne as president, M. H. Turner as VP, H. H. Adams as secretary and treasurer. – ebay

The amazing, two-tone

Warner’s Safe Diabetes Remedy

23 August 2013

In 2012, at either the FOHBC Reno Expo or the 49er Antique Bottle Show in Auburn, I had the pleasure of meeting Jack, Kathy and Michael Craig through an introduction by Michael and Alice Seeliger. The Craig’s are royalty as far as Warner bottles are concerned. I saw some amazing photographs of their collection that still give me chills on this hot summer day.

Mike and Kathie Craig with Mike and Alice Seeliger with the Craig’s Warner’s Safe Cure collection. – Warrner Safe Cure Blog

Mike was down at Peach Ridge this past weekend for the Houston Antique Bottle Show and to take color spectrometer readings of some of my bottles. Our discussion eventually circled back to the Warner Safe bottles, the Craigs and a specific two-tone Warner’s Safe Diabetes Remedy. I asked Mike to send me a picture of the bottle:

Ferd,

Here is the two-tone bottle the Craig’s purchased. They already have the green version and clear, they now want the aqua one. They also have a dark olive green Diabetes Remedy. All the unusual colors that Warner did after he got out of the business and the later owners didn’t seem to care much about bottle color variations.

I also attached the start of my redo on my book. It gives a quick history of Warner and his affiliation with Craig.

Michael (Seeliger)

See more super-freak color bottles:

Jerry’s Hippie Dippie Bottle

Swirls, Whirls, Twists & Twirls

H.H. Warner: His Company & His Bottles by Michael W. Seeliger, 1974

H. H. Warner His Company & His Bottles

by Michael W. Seeliger

To: Alice, my wife, who still continues with her gentle understanding of my need to collect and my enthusiasm toward bottles over the last 45 years and helped all of this become possible.

Introduction:

The original book H. H. Warner His Company & His Bottles was written out of an expanding interest in Warner and his bottles. Foreign branch bottles were just becoming popular and there was a great need for some classification of the vast difference in his bottles. Someone needed to set the standard for describing the unbelievable number of Warner bottles that H. H. Warner used throughout his company’s lifetime. I attempted to do that with the original book written in 1974.

Since that time more and more information on Warner has surfaced. Some excellent books have been written to classify all the currently known bottles and variants. The Warner Story continues to astound me. The complexity, the vastness of the Warner Empire, the sheer number of different bottles used by Warner, his triumphs and his pitfalls prove that Warner was truly the “King of the Patent Medicines.”

Alice and I sat in our backyard in Madison typing out the original manuscript on a manual typewriter. Our first son Matthew was born a month later. I drew the bottles by tracing templates and copied some of the pictures from Almanacs and Booklets freehand. It was truly a labor of love. It provided my life my 15 minutes of fame when it came out. 250 copies were printed at a total cost of $250.

Fast forward to today. We have two wonderful sons Matt and Jon. They have given us 5 grandkids that we truly admire and enjoy. Our lives revolve around family and our pursuit of bottles. We continue to go to bottle shows trying to attend as many as we can. I still collect Warner bottles but have branched out into all kinds of bottles. I really appreciate old American glass and try to acquire examples that I feel show American glass as the art form it truly is. As with all bottle collectors, today we enjoy the camaraderie of our life-long friendships we have made in the field.

Why write a new book? So much more information on Warner exists today. The technology to put all this information in one place is available. I decided to contact as many of the Warner collectors I know and have them assist me in compiling this information in one place. I also wanted to acknowledge the contributions made by all of them towards the complete understanding of Warner’s vast empire and his eventual fall. The story is truly fascinating and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did putting it together.

Contributing Authors:

Michael and Alice Seeliger
Stephan Jackson
Jack and Audrey Stecher
Jack, Kathy and Michael Craig
Andy Lange
Dave Kyle
Ed Ojea
Dan Cowan
Jim and Sandy Bell
Terry McMurray

H. H. Warner: World Renowned Patent Medicine King

Hulbert Harrington Warner (1842- 1923)

At his pinnacle in 1884, he was described as being six feet one inch tall of large frame, weighing 250 pounds, of light complexion, blue eyes, iron gray hair and bids to live to a hale and hearty old age.

H. H. Warner was born near Syracuse NY in a small settlement still called “Warners,” named after his grandfather. The original house can yet be seen as one drives by the Warners ”rest stop” area along the main east-west roadway of New York State. His grandfather, Seth was one of the first settlers in the town, into which he moved in 1807, from Stockbridge, Mass. The Warners were true pioneers in central NY State and a family of early immigrants from England. Seth was the first of the family to move westward, coming in the late 1790’s. He took land and built a cabin on a hill just west of the present town. After traveling back to Stockbridge, he married Sarah Crittendon in 1798, to return that same day by wagon. He also brought his two brothers with him, who also built cabins. Very soon travelers began to call the area near the three brother’s cabins, Warners!

To be continued…..I will keep you abreast with the publication of Mike’s new book.

To see the most amazing web site by Steve Jackson dedicated to Warner products… Warner’s Safe Cure Blog

Read more Warner bottles on Peachridge Glass:

The Tippecanoe Bitters Figural Log and Mushroom

Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies

Two rare ‘Southern’ Bottles

Southern Alterative | New Orleans

Southern Tonic | Matagorda

24 August 2013

I received the above picture of a good piece of a Southern Alterative | New Orleans bottle (could be a word or two missing) and the below advertisement for Southern Tonic from Matagorda, Texas from James Viguerie who is conducting some related research. The advertisement mentions Horton & Clements in Matagorda in 1837. Wow, that’s fairly old for this bottle considering Texas was a Republic at that time. It would still be eight years until Statehood was granted on December 29, 1845. Kind of reminds me of the Price’s Patent Texas Tonic.

These are both MAJOR teasers that I put out here for further research and comments. Let’s help James out.

Checking in with Texas medicine authority Brad Seigler on this bottle, Brad says “I have seen a whole one in the past sell for big money, but as far as I know they 100% new Orleans bottles.”

The topic e-mail read:

I am attaching a newspaper ad for a “Southern Tonic” sold by Horton & Clements in Matagorda, Republic of Texas in 1837 (Matagorda Bulletin – Sept 27 1837). It was probably a paper label only medicine. I am also adding a picture of a broken open pontiled bottle I am doing research on. The only embossing I can make out is SOUTHERN ALTERATIVE / NEW ORLEANS / ??. Have you ever heard of it?

James (Viguerie)

Advertisement for Southern Tonic – Matagorda Bulletin – Matagorda, Republic of Texas – September 27, 1837

Albert Clinton Horton (September 4, 1798 – September 1, 1865) was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

Horton & Clements short ads - Matagorda Bulletin. (Matagorda, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 25, Ed. 1, Wednesday, January 24, 1838

It was really interesting checking up on Horton & Clements. Here we are talking about Albert Clinton Horton and Abner Lee Clements. The history with Horton specifically is astounding.

Albert Clinton Horton

Albert Clinton Horton (1798—1865) — Texan politician, first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

[Wikipedia] Albert Clinton Horton (September 4, 1798 – September 1, 1865) was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

Horton was born on September 4, 1798 in Hancock County, Georgia to William and Mary Thomas Horton. William Horton died when Albert was young. His mother married Colonel Samuel Dent; they moved to Alabama in 1823. In 1829 Albert married Eliza Holliday. He was a representative in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1829-1830, and 1833-1834. He represented Greensboro district.

Albert Horton moved to Texas in April 1835. He was a supporter of the Texas Revolution. In 1835 he went back to Alabama to recruit volunteers for the Texas army. Horton served as colonel of a cavalry unit during the revolution. In early March 1836, his company joined James Fannin’s command in south Texas. He was sent by Fannin to gather carts and oxen at Victoria, Texas. Horton’s scouts located Col. Juan Morales nearing Goliad with the Jiménez and San Luis battalions on March 17. The next day Horton was busy skirmishing with General José de Urrea’s advance forces. On March 19, he was sent to examine the crossing of Coleto Creek. Upon hearing artillery fire, he returned to find that Fannin and his troops had been surrounded and possibly overrun, Horton and his men after assessing the situation turned and retreated towards Victoria, where reinforcements were expected to be located – an action that would shadow his political career. He served in the Texas Revolution until May 1, 1836.

After the Republic of Texas was founded in 1836, Horton was elected to the Congress of the Republic of Texas. He was a Senator in the First and Second congresses of the Republic of Texas from 1836–38. He represented Matagorda, Jackson, and Victoria counties. He wasn’t successful in his bid for the vice presidency of the Republic of Texas in 1838. He was appointed by the Republic of Texas Congress to select a location for the capital of Texas in January 1839. He was as a delegate to the Convention of 1845. In 1842, Horton would again serve as a military officer when he was recruited to serve as a captain against the invasion of Ráfael Vásquez on March 7.

After Texas became a U.S. state in December 1845, Horton became its first Lieutenant Governor. He was declared the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas on May 1, 1846. Texas governor James Pinckney Henderson was absent from governor’s office to command Texas troops during the Mexican–American War. Horton served as governor pro tem from May 19, 1846 to November 13, 1846. After he left the lieutenant governor’s office, he retired to private life. He attended the Democratic National Convention in Charleston, South Carolina in 1860 and the state Secession Congress in 1861. Before the American Civil War, he owned over 150 slaves, and was considered as one of the richest men in the state of Texas, but after the Civil war, he lost most of his fortune. He was an original member of the board of trustees that founded Baylor University.

He died on September 1, 1865 in Matagorda, and was buried in Matagorda Cemetery located on South Gulf Road.

Milburn’s Kola Bitters – Winchester, Virginia

25 August 2013

Tom Leveille teased me late last week with a bitters bottle I was not immediately familiar with, which usually means I do not have an example. The pictures he sent represented an amber, Milburn’s Kola Bitters from Winchester, Virginia.

The past two or three years, I have spent quite a bit of time in Winchester as a consultant and typically stay at the renovated George Washington Hotel in historic downtown Winchester. George Washington is represented on many historical markers and Winchester changed hands many times during the Civil War, according to historical records so you really feel close to early America development, historical events and battles when you travel the area and walk the downtown mall.

George Washington spent a good portion of his young life in Winchester helping survey the Fairfax land grant for Thomas Fairfax

From Wikipedia: In February 1752, the Virginia House of Burgesses granted the fourth city charter in Virginia to Winchester; as Frederick Town was renamed after Colonel Wood’s birthplace in England. In 1754, Abraham Hollingsworth built the local residence called Abram’s Delight, which served as the first local Quaker meeting house. George Washington spent a good portion of his young life in Winchester helping survey the Fairfax land grant for Thomas Fairfax, Sixth Lord Fairfax, as well as performing surveying work for Colonel Wood. In 1758 Colonel Wood added 158 lots to the west side of town; In 1759 Thomas Lord Fairfax contributed 173 more lots to the south and east.

George Washington in 1772 at age 40 (Steel engraving)
Source: Sparkes, Jered “The Life of George Washington” Boston: Tappen & Dennet 1843 - ”The Cooper Collections of American History”

The order he was able to impose earned him the title “Hero of the Monongahela” and brought military glory and fame to the young colonel.

During the French and Indian War, relying on his knowledge of the area, George Washington volunteered as aide-de-camp to General Edward Braddock and joined his expeditionary march to Fort Duqesne at the age of 23. Also joining the march as a wagoner was Winchester resident Daniel Morgan. The march proved fatal for General Braddock, who was shot off his horse and killed at the Battle of Monongahela. Colonel Washington, however, had formed a rear guard, which allowed the remnants of the retreating British forces to disengage. The order he was able to impose earned him the title “Hero of the Monongahela” and brought military glory and fame to the young colonel.

Birds Eye View map of the City of Winchester, Virginia

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

M 81  MILBURN’S KOLA BITTERS

MILBURN’S KOLA BITTERS / MADE ONLY BY / JAS. A. MILBURN & CO. / WINCHESTER, VA. // f // f // f //
9 3/8 x 2 1/2 (6 5/8) 3/8
Rectangular, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Rare

There is scarce information available on this brand though I did find this recent listing on ebay for a bottle that did not sell.

Fresh dug today in an early dump site in the eastern end of the upper peninsula of Michigan. I have been digging and dealing with old bottles for a solid 27 years now and this is only the first one of this bottle that I have ever seen. The antique bottle does have damage. No cracks but it has a chipped mouth and in no way can you take away from the extreme beauty of this bottle and this is why I rescued it from the old bottle dump for it is still of historical significance to the right person who can still appreciate the bottle for how I believe very super rare it is.

The bottle is a small size and looks to be around a 6 oz. size., stands 8 3/8 inches, beautiful light golden honey amber in color. Looks stunning held up to the sun. I just did that to the bottle just a very short while ago and was the first time the bottle has seen the light of day in well over a solid century plus. Bottle dates to the 1890′s or earlier and is blown in mold with a tooled sloping collard mouth. Bottle is embossed around the shoulder boldly and reads: James A. Milburn & Co., boldly embossed on the bottom is: James A. Milburn & Co. Winchester, Va., I don’t see a makers mark embossed. [websbottles1]

What is perplexing is that I keep pulling up a Milburn & Co. in Baltimore around the turn of the century. They made a Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters along with a few other bitters products such as:

Cocktail Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.
Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.
Schroeder’s German Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.

Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters – Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md - American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record, Volume 60 – 1912

Most believe, including myself, that the Smiths Druid Bitters was made in Baltimore. What is odd, is that most of the Smiths Druid barrels have shown up in and around Winchester, Virginia. So maybe the Milburn’s was made in Baltimore? I doubt it.

Somewhere, embedded in some notes or archives, we will most likely find that James A. Milburn set up shop in Winchester. Sure, maybe he sold out or moved to Baltimore but the story starts in Winchester.

Milburn’s Kola Bitters

Photographs: Tom Leveille

HUMBOLDT’S GERMAN BITTERS

Stephen Deschauer – Chicago, Illinois

27 August 2013

It must be Octoberfest in August this year because I keep stumbling on extremely rare or unlisted German bitters bottles. My first encounter involved the addition of a milk glass, German Balsam Bitters from San Francisco to my collection. Even hough I picked it up in late July at the Manchester National Glass Works auction it set the wheels in motion. Next it was news of an unlisted German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. That post will be ready on Thursday when pictures of the newly cleaned bottle arrive from Gary Beatty. While researching that bottle I came across another unlisted, Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters from San Francisco. That post too, shall be published this Thursday or Friday.

Yesterday I received yet more news and pictures on a Humboldt’s German Bitters from Mark Newton saying, Hi Ferd, I purchased this Bitters last week and the Tag says “unlisted in Ring and Ham.” I don’t have the book but have not found anyone yet who has seen this one before. Would appreciate any info you can give me on it. Thank you!

Mark also posted this over on Bottle Collectors on facebook and a few of the super sleuths started looking for information. I could see they were having little luck so this piqued my interest even more. Obviously no ‘direct’ hits with searching for “Humboldt’s German Bitters” or “Stephen Deschauer in Chicago“. That’s a strong German name so I thought I would pick up the hunt.

Looking at Google, Ancestry.com, Fold3 and other sources, I do see the following which is listed City of Chicago Directories:

Stephen Deschauer, 1861, 1862 (tinsmith), 79 Blue Island Ave., 1865 (tin and hardware), 1870 age 32 living in Chicago. Born in Austria around 1838, wife Fanny. Later listings: 334 Blue Island Ave. (1875, 1877) Dep, collr, water dept. (1878) (1882, 1885, 1888, 1889, 1904, 1906) Retail Hardware and Cutiery. Why would he be a Sole Agent for a German bitters?

Dr. Joseph Deschauer, (Dentist), 1887. This guy is listed all over the place and is listed in many directories. He obviously had a well-established Dental practice. He was the son of Matthias and Martha from Austria. Interestingly, his fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer was Surgeon General of the Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

Dr. Joseph Deschauer (Dentist). Son of Matthias and Martha rom Austria. Fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer Surgeon General Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

Deschauer Bothers (Lake Zurich, Ilinois). Lake Zurich is basically an old, predominately German, neighborhood and area north of Chicago. This is where it gets interesting as the Deschauer name gets co-mingled with Henry Seip who was an early druggist. Look at this except from:

Union Store to Drug Store to Hot Dog Restaurant

Building at Main and Paine has changed hands many times.

Seth Paine came to Lake Zurich in the middle 1800s and settled on the shores of Cedar Lake. Later he changed the name to honor Zurich, Switzerland. He opened a Union Store in 1841, printed the first newspaper in town called the Lake Zurich Banker and built the Stable of Humanity, which was a meeting hall and living quarters for people who needed help.

Paine also built a general store in 1850 on the northeast corner of Paine (Old Rand Road) and Main Sreet (Route 22). The store remained a general store until 1908. Some of the owners were: James Parker, who took it over later and ran it until 1874. Then Henry Seip ran it from 1874 to 1902 and Charlie Schultz had the store from 1902 to 1904. John Fink and William Algrin ran it together from 1904 to 1906. Algrin sold out to Fink and he continued to operate it until 1908.

In 1908 a new type of store was established that sold ice cream, candy and newspapers, this was owned by Emil Frank. Then in 1946 he sold the store to Harold Giese and continued the same business. During the 1920s through the 1950’s this store was a real treat for the young people and others who enjoyed ice cream and candy!

The penny candy counter was a place of wonder. With five pennies you could get a bag of candy – if you selected carefully. The Deschauer Brothers would wait very patiently as you tried to make up your mind.

Irving Deschauer was village attorney and a member of the Lions Club. His brothers owned a corner confectionery.

Above text from Era of Small Business and Where We Are Today – Lake Zurich, Illinois

Look at these old pictures of a store associated with the Deschauer name. I can only imagine the Humboldt’s German Bitters being sold to the German neighborhood around 1885 or so. Unfortunately imagining is all I can do as the trail runs cold. At least for tonight. This could be a red herring.

FYI: There is an extremely rare, H 208 Humboldt’s German Bitters / C. H. Plantz / Chicago that is listed in Bitters Bottles. I will move here next.

Henry Seip store at the intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road, in Lake Zurich, a neighborhood north of Chicago.

If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Seip House in the top picture.

Deschauer Brothers Drug Store to the left of the telephone pole. The small building on the right was also part of the store. If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Henry Seip establishment in the picture above.

Intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road in Lake Zurich, Illinois – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store. Store in upper left corner.

A later picture of persons, Anna Frank and Mayme Hokemeyer Prehm enjoying a soda at the Deschauer’s Brothers Store.

Fred Seip Saloon – 1914

The northeast corner of Main Street and Old Rand Road – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store.

The unlisted German Army Bitters

Ironton, Ohio

29 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & Gary Beatty

It is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place? First, Gary’s email:

Ferd,

I may have discovered an unlisted Bitters? It is not in Ham’s Bitters book or Supplement. It came out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton, Ohio About 20 years ago. I am excited. Here is some info. It is small, 6 1/8 in. high, amber square, medicine flang top. Embossed in 3 lines on the front. Sloping shoulders, chamfered corners. GERMAN ARMY BITTERS DAVIES & CO IRONTON OHIO. When I clean it I will send you pictures. What you think? Have you heard of it? I never have in 40 years collecting. Also the flange top makes it almost certain it is late 1800s because after 1st World War the Germans were unpopular.

Best Regards, Gary (Beatty)

1922 Ironton Tanks – From History of Lawrence County, Volume 1 (Davies is pictured)

Ferd, here is all I can find out about Davies. There were two brothers in the 1880s. One was into Pharmaceuticals the other a teacher. There was also a C. T. Davies that owned a big Dry Goods Store.

There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star.

Now listen to this. There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star. Became Ironton’s head football coach and then finally Ironton High School principal in 1929. He defiantly was related to the Davies on the bottle. It gets better. He played for the Ironton Tanks semi pros. They dissolved and most of the players went over to play for the Portsmouth Ohio Spartans who became the Detroit Lions.

Boy if only these bottles could talk. Shorty elected to stay in education instead of pursuing a football career. The Davies were well respected in Ironton.

The local museum has never heard of this bottle and unless Ted Christ has one it is probably unique. As Gomer Pyle would say “Shazam it measures 6 1/8 in. high. It is mint except for a couple of minor scratches. It was dug by a bottle collector 20 years ago out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton. He died and I purchased it from his daughter.

Best Regards, Gary

Bottle pictures by Gary Beatty

An advertisement from 1872 in San Francisco for Dr. Nauman’s German Celebrated Army Bitters. I will pursue this brand later.

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

Ironton, from the Kentucky shore. – Lawrence Barrette, Photo, Ironton, 1887. J. N. Bradford, del., Ohio State University.

Next I wanted to find out about Ironton, Ohio and Davies and Co. Just the name Ironton tells me much and where it is probably located in the state of Ohio. Davies, not Davis, is a little but unusual so that will help.

An old fellow who dwells near Ironton, Ohio has a portable whiskey-shop. It consists of a jackass and two jugs. The jugs are swung across the animal, and thus the proprietor transports them where there is a chance of meeting a demand.

Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper 26 Jan 1870 page one

Ironton, Ohio

[from The City of Ironton, Ohio web site]

The city of Ironton was founded in 1849 and was built in the heart of Hanging Rock Region, once the largest center of pig iron in the world. As a terminal on the Iron Railroad and as a shipping port on the Ohio River, Ironton grew rapidly, becoming the county seat of Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1851.

Etna Furnace. Largest in the world until 1900. – Ironton, Ohio

The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton.

The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad could trace its history back to the southern point of the railroad at Ironton. The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton. The line opened in late 1851 and is one of the earliest rail lines to operate in the state. It made a northern rail contact later with a predecessor of the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis, a “super system” consisting of many smaller lines. Barge service to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway yard across the river in Russell, Kentucky provided another outlet of interchange for the Iron Railway, as did its connection with the Norfolk & Western at Ironton.

Mule hauling iron on a tramway in Ironton, Ohio

The Detroit Southern Railway acquired the Iron Railway in 1902. The great success of the iron industry and its allied manufacturing created men of great wealth. The affluence of those early days is reflected in many of Ironton’s homes and churches, attractive reminders of a gracious Victorian life-style.

Workers posing at the Iron Cigar Box Factory

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country.

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country. 138 years in a row!

Watch: Ironton, The Boom Town of Ohio

Read: Former Ironton Newspaper Man Writes Of Good Old Days During His Time as Chronicler Of Local Events

The Davies name in Ironton, Ohio

I found two likely hits in period directories. Possibly brothers? Also an advertisement.

Drugs – C. B. Egerton, D. C. Peters, T. B. Ball, J. E. Warfield, Dr. Morris (Railroad St.), J. L. Barbour, Thos. C. Davies, D. Linn Goosh, Emil Arnold, J. W. Slater, A. Robinson, A. Winters, Samuel Sample, H. E. Norton, John H. Lucas, Ernest Merrill.

Dry Goods – D. W. Richards, C. Alderman, S. Ward, W. L. Bickmore, Jos. Ward, James Small, J. A. Raine, John Sanford, J. T. Davis, D. C. Davies, Chas. Carpenter, Thos. Kelly, C. H. Harmison, James Grooms.

T. C. Davies Manufacturing Druggist, 87 Second Street, Ironton and Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, (looks to be the same address but listed differently) - Ironton, Ohio Business Directory, 1882-83

And manufacturers of Davies’ Celebrated Diarrhea Cordial & Worm Candy

Bill Ham has just issued the following number for the next (in progress) Bitters Bottles Supplement:

G 17.7  GERMAN ARMY BITTERS

G 17.7  GERMAN ARMY BITTERS / DAVIES & CO / IRONTON, OHIO. // f // f // f //
6 1/8 x 2
Square, Amber, NSC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare
Ironton, Ohio, Business Directory, 1882-83
Davies, Thos. C. Druggist; Dealer in paints, Oils and Glass and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, 87 2d b Lawrence and Buckhorn, Ironton, O.

A German Drug Store reference:

The German Drug Store will pass from existence, and so ends the third drug store project in Ironton. - Ironton Register, Mar. 16, 1871

D. C. Davies Store – The Lawrence Register

Thomas C. Davies

Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, born 1861, died 1895

Thomas C. Davies (druggist), Ironton, O., son of Jas. J. Davies, has been appointed corresponding secretary for Lawrence County of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. - The Cambrian – 1882

D. C. Davies [father J. T. Davies]

D. C. Davies, Dry Goods and Millinery

The most prominent mercantile establishment in Ironton is the large and complete dry goods and millinery establishment owned by Mr. D. C. Davies. The business practically dates its inception from the establishment of J. T. Davies’ dry goods store in the early fifties. In 1885 Mr. D. C. Davies, who had for twelve years been an able clerk in the store, bought the stock and business. The location of the store was then in a part what was known as the City Hall Block, a handsome three-story building, 60 by 80 feet. Four years after Mr. Davies had bought the store his trade had grown to such proportions that he concluded to buy the whole block and convert the entire space into different departments, completing under one roof one of the best stores in Southern Ohio. Mr. Davies is a thorough man in the business, as his experience would indicate, and his patrons receive the benefit of a large assortment of goods in the different departments, which are bought and sold at the lowest prices consistent with quality.

Ironton Mar. 3, 1904 - Kemp Lands – Which Were Recently Purchased By The Ohio Real Estate Company Will Shortly Be Improved and Placed on the Market for Sale. – Ironton is shortly to witness important movements in the real estate line, to be inaugurated by the Ohio Real Estate Company, the corporation which some weeks ago purchased the well known Kemp property in the Fourth Ward. Several unsuccessful efforts have been made at various times to secure this property, which has long been in demand for residence purposes, and the new owners propose to put it into desirable shape and market the lots without delay. – The active purchasers connected with the deal are C. I. Lirkle, S. H. Bowman, and S. A. Moore, bankers from Philippi, W. Va., who are in the city today, completing arrangements for grading and making other improvements on the property which will be placed in the best of condition. For this purpose a large sum of money will be expended. A number of local gentlemen are associated with the company, among whom are A. H. Mittendorf, Captain J. F. Morgan, J. F. McConnell, F. L. McCauley, F. _. Martin, T. C. Edwards, Jas. I. Gorman, E. J. Merrill, F. C. Tomlinson, D. C. Davies and W. A. Murdock. The property, which is very favorably situated is one of the best in the city.

Samuel B. Davies [sons Benjamin and George B. Davies]

Samuel B. Davies, was said to have come to the United States with two sons, Benjamin and George B. Davies. Possibility that Samuel B. Davies immigrated from either Monmouth or Cardiff, Wales. Supposedly, he was run out of Wales because he wrote a series of pamphlets critical of wage practices.

Possibly, son Benjamin became a labor organizer and head of a union in Indiana. The other son, George B. Davies, apparently settled in Ironton, Ohio, after the Civil War, where he married Sarah Levering. They had 5 children: George, William, Lillian, Jennie, and Carrie. George (2) married Nina Mae Eakins and had 5 children also: Harold, George (3), Ralph (died at 6 mo.), Dorothy, and Nina.

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters

San Francisco

“Lightning Strikes Twice”

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V

If you read below, I’m going to repeat a phrase I used yesterday to describe the situation when I came across two unlisted bitters with the same name on the same day. There is not much information on this brand with the exception of a few advertisements and San Francisco directory listings. I would like to thank Bill Ham and Brian Wolff for research assistance.

It is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place?

Read: The unlisted German Army Bitters – Ironton, Ohio

They were used in the Sanitary Department of the German army in the late war, and highly recommended as a tonic and also for their anti-dyspeptic qualities.

I am also hoping that Warren Friedrich can chime in on this brand. Obviously this is a German product made for the American western market. Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Bill Ham has provided the following number and listing for the Dr. Nauman’s advertisement find. The material will be added to the next Bitters Bottles Supplement.

Advertisement (see top of post)
N 15.3  Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters
Daily Alta, Volume 24, Number 8196, September 4, 1872
Walter & Marcuse, Importers. No. 414 Sacramento Street, Between Sansome and Battery, San Francisco

1872 Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters - Elevator – San Francisco, California

The same advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters with a ‘German’ influence and market projection – 1872 – California Journal und Sonntags-Gast – San Francisco, California

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Daily Alta California, Volume 24, Number 8198, 6 September 1872

Listing for Walter & Marcuse (Max Walter), agents German Army Bitters, 414 Sacramento – San Francisco Directory 1874

Listing for Walter & Lieber (Max Walter and Leopold Lieber), agents German Army Bitters, 621 Sansome – San Francisco Directory 1878

M. Walter & Co. (Max Walter) – Langley’s San Francisco Directory – 1894

M. Walter & Co., 811 Montgomery, San Francisco, Cal. – Pacific Spirit & Wine Review – 1895

Timeline

Walter & Marcuse – 414 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, California (1872, 1874)

Walter & Lieber, 1877-1880, 621-625 Sansome Street

M. Walter & C0., 621 Sansome Street, San Francisco, California – (1881 – 1901)

Max Walter (M. Walters & Co.), residence 308 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California – (1893)

M. Walters & Co. (Max Walter) – 811 Montgomery, Langley’s San Francisco Directory – (1894)

Walter Distilling Co. (1902-1906)

Walter Distilling Co. Inc., 140 Clay (1909-1911)

Dr. Gerard Alexander “G A” Foote (Courtesy of Brian Gerard Foote)

Texas Tonic Bitters

prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote

McKinney, Texas

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & James Viguerie

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters

With continued research by James Viguerie on Price’s Patent Texas Tonic we now have another reference to a different Texas Tonic Bitters by Dr. G. A. Foote. It is quite odd that in various historical documents that G.A. is referred to as George, Gerald or Gerard. I believe ‘Gerard’ is correct. James has also come across material for a Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters. We will look at that later.

Ferd,

Here is another Texas Tonic Bitters. I am not sure of its connection to the others.

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. FOOTE. It is claimed for these bitters that they are entirely vegetable, and quite useful in the cure of the various diseases peculiar to a southern climate, such as fever and ague, billious or remittent fevers, dyspepsia, also that they are a positive preventive of all malarial diseases. For sale at FOOTE & HERNDON’S.

McKinney Messenger. June 18, 1870, Vol. 15, No. 4.

Foote & Herndon – Dr. G. A. Foote and Mr. H. C. Herndon – Druggist, Corner of Front Row, Collin Co. TX – McKinney Messenger – 1871 – 1872

Attached is a receipt from Foote and Herndon. – James

Receipt for Charles B. Moore from Foote and Herndon Retail Druggists, February 17, 1876 – University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History

Gerard Alexander Foote clipping – Ancestry.com

Dr. Gerard A. Foote 1823-1902 and Wife Annie B. (Simmons) 1829-1914, Photo C-1900 (photo Herbert Rickards)

Death of Dr. G. A. Foote 

He Was a Pioneer Texan and a Surgeon in Confederate Army.

Birth: Sep. 23, 1823, Oakville, Appomattox County, Virginia

Death: Oct. 24, 1902, McKinney, Collin County, Texas

Dr. Gerald (should be George or Gerard) Alexander Foote died at his home in this city at 9:30 tonight. The deceased was born on Sept 28, 1823, in Farqua County, Virginia. He emigrated to Mississippi in 1832, thense to Collin County in 1845. He practiced medicine in McKinney and surrounding country for over twenty years. During the Civil War he was surgeon in the Confederate Army in Col. William Young’s Eleventh Texas cavalry.

At the close of the war he entered the drug business in McKinney and has been in active business ever since, for many years president of the Collin County National Bank until January last. He was a nephew of Senator H.S. Foote of Mississippi. Nov 11, 1847, he married Miss Eliza Jones McGarrah at Old Fort Buckner, in this county. He was married a second time to Miss Corrine Lee of Clarksville, TX, who survives him. He was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1865 and again in 1874. - The Dallas Morning News – 1902-07-17

Death of G. A. Foote - Collin County Democrat, July 24, 1902

More….

Foote was a distant relative of George Washington, his uncle was a Senator from Mississippi and he came from Mississippi to Collin Co., Texas in 1845. G.A. Foote graduated from Centenary College in Mississippi and graduated from Memphis Medical College in 1856.

The Good Shepherd Montessori School has a rich history from the ground up. The school rests on 4 acres in McKinney, Texas, 1.7 acres of which originally belonged to G.A. Foote. Dr. Foote, in a handwritten deed from 1907, generously sold the land for $1.00 to the small community’s church. Included was a written provision for a portion of the land to be used as a school. This gesture showed a vision of the future for McKinney based on Christian principles with a high value placed on education.

The Collin County Bank, McKinney, Texas. Officers: Dr. G. A. FOOTE, President. H.M. MARKHAM, Vice-Presít. W. L. BOYD, Cashier. Partnership composed of the following persons: W. L. BOYD, Dr. G. A. FOOTE, J. W. THROCKMORTON, J. L. WHITE, Geo. A. WILSON, R. M. BOARD, Thos. B. WILSON, H. M. MARKHAM, Mrs. E. EMBERSON, J. A. ASTON, W. A. RHEA, W. J. ASTON, J. C. RHEA, T. C. GOODNER.

Saint John’s Lodge was granted dispensation November 27, 1848 and was chartered January 24, 1850.   There were eight charter members with Harrison G. Hendricks serving as the lodge’s first Worshipful Master.  The other charter members were Samuel Bogart, Langdon C. Searcy, Joseph M. Bounds, T.T. Berry, G.A. Foote, Leonard Searcy, and William Fitzhugh.

Annie B. Simmons Foote - Wife of Dr. George A. Foote 1823-1902 - Moved with her parents to Texas from Georgia in 1846 She met and Married a young Dr. Foote on June 19th 1850 they has 3 children George Jr. 1852-1930 Annie 1855-1918 Mary 1859-1867. Duing the Civil War her husband was Surgeon for the 11th Texas Cav. CSA After the war they Settled in McKinney Texas and lived there until George’s Death in 1902
She lived with her daughter Annie until her death in 1914 at age 75. She is buried beside her husband.

Foote plot at the Pecan Grove Cemetery, McKinney, Texas

Source for above

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters advertisement – The Daily Mercury Houston, Texas – February 24, 1874

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters

Constantly on Draught at The Gem Saloon

I want to be a Texan,
And with the Texans stand,
A spur upon our boot heel –
Prindle’s Bitters in our hand!

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & Jame Viguerie

The Prindle’s is the second Texas Tonic Bitters that James Viguerie has uncovered recently while looking for information on Price’s Patent Texas Tonic. The first was the Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote. It looks like T. J. Prindle brought some experience with him from Kentucky and had saloons in Houston and Fort Worth. He had a partner named Oscar F. Holmes. Here is James incoming e-mail:

Ferd,

Here is information about another Texas Tonic I came across. This one was called Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters. I have no idea if it was related to the earlier Texas Tonic. Hopefully they had this one bottled. It does say for sale wholesale and retail as well as being constantly on draught at the Gem Saloon. It looks like T. J. Prindle was in business with Oscar F. Holmes in Houston.

Some interesting background on Holmes and Prindle.

Aunt Mollie (your grandmother) when asked what her husband did for a living would smile and say he was a ‘speculator’. He was all of that because he and Tom Prindle speculated her father Hiram right out of a good deal of money to put in saloons and gambling houses here in Houston, Someone recently told me the story of Aunt Mollie sending one of her visitng nieces down to the saloon each day at noon to get a pitcher of beer for the noonday meal. She must have been quite a character”

One of the Holmes children was name “Oscar Prindle HOLMES”

Find a Grave: T. J. Prindle

Find a Grave: Oscar F. Holmes

It looks like there is more online about both Holmes and Prindle.

James

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters advertisement – Houston Daily Mercury – Houston, Texas – November 30, 1873

T. J. Prindle Exchange Restaurant advertisement – Tri-Weekly Telegraph – Houston, Texas – February 28, 1866

T. J. Prindle, Westlake & Co., Exchange Restaurant advertisement – Tri-Weekly Telegraph – Houston, Texas – December 13, 1865

Thomas J. Prindle

Born: March, 1849, Kentucky

Died: March 8, 1914, Texas (Hollywood Cemetery, 3506 N. Main), There is no marker for T. J. Prindle.

Confederate Service: Prindle, Thomas J., Jr. 2nd lieutenant, Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment)

Thomas J. Prindle – Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment)

Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment) Thomas J. Prindle Disharge Paper due to illness – 1863

Oscar F. Holmes

Born: August 24, 1832 (1831 see below), Herkimer County, New York

Died: October 4, 1881, Willis, Montgomery County, Texas

Note: A Family Bible lists Oscar’s year of birth as 1831. Also in a handmade book of the Homes Family, and believed to be the writing of Sarah Holmes Butler, Oscar’s birth date is listed as August 27, 1831. His tombstone lists 1832. Death: 4 October 1881 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Burial: Willis Cemetery, Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Marker: “Oscar F. Holmes, August 24, 1832 – October 4, 1881.”

Military 25 October 1862 San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The records show that Oscar Holmes served as a private in Company E, (Captain Hall’s Company), Madison’s (also known as Phillips’) Regiment Texas Cavalry, Confederate States Army. He was enlisted October 25, 1862 at San Antonio, Texas and on the muster roll of the company dated December 31, 1862, the last roll on file. He was reported absent with leave from December 24, 1862. No later record of him has been found. His wife, Mary Emily Holmes, filed for a widow’s pension on November 18, 1914. Information from the Adjutant General’s Office of the War Department, May 28, 1914.

Census Residences: Hot Springs, Arkansas 1878. Shown as place of residence in his father’s will. 1880 Union, Garland County, Arkansas. District 72, Page 10. Surname is spelled “Holms” in this census. 1870 Schroeppel Township, Oswego County, New York. Shows to be living with his parents in this census, with occupation as
a cotton buyer. 1850 Danube, Herkimer County, New York

Father: Ezra HOLMES b: 30 July 1791 in Quaker Hill, Dutchess County, New York

Mother: Sally WILCOX b: 11 November 1792 in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island

Marriage: Mary Emily “Mollie” LITTLE, b: 22 December 1850 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Married: 7 December 1871 in Houston, Harris County, Texas

Note: At the residence of  T. J. Prindle, Esq. by Rev. Mr. Zealy. (From the Herkimer Democrat; January 10, 1872, Danube, New York). O. F. Holmes – formerly of Danube (New York) this county & Miss Mary E. Little of Houston, Texas.

Children: Oscar Prindle HOLMES b: 3 February 1873 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas, William Fritzallen HOLMES b: 16 November 1876 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas, Lula HOLMES b: 26 May 1878

Clippings

Fort Worth, Texas – During the 1860s Fort Worth suffered from the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction. The population dropped as low as 175, and money, food, and supply shortages burdened the residents. Gradually, however, the town began to revive. By 1872 Jacob Samuels, William Jesse Boaz, and William Henry Davis had opened general stores. The next year Khleber M. Van Zandt established Tidball, Van Zandt, and Company, which became Fort Worth National Bank in 1884. Barrooms such as Tom Prindle’s Saloon and Steele’s Tavern welcomed many travelers. – Texas State Historical association.

NEARING MATURITY 1874-1890 89 – Houston gentlemen amused themselves that summer by playing billiards at the hall of Messrs. Prindle and Holmes, sculling on the bayou in the new paired-oar boat of the Andax Rowing Club, or drilling with the Light Guards. Women joined the Dramatic Club, read and discussed Mark Twain s new novel, The Gilded Age, and quoted couplets from the pen of Nettie Bowers Houston, Texas poet.

Hello Ferdinand:

Have enclosed some pictures of an interesting bottle that I dug in St. Louis. I dug this large flint glass pictured hair bottle from a pontiled era privy. It is a large bottle 8 1/2″ tall and 4″ wide. It is embossed – X. BAZIN – and below the picture it is embossed – PHILADa. The sides of the bottle has five fancy ribs on each side. The bottle is not pontiled but it appears to be made in the 1850′s as all the other bottles were pontiled. I have never seen a bottle quite like this. I wonder if you are any of your fellow collectors have?

Tom Feltman

What an interesting bottle and name. A little researching online reveals some pretty amazing material. To me this looks like a pretty fancy perfume or hair bottle. Let’s hear what our readers think. First a little on Xavier Bazin.

Xavier Bazin, Steam Fancy Soap Works and Perfumery 

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & Tom Feltman

Xavier Bazin Manufacturer & Importer of Perfumery Store, 318 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA. – Philadelphia Architects and Buildings

Xavier Bazin established a soap and perfumery business in Philadelphia sometime before 1850. Bazin initially served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Eugene Roussel came to Philadelphia in 1838. He immediatly set up a perfumery where he made fancy soaps and stuff and had a mineral water fountain there too. Bazin bought the perfumery business from Roussel because Roussel wanted to focus on his mineral water venture. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884.

By 1857, Bazin had moved to a new address at 17 S. 5th Street. There he continued to very successful with his Perfumeries, especially his Shaving Creams. These Bazin products were put up in ornately decorated pots, the lids of which are very valuable to collectors now.

He manufactured X. Bazin’s Celebrated Toilet Soaps, Shaving Creams, Bandoline, Philocome Pomade, Toilet Waters, Cosmetics, Bulk Extracts, Cologne, etc. He was the sole proprietor until the mid 1870s when his sons joined the business. In 1875, he formed a partnership with Robert O. Kilduffe, forming X. Bazin & Co. In 1877, Hall and Ruckel of New York became sole agents for his products.

One of Bazin’s products, Egyptian Hair Dye, also known as Egyptian Hair Coloring was for sale in the 1872 John F. Henry catalog, and later in the 1885 McKesson & Robbins catalog. Cristiani listed the formula for “Egyptian Hair Dye” as 2 ounces of fresh slaked lime, 1 ounce of litharge, 1 ounce of carbonate of lead, 1/2 ounce of hydrated oxide of bismuth, and 1 pint of distilled water. He said the ingredients were well mixed, then allowed to stand for a while, and finally the larger portion of the water was poured off.  In 1856, Bazin advertised Eau Lustrale, Egyptian Hair Dye, pomades, hair oils, etc. (View ad) In 1880, Bazin advertised the following hair products: Philocome, Pomatum, Hair Oils, Eau Lustrale, Hair Dye. [above paragraph Hair Raising Stories]

Roussel’s premium perfumery: Manufactured by X. Bazin, successor to E. Roussel. Philadelphia. / C. Schuessele delt. Advertisement containing advertising text surrounded by an ornate flowery border. Border includes garlands of flowers in which classical female figures, an eagle, and wingless cherubs are intertwined. The female figures are partially clad in Roman garb and one represents a messenger through the embellishments of wings and a trumpet. The cherubs hold tubes of cream and ribbons adorned with the medallions of the “seven silver and two gold medals awarded by the institutes of Philadelphia New York and Boston.” The eagle holds a medallion in his beak. Also contains four images of medals in the corners. Bazin served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884. – ca 1850 – Historical Society of Pennsylvania

X. Bazin, Steam Fancy Soap Works and Perfumery, 917 Cherry Street, Philadelphia. Advertisement depicting the manufactory and laboratory complex. Also shows crates lining the sidewalks and street and pedestrian traffic, including a horse-drawn wagon hauling crates and departing the complex. Bazin served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884. – ca 1870 – Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept.

Clear, hand blown, square perfume bottle standing right about 2.5 inches tall. Embossed X. BAZIN PERFUMER PHILADA. – AntiqueBottleShop.com

The X. Bazin stamp and essays defy easy categorization – dies were prepared in three values 1¢, 2¢, and 3¢. Read More

Bazin’s Celebrated Premium Perfumery advertisement from Saturday Evening Post – 1865

1850 Xavier Bazin advertisement – City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

AVON MINERAL SPRINGS

the “Saratoga” of Western N.Y.

31 August 2013 | by Jack Stecher

 “Grimace was the prevailing feature on the face of the new-comer when swallowing the beverage of the fountain”

Back in 2005 I published an article on the Avon Mineral Springs in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazine (AB&GC). Prior to that, Les Buell, East Williamson, New York published an informative article in the Old Bottle Magazine (OBX, 1975), entitled Avon Mineral Springs. It pictured several early photos including the bathhouse, “Spring house”, Lower Spring, and the (uncapped) spring well, as viewed at that time. Recently talking with Don Tucker, we decided it might be time to do an update on the springs along with some newer color photos.

Although I had visited the site of the springs years ago, before giving a short talk to the Saratoga BCS meeting in 1997 and publishing the aforementioned article in 2005, I set off for yet another visit and some new photos. Currently the site is called Avon Park and locals refer to it as Avon Springs Downs, where a present day harness track and public park exists.

I set off for yet another visit and some new photos.

Map of Avon Springs area – 1872

Much to my surprise, several ducks were observed swimming leisurely, unaffected by the aromatic waters.

I found only one spring there today as evidenced behind the harness track barns. On the map, this site is southeast of the village of Avon, off Route 39. I also located the site of the lower spring, but the well has been capped and surrounded by a wooden gazebo. This is easily found in the center of the park; the well no longer bubbles the mineral waters. Of course, even a blind man could easily identify its odoriferous source. Capping was necessary in years past due to vandalism, but at least today its still a monument to the past. The lower spring is piped underneath the harness track to a swampy looking pond about 200 yards from its origin. One can easily locate its egress by its sulfurous odor and white residue. No aquatic life there, I thought. Much to my surprise, several ducks were observed swimming leisurely, unaffected by the aromatic waters.

Avon Driving Park

Avon Track Stables

Avon Downs Track

Avon Gazebo

The town historian, Maureen Kingston, told me the village property actually contained several springs, bordered by Conesus Creek on the south and the Genesee River on the west. The major springs were called the “Upper” and “Lower”. The Upper spring is located just east of the Lower spring, on the south side of Spring Street. A third spring, known as “Magnesia” spring is purported to be near the harness track and was considered to be the most beneficial, due to medicinal properties. I spent much of the day combing the woods behind the stables in search of that spring, all to no avail. Historical records evidence a fourth spring called “Longs”, and was said to be located about a mile southwest of lower spring. This spring was first used in 1834 and was considered to be the “strongest” of all the springs in the vicinity. It was said it could only be reached from the road to the present community called Fowlerville. I again found no evidence of it. Records tell of a fifth spring called “Bath” or “New Spring”. This was most likely the two spring wells located on the property of the Avon Cure, a 4-story hotel located on Cure Street (more on this later).

In all my hiking around the grounds, I never found even the slightest evidence of a glass shard for an Avon mineral springs bottle.

Circling back to Spring Street, toward Route 39 or Wadsworth Avenue, it didn’t take me long to locate the site of the Upper spring, situated in another swampy area between some modern day houses. Just follow your nose! Near the Upper spring location, I could only visualize the remnants of an old stone foundation of the famous “Congress Hall” (still evidenced by stone pilings in the back yard of a ranch style house). In all my hiking around the grounds, I never found even the slightest evidence of a glass shard for an Avon mineral springs bottle. I have been told that even the town museum has no example on display of any of the Avon mineral water bottles.

Avon Congress Hall location

Since researching back in the 1990s and again today, I can only speculate why the embossed Avon Mineral Spring bottles are so scarce. History points to Avon’s bottled water products being shipped mostly south, to Pennsylvania and beyond. Strong competition of other New York springs (particularly “Saratogas), up to and after the Civil War, was also a major factor. A declining interest in the curative properties of mineral waters as well as prominent local hostelry being destroyed by fires also contributed to the demise of the Avon spring waters after 1876.

BRIEF HISTORY:

Prior to the first white settlers to the area in 1797, the nearest Indian village at that time was located near Indian Pond, across the Genesee River in the present town of Caledonia. The Seneca’s named their village Canawaugus, meaning “the place of bad smelling waters” because of its proximity to the mineral springs on Avon’s east side of the river. It was said, “Grimace was the prevailing feature on the face of the new-comer when swallowing the beverage of the fountain”.

The Seneca’s named their village Canawaugus, meaning “the place of bad smelling waters” because of its proximity to the mineral springs on Avon’s east side of the river.

Originally settled and called Hartford, its name was changed to Avon in 1808. Avon was referred to as the “New Haven” of the west in 1853, as the spa became famous and several large hotels emerged. A large depot was built for the railroad. Hotels boasted billiards, bowling alleys, music and dancing, sports for the “fowler”, and bathhouses.

Avon Spring Cornet Band

Water at the Lower spring was first to be used medicinally. Wadsworth erected a building on his farm in 1821, near the spring, housing a crudely constructed “shower box”, for those wishing to use the spring for bathing.

Avon Lower Spring

This was followed two years later by an enlarged and new bathhouse. Capt. Asa Nowlen purchased the Lower spring area in 1836, later passing in on to George Nowlen who in turn sold it to Dr. O. D. Phelps in 1859. (Both Nowlen and Phelps names appear on several of the Avon bottles. The racetrack, planned by Nowlen in 1836, remains today). The Upper spring waters were first used in 1827 after Nehemiah Houghton built an Inn nearby. It was known as the American Hotel, later called Congress Hall. Its height of popularity was in 1859.

Avon’s Congress Hall, Avon, N.Y.

Avon Congress Hall menu

Magnesia spring, near the racetrack and Conesus Creek, was not used until the glory of the spa began to fade in later years.

The gay and fashionable preferred the U.S. Hotel and Congress Hall while the invalids chose the Knickerbocker.

In 1829, Dr. Derick Knickerbocker purchased land between two dark marshes out of which the Upper and Lower springs bubbled forth and built the Knickerbocker Hall on site. The gay and fashionable preferred the United States Hotel and Congress Hall while the invalids chose the Knickerbocker. Dr. Knickerbocker was given much credit for having built up the popularity of Avon Springs as a health resort. There were several successive owners before it was destroyed by fire in 1886.

Knickerbocker Hall at Avon Springs

Harper’s New Monthly Magazine advertisement for Knickerbocker Hall – June 1856

United States Hotel, Avon, NY

Dr. Phelps expanded the land around Congress Hall to be named Congress Park. Today, only stately trees mark the site on lower Spring Street; garden and landscapes of the Upper spring are no more.

THE AVON CURE:

Charles Whalley built the Avon Cure, a four-story hotel, in 1866. It was located on Cure Street (now Route 39, just before Spring Street) and could accommodate over 100 guests. Mineral water for the baths was supplied from two springs located on the property. In 1871 it was renamed The Sanitarium. In 1904 it was taken down, moved to Conesus Lake and is currently known as the Livingston Inn.

Avon Cure Hotel on Cure Street

AVON SPRINGS PARK:

Area adjacent to the Lower spring and racetrack has been known by several names, Congress Park, Avon Springs Driving Park and presently Avon Springs Downs. After its popularity began to fade, the Erie Railroad ran excursions from Rochester to Avon on holidays during summer months. Picnics near the Lower Spring and horse races on the historic old track were popular pastimes.

THE BOTTLES:

To the best of my knowledge, only the mineral waters from the Upper and Lower springs were bottled. Five different embossments were used.

1. Quart, AVON / SPRING WATER, olive, amber, black, aqua. Probably 1850s and first bottled; colors rare, aqua scarce. No known pints (Tucker N-3)

2. Pint, AVON SPRING WATER (arch) / G. H. NOWLEN / AVON, NY, green rare and aqua scarce. Probably in use until 1875. No known quarts (Tucker N-4)

3. Quart, CONGRESS HALL (arch) / MINERAL SPRINGS / O. D. PHELPS PROP. / AVON N.Y., embossed horizontally, aqua. Probably not later than 1876; short lived and very rare. (Tucker N-6A)

4. Pint, CONGRESS HALL / MINERAL SPRINGS / O. D. PHELPS PROP. / AVON N.Y., embossed vertically, aqua. Probably not later than 1876; also short lived and very rare. (Tucker N-6B)

5. Pint, UPPER, LOWER / AND / CONGRESS HALL / MINERAL SPRING / O. D. PHELPS PROP / AVON. N.Y., embossed vertically, aqua. Also prior to 1876, short lived and very rare. No known quarts (Tucker N-7)

Quart AVON / SPRING WATER, in olive green. (Tucker N-3)

Quart AVON / SPRING WATER, in amber. (Tucker N-3A)

Quart AVON / SPRING WATER, in aqua. (Tucker N-3A)

Two pints, AVON SPRING WATER (arch) / G. H. NOWLEN / AVON, NY, aqua and green (Tucker N-4)

Aqua quart, CONGRESS HALL (arch) / MINERAL SPRINGS / O. D. PHELPS PROP. / AVON N.Y., (Tucker  N-6)

CONGRESS HALL / MINERAL SPRINGS / O. D. PHELPS PROP. / AVON N.Y., embossed vertically (Tucker N-6B-1A)

CONGRESS HALL / MINERAL SPRINGS / O. D. PHELPS PROP. / AVON N.Y., embossed vertically (Tucker N-7) upper-lower vertical

Note that all the Avon Spring mineral water bottles are considered rare or scarce since they were bottled for only a relatively short time. Also, they competed in a relatively small market compared to Saratoga bottles. That most of the hotels burned or had financial problems contributed greatly to their demise. And finally, there was an increased lack of interest in the so-called curative powers of mineral waters. It should also be noted that a recent article in the April 2013 Spouter reported that Saratoga bottles were made at Mt. Pleasant Glass works from 1846-1866, including the N-3 olive green Avon quarts. However, no aqua Avon mineral bottles were made there, it so stated. Question is, where were amber and aqua Avon bottles made? I don’t know. I suspect that the emerald green N-4 could have been manufactured at Lockport, as it’s similar to the green Oak Orchard colors. Possibly other Avon bottles were made at Lockport or Lancaster, due to the proximity of the glass works.

References:

1). Avon, Heart of the Genesee County, Marie C. Preston, 1976.
2). OBX, Vol.8, #9, Sept. 1975, Congress Water and the Avon Mineral
Springs, Les Buell.
3). Collectors Guide to the Saratoga Type Mineral Water Bottles, Donald
Tucker, 2005.
4). Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, No. LXXIII.-June, 1856-Vol.XIII.
5). Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, May 2005, Avon Mineral Springs, the
Saratoga of western N.Y., Jack Stecher.

Cincinnati Bitters Spotting

A cross reference of directories

02 September 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V

Here on this Labor Day, I have laboriously gone through the William’s Cincinnati Directories, and a few others prior to Williams, to cross-check the bitters listings. You can learn a lot from doing this such as advertising trends, population growth, occupations (I think every 5th person was a cigar-maker) and about bitters brand introduction, growth and demise (sometimes all in one year). Please keep in mind, this list does not include listings for say, Morning Call Bitters by the Mills Bro Co. because a listing using the word ‘Bitters’ never occurred in a directory.

There are some unlisted brands here so I have noted below for cataloging purposes and for you diggers and pickers. Please go find an example!

New Bitters Finds (see more information in body of post):

Superior Wine Bitters, by Israel Wilson, 1836-7

Holland Bitters, Henry VanDyke, 1858

Richardson’s Sherry Wine Bitters, J. N. Harris & Co., 1861-1868

Kempfer’s Stomach Bitters, 1870 (listed at Kempfer’s Bitters much earlier)

Kaufman’s Stomach Bitters (also Kaufman’s Anti-Cholera Bitters), 1869 & 1870

Alaska Bitters, S. Kaufman & Co., 1871 (this does not appear to be the C88.7 Kendallville, Indiana variant by G. H. Lohman)

Catawba Bitters, PH Zimmermann, 1877 (This does not appear to be the Catawba Bitters from St. Louis). Recent Meyer addition.

Monarch Stomach Bitters, Brodie Williams & Co., 1879 – 1882 (does not appear to be M 119.2 (Buffalo) or M 119.3 (Milwaukee).

Fletcher’s Bitters and Ginger Tonic, Wm J. Klein & Co. 1885 (Do not believe this is F 55 L in BBS2)

Home Rules Bitters Co., 1890, 1891, 1892

Paradise Bitters, Fred W. Diederichs, 1892, 1893 (Does not appear to be P 19.5 in Bitters Bottles)

Unlisted Superior Wine Bitters on sale by Israel Wilson – 1836-7 Cincinnati Directory Advertiser

Dr. J. Hostetters Celebrated Stomach Bitters – 1855 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Read: Some Early Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters Shards Dug by Chris Rowell

Kempfer’s Bitters listing (see below) – 1868 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

A. Kempfer, stomach bitters, 403 W. 8th, 1857, 1858, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874 (adds Leopold Meyer in 1865), Kempfer’s A. Sons (see above) (Leopold Myer (sp) & George A. Bidenharn) Manufacturer of Kempfer’s Bitters. Referred to as Kempfer’s Stomach Bitters (unlisted) in 1870 listing. Williams Cincinnati Directory

John Lee, agnt. Hostetters bitters, 44 W. Row, 1857 Williams Cincinnati Directory

Herman Snyder, bitters seller, 602 W. Row, 1857 Williams Cincinnati Directory

Henry VanDyke, agent Holland Bitters (possibly listed in Supplement 2 from Milwaukee), 113 W. Canal, 1858 Williams Cincinnati Directory

Charles Frank & Co., (L. Meyer), bitters manufs., 141 W. Pearl, 1860 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Fred Heyker, bitters manuf., 86 Clinton, 1860 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

J. N. Harris & Co., listing for Richardson’s Sherry Wine Bitters – 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1868 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory *It is questionable that this is either R 57 (S. O. Richardson) or R 58 (W. L. Richardson)

Theodore M. Heyker, manuf. stomach bitters, 355 Cutter, 1861 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

John Szotzski, manufac. of bitters, s.s. Liberty b. Clay & Main, 1862, 1863, 1864 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Listing for Charles W. Roback, Manufacturer of Stomach Bitters (barrel) – 1863 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

F. & M. Heyker (Frederick H. & Mathias H.), stomach bitters, 142 Linn, 1864, 1865 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Graham & Co., J. D. G. & Peter Bohl, Manufacturers of Blood Syrup and Bitters, 137 Sycamore, 1865 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

M. H. Lewis, Importer and Dealer, also our own Bitters – 1865, 1867 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (unknown what ‘our own’ biters is)

Advertisement for Hoffheimer Brothers Celebrated Bavarian Bitters – 1866, 1867, 1868 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Read: Bavarian Bitters – Two Examples worth Comparing

This advertisement for Hoffheimer Brothers Celebrated Bavarian Bitters has more prominence than the advertisement above – 1869, (1870 sim) Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

E. B. Cuyler & Co., (E. B. C. & Geo. Koker), bitters, 1 water, 1868 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

S. Kaufman & Co. Manufacturers and Sole Proprietors of the Anti-Cholera Bitters (unlisted or is this the Kaufman’s Stomach Bitters) - 1869, 1870 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

J. A. Sangston & Co., Brady’s bitters, (J. A. S. & D. C. Brady) 16 E. 2nd, 1870, 1871 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Brady’s Bitters, 16 E. 2nd, J. A. Sangston, Agent, 1872 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Read: Brady’s Family Bitters – “Every Body Takes It!”

Advertisement for U.S. Proprietary Medicine Co. and Celebrated Roback’s Stomach Bitters (barrel) – 1870 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (see initial 1863 listing above)

Read: Barrel Series – Roback’s Stomach Bitters (the smaller ones)

Read: Barrel Series – Roback’s Stomach Bitters (the big boys)

Alaska Bitters advertisement with S. Kaufman & Co. – 1871 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (see 1869 & 1870 Kaufman ad above for Anti-Cholera Bitters)

W. B. Wood, Bitters Manufacturer, Wood’s Bitters, 1515 Montgomery, 1872 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (possibly referring to W 153 Woods Tonic Wine Bitter in Bitters Bottles)

Bitters, Geo. Stricker, 31 Vine, 1872 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory, Stricker & Nathan, 62 Main, 1879 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Philip Wolf & Co., Principal Depot for Dr. Henley’s California IXL Bitters – 1874 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Read: Dr. Henley’s Wild Grape Root IXL Bitters ‘Showdown’

Wm A. Meyer, stomach bitters, 403 W. 8th, (also manuf. of bitters). Works with Kempfer’s Bitters 1875, 1876 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Bitters, B. Ahrnghaus, 331 W. 5th, 1875 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Bitters, Strickland & Co., 311 Vine, 1876 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Wm. Fuller & Co. ‘And Manufacturers of all kinds of Stomach and Cocktail Bitters‘ – 1876 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

PH Zimmermann, manufacturer of Catawba Bitters – 1877 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Bitters, Duby Green, 306 W. 5th, 1877 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Bitters, Leopold Meyer (also Otto G. Meyer), 403 W. 8th., 1877, 1878 (Manufacturer of Kempfer’s Bitters) Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Brodie Williams & Co., (Harry W. & Orrick J. Halstead) (Geo T. Bach, 1882) Manufacturers Monarch Stomach Bitters – 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (see advertisement below)

Monarch Stomach Bitters advertisement – 1882 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Bitters, Solomon Schertz, 133 W. Court, 1880 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Strauss, Son & Co., (Seligman S., Louis C. S. and Fred D. Strauss), Distillers, Fruit Brandies, Cordials, Bitters & c, 236 Walnut and 33 W. 6th, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886,  1887 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

John Hess, bitters manuf. 86 W. Court, 1884, 1885 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Tonquin Bitters Co., (The), 169 Plum, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (probably T 48 in Bitters Bottles, if so, listing update required in BBS2)

H. Grossman & Co., Sole Agents for St. Jacob’s Bitters – 1885 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Read: Saint Jacob’s Bitters – Cincinnati, Ohio

Wm J. Klein & Co., Sole Agents for Fletcher’s Bitters and Ginger Tonic – 1885 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Charles Smith, agent, Albert Harris, Bus. mgr, Ferd. Schulze, agent Dr. Smith’s Colombo Bitters, 289 Vine, 1889 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (looks like S 123 L in Bitters Bottles) (*could be related to S 128 in BBS)

The Hoffheimer Distilling Co., Sole Proprietors and Manufacturers Hoffheimer’s Sasafras Herb Bitters (and Tonic) (2 listings w/Tonic same year) – 1890, 1891 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (see Hoffheimer Bros 1870, above) (H 133 in Bitters Bottles)

Home Rules Bitters Co., whol. liquors, 10 E. 2nd., 1890, 1891, 1892 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Fred W. Diederichs, bitters manuf., Paradise Bitters (1892, 1893), 507 Race 1891, 1892, 1893 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory

Boyer’s Sure Cure Bitters Co., (H.C. Gary, mgr.), 92 E. 3rd., 1893 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory (Refer B 184 and B 185 in Bitters Bottles) (See Boyer’s B 184 from Meyer Collection)

Here are my findings on the Southern Alterative

by James Viguerie

03 September 2013

[read first: Two rare and early ‘Southern’ Bottles]

Here are my findings on the Southern Alterative (pictured above) embossed New Orleans. I am attaching a number of advertisements. The most important one is from The Star State Patriot which is pictured below:

Southern Alterative – The Star State Patriot – Marshall, Texas – March 27, 1852

Advertisements for the Febrifuge were found in papers from Texas to New York.

This is the only advertisement I have found showing someone making a “Southern Alterative” reference. Dr. A. Kendall was also know for his Electrical Febrifuge. Advertisements for the Febrifuge were found in papers from Texas to New York.

A check of the New Orleans City directory in 1851 found the following people at 72 Magazine Street:

Bisel, Elizabeth Franses, boarding
Kendall, A. & Co., patent medicines
Orton, H. B., (not specified)
Seat, N. W. firm Kendall & Co.

Here are some depictions of New Orleans from that time period:

Magazine Street in the 1850s – New Orleans, Louisiana

1850s view Canal Street which 72 Magazine Street (A. Kendall & Co.) was at the intersection

It is interesting that both Kendall and Seat had “electric” products. 

Based on the city directory, I would say the “& Co” was N. W. Seat. I found that an N. W. Seat put out a Negative Electric Fluid in New York in 1853. Kendall & Co. had a depot in New York in 1851 run by an S. E. Kendall. It is interesting that both Kendall and Seat had “electric” products. The web page antiquemedicines.com has pictures of both bottles (pictured below).

N W SEAT M.D. NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID NEW YORK
161 Grand St 1853. This medicine’s name comes from some of the early 19th century philosophical ideas on the nature of electric currents. – antiquemedicines.com

See more pictures of N. W. Seat M.D. Negative Electric Fluid bottle at bottom of post.

1852 advertisement (see below) and a A. KENDALL’S ELECTRICAL FEBRIFUGE NEW ORLEANS – antiquemedicines.com

I also checked to see if Dr. Burney James Kendall, of Kendall’s Spavin Cure fame, was related. I could not find any connection there.

Dr. Burney James KENDALL was born on 30 October 1845 in Enosburg Falls, Franklin City, Vermont. He was buried in 1922 in Rochester, Minnesota. He died on 11 January 1922 at the age of 76 in Geneva, Illinois.

Related Kendall Advertising

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-Street, New Orleans – New York past present and future – comprising a history of the city of New York – 1851

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-street, New Orleans – De Bow’s New Orleans Monthly Review vol 12 – 1852

A. Kendall & Co., 72 Magazine-Street, New Orleans – De Bow’s New Orleans Monthly Review vol 13 – 1852

Kendall Botanic Medicine advertisement – The Planters’ Banner – Franklin Attakapas Co. Louisiana – February 8, 1849

Kendall on Yellow Fever – Transactions of the National Eclectic Medical Association of the United States of America for the Years – 1877

The Electrical Febrifuge or Speed’s Fever Tonic advertisement (part 1) – Weekly Journal – Galveston, Texas – June 3, 1851 – part 1

The Electrical Febrifuge or Speed’s Fever Tonic advertisement (part 2) – Weekly Journal – Galveston, Texas – June 3, 1851

Kendall Important to Planters advertisement – The Star State Patriot – Marshall, Texas – February 14, 1852

Post Follow-up

N. W. SEAT MD NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection

N.W. SEAT, MD | NEGATIVE ELECTRIC FLUID – Jimmy Bray Collection

Otto Kornemann and Julius Jungbluth

Alpine Bitters Statuette & Trademark

04 September 2013

First of all, we are not talking about the western, Alpine Herb Bitters put out by Thomas Taylor Company in San Francisco. We are however, speaking of the Alpine Bitters manufactured and marketed by Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth in New York City. These two actually had a design patent for a statuette or “ornamental device, intended more especially for bars of drinking-houses, hotels, and saloons where Alpine Bitters is offered for sale.” They also had a “new and original design for a trade-mark for distinguishing and identifying the true Alpine Bitters as manufactured and sold by”…

What prompted this post today was finding this Alpine Bitters advertisement below in the Galveston Bulletin dated Wednesday, March 8, 1871. Why so far away? Why no bottles? Again, every bottle or brand has a story.

These bitters are the pure extracts of herbs and roots, which grew only on the mountains of Switzerland and the Alpine regions..

Alpine Bitters, Kornemann & Co., New York advertisement – Flake’s Semi-Weekly Galveston Bulletin. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 99, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 8, 1871

Select Listings:

Kornemann & Co. (Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth) S. Cedar, The Trow City Directory Co.’s, Formerly Wilson’s, Copartnership and Corporation Directory of New York City, 1866

Kornemann & Co., imps. 8 cedar, City Directories of New York, 1866

Design Patent: 3517, Statuette, Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth, New York City, Scientific American, Volume 20, 1869

Trade Mark: 4,005, Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth, New York, NY

No known embossed Alpine Bitters bottles exist to my knowledge though there is a notation in the Bitters Bottles book by Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham for an Alpine Bitters by Kornemann & Co. which is:

A 35  ALPINE BITTERS

For Sale Only By Korenmann & Co., (sp: Kornemann) importers and sole agents. 8 Cedar Street, New York. The popular European tonic and anti-dyspeptic elixir. Made entirely of roots and herbs.

Design Patent 3517

“ornamental device, intended more especially for bars of drinking-houses, hotels, and saloons where Alpine Bitters is offered for sale.”

Design Patent 3517: Statuette, Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth, New York City

Design Patent 3517: Statuette, Otto Kornemann & Julius Jungbluth, New York City

Trade Mark 4,005

“new and original design for a trade-mark for distinguishing and identifying the true Alpine Bitters as manufactured and sold by us”

Otto Kornemann and Julius Jungbluth Trademark beneath a Hoffheimer Bavarian Bitters brand trademark. – United States Patent Office 1870

Otto Kornemann and Julius Jungbluth Trademark 4,005

Otto Kornemann and Julius Jungbluth Trademark 4,005 – United States Patent Office, May 3, 1870

KORNEMANN & CO. bottle

The only Kornemann bottle picture (horizontal below) I could find was over at Antique-bottles.net. I believe this might be the bottle with an applied label reading Alpine Bitters. According to jkeeney (bottle lister), the bottle is embossed with “KORNEMANN & CO”. The seam stops at the beginning of the neck. It is 10 1/2″ high  by 2 3/4″ diameter. The bottle is 12 sided that stops at the shoulder.

“Very interesting! Two examples of an amber bottle embossed simply ‘Julius Jungbluth’, same shape as the Kornemann bottle, were found years ago in Alta, Utah. Always wondered where they were from and what they contained.” - Roger Terry

Above horizontal picture embossed only “KORNEMANN & CO.“. Also depicted above is a “JULIUS JUNGBLUTH” embossed bottle noted by Roger Terry.

Lawsuit

Mention of lawsuit by Otto Kornemann and Julius Jungbluth – Michigan Reports Advance Sheets, 1873

Kornemann, O., importer of peat moss 

PRG Note: I have a feeling that this is the same Otto Kornemann but have not made a definitive link.

ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK: THE METROPOLIS OF TO-DAY (1888)

OTTO KORNEMANN, Importer of Peat Moss for Stable Bedding No. 14 Piatt Street. Among the most active and enterprising general importers from Europe is Mr. Otto Komemann of No. 14 Piatt Street. There are few, if any, in the metropolis possessed of his wide range of practical experience, and his sound judgment in introducing goods specially demanded by the American public. A native of Germany, Mr. Kornemann has now been a resident of the United States, for upward of thirty-two years, and since 1877 has been actively engaged in business at his present stand as the leading importer of chemically -pure glycerine and glycerine for high explosives, the excellent standard of which is universally acknowledged. He has developed business of great magnitude with influential connections, both at home and abroad. He is the importer of the famous O. K. brand peat moss stable bedding, as yet a novelty in our country, though it has been in use for years past on the continent. A description of this article and its many virtues will prove highly interesting to all owners of horses, and those who keep themselves well informed upon the improvements of the age. Peat moss bedding is the only perfect article for bedding in the world; the manure is deodorized by it, thereby producing pure air, while horses’ feet undergo a radical change, inasmuch as they become soft, and the universal verdict is that horses’ feet rendered tender and inflamed by the stone pavements of cities are soothed and cooled in the most remarkable maner; horses also require less grooming, owing to the cleansing properties of the moss. From the economical point of view it has no equal, from one to two bales sufficing for one horse per year. Were these alone the only recommendations it would be by far the best bedding in existence, but to them is to be added the important fact that the bedding when removed is the richest manure known, charged full of ammonia, worth from $7.50 to $25 per ton* for the fertilizing material absorbed, while it keeps the soil moist for a longer period, after rain, than any other substance. Peat moss manure is one of the richest fertilizers known, and the demand far exceeds the supply. We recommend all horse owners, as well as managers of large stables, to send to Mr. Kornemann for his circular and testimonials, and test a sample bale of this truly wonderful bedding, now so rapidly replacing straw and all other substances there for. Mr. Kornemann’is a merchant of sterling integrity, and exercises a liberal policy, being worthy of the marked success achieved.

Kornemann on Steamship?

A STEAM-SHIP SUNK AT SEA.; THE POMMERANIA RUN DOWN BY AN IRON BARK. FIFTY-EIGHT LIVES REPORTED LOST. A MIDNIGHT COLLISION OFF FOLKESTONE THE GREAT STEAM-SHIP STRUCK AMIDSHIPS BY A BARK UNDER FULL HEADWAY STRUGGLES OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW FOR LIFE HEROIC CONDUCT OF CAPT. SCHWENSEN LISTS OF THE SAVED AND LOST THE CARGO AND ITS VALUE.

I am not certain but by looking at the many articles that are available online, it looks like Otto Kornemann survived this historic steamship disaster. This is a possibility that this is the same Otto Kornemann. I am working on the connection.

Otto Kornemann listed as one of the survivors- Terrible Collision in the Channel, Serious Loss of Life, The Daily Telegraph, November 27th, 1878

Read: The Story of the Disaster

STEAMSHIPS COLLISION, 1878. Fatal collision between the German steamship ‘Pommerania’ and the Welsh bark ‘Moel Eilian,’ near Dungeness Point, in the British Channel, 26 November 1878. Contemporary wood engraving.

Advertisement Gehrmann, Ahrens & Co., importers and distillers, Manufacturers of Our Most Celebrated Alpine Stomach Bitters – New York City Directory, 1862 & 1865

“Our Most Celebrated” Alpine Stomach Bitters

GEHRMANN, AHRENS & CO. | NYC

04 September 2013

Good grief, this is a tough one. All I can find is a Ludwig Gehrmann and a John Ahrens in New York City in and around 1865. They represented Gehrmann, Ahrens & Co., who put out “Our Most Celebrated” Alpine Stomach Bitters. They were located on 26 Canal Street in the heart of lower Manhattan. The stories surrounding this neighborhood are amazing.

This is not about the Alpine Herb Bitters represented by Thomas Taylor Company from San Francisco in 1888 nor the Alpine Bitters put out by Kornemann & Co. in New York in 1869. Another Alpine Bitters! And yes, I am aware of the E. Widemann “Alpine Bitters”. Stay tuned on that one.

Group street-front pose on Hudson Street – circa 1865

1865 City Mortality in NYC

CITY MORTALITY. — From the City Inspector’s report it appears that 660 deaths occurred in this city during the past week – 106 men, 100 women, 262 boys and 192 girls – being an increase of 106 upon the mortality of the previous week, and of 50 upon that of the corresponding week of 1864. Of the deceased 416 were children under five years of age. The mortality of the principal diseases were as follows Cholera infantum, 148; consumption, 59; infantile marasmus, 56; convulsions, 45; diarrhoea, 32; dysentery. 20; croup, 5; bilious fever, 5; typhus fever, 24; scarlet fever, 8; inflammation of the lungs, 32; small-pox, 8. - New York Times – July 19, 1865

Listings:

Gehrmann, Adolph, 159 First ave., Trow’s New York City Directory, 1865

Gehrmann, Ludwig, distiller, 26 Canal, Trow’s New York City Directory, 1865

Gehrmann, Ludwig, liquors, 26 Canal, New York City Directory, 1868, 1869

Gehrmann, Ahrens & Co., importers and distillers, 26 Canal, Trow’s New York City Directory, 1865

Ahrens, John G. H., distiller, 26 Canal, Trow’s New York City Directory, 1865

Ahrens, Jno G. H., retail, 89 Murray, Bonfort’s Wine and Liquor Trade Directory for the United States, 1875

Ahrens, John G. H., wines, 89 Murray, City Directories of New York City, 1878

Various Gehrmann listings – Trow’s New York City Directory, 1865

Rectifying Establishment Explosion:

EXPLOSION IN RUTGERS-STREET. — At about 8 o’clock yesterday morning a copper-still exploded in Mr. LUDWIG GEHRMANN‘s rectifying establishment, at Nos. 2 Rutgers and 26 Canal-streets, and THEODORE HUNGER, of Division-street, and JOHN ENGLER, were severely cut, bruised and scalded. Mr. HUNGER was taken home, and a policeman removed ENGLER to Bellevue Hospital. Mr. GEHRMANN has $6,500 insurance against fire in the New-Amsterdam office. He estimates his loss at $150. - New York Times – July 19, 1865

Disastrous Fire, New York Times, July 14, 1865

A photograph of Barnum’s American Museum, New York City – 1858

Read: Total Destruction of Barnum’s American Museum. Nine Other Buildings Burned to the Ground. LOSS ESTIMATED AT $1,000,000.

26 Canal Street | Gehrmann, Ahrens & Co:

Canal Street takes its name from a canal that was dug in the early 19th century to drain a contaminated and disease-ridden Collect Pond into the Hudson River. The pond was filled in 1811, and Canal Street was completed in 1820 following the angled path the canal had.

Corner of Canal and Broadway, NYC – circa 1834

Watch: Short Documentary “Forgotten New York, Canal Street”

26 Canal Street today:

Losing some of its charm for sure, 26 Canal Street today.

see 26 Canal Street now

Bottle examples in this post courtesy American Bottle Auctions

The Widemann & Chappas

Alpine Stomach Bitters

06 September 2013

This 1856 photograph shows the interior of the Golden Eagle Hotel and Bar with its beautiful birds and wood-accented décor. – Marysville. Ca. The exterior of the hotel is pictured at the bottom of this post.

One can only imagine this dandy gentleman being served a bottle of Alpine Stomach Bitters at the Golden Eagle Hotel and Bar (pictured above) in 1856. Who knows, maybe this is Widemann and Chappas posing behind the bar? Probably not, as Widemann had his establishment at the Wisconsin House as you will see.

Again I made a trip to the car only to find the fifth and sixth one sitting there next to the hole when I came back. Time to take another trip to the car!

from A Quick Exit for Two Lucky Diggers

Over a year ago we looked at a post on the Alpine Herb Bitters by Thomas Taylor Company from San Francisco in 1888 and followed up recently with the Alpine Bitters put out by Kornemann & Co. in New York in 1869. An then we followed with a unlisted Alpine Stomach Bitters by Gehrmann, Ahrens Co. in Manhattan.

We now will re-look at the Alpine Stomach Bitters by Widemann & Chappas from Marysville, California.

Marysville Town Fire, 1851. This lithograph shows the bucket brigade that assisted in quelling the worst fire ever to hit Marysville. The entire city nearly burned to the ground, and the cost of damages was over one-half million dollars.

Reading up on Marysville is interesting, especially when you find that the city nearly burned to the ground in 1851. They must have reconstructed rather quickly because the Alpine Stomach Bitters was being marketed by E. Widemann and J. Chappas in 1864. Widemann even had a listing for his liquor store in a Marysville directory in 1855, just four years after the fire!

Looking in the Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham Bitters Bottles Supplement there is a listing for:

A 35.5  L…Alpine Celebrated Stomach Bitters
// s // E. WIDEMANN ( au ) / & / J. CHAPPAS
11 5/8 x 2 3/4 (5 7/8)
Round-lady’s leg, ARM, Applied mouth,
Puce, Very rare, Green, Extremely rare
Spelling on advertisement is WIDEMANN. On bottle the embossing is WIDEMAN which is slightly off center with a blank space where a second N could have been embossed.
Assumed identity, no labeled bottle known.
Widemann & Chappas was located at the Wisconsin House Corner B and Third St., Marysville, Calif. from approximaely 1864 to 1868.
Most known examples were dug in Marysville, Ca.

Jeff Wichmann published an excellent article over at American Bottle Auctions:

A Quick Exit for Two Lucky Diggers

by Marty Lucich

It was one of those rare situations back in the 1970s, for us, that day luck was on our side. After walking behind some apartments, probing three holes, we needed permission to dig them. Elmer and I knocked on one of the rear doors and asked permission to dig. The occupant didn’t speak English but said yes anyway. It was obvious this was not the owner so we knew we could get kicked out at anytime. Even though we had “permission” we decided to park down the alley just in case there were any problems. We picked what we thought was the best hole to dig first and starting digging at a pretty fast rate. Elmer was the strongest so he did most of the digging.

As he got close to the bottom out came the first bottle of the hole, an eye opening apricot puce E. Wideman / J. Chappaz! Before I started to take it to the car out came a second. I went to put then in the car and when I came back, there was third one lying there next to the hole and soon a fourth one was pulled out. Again I made a trip to the car only to find the fifth and sixth one sitting there next to the hole when I came back. Time to take another trip to the car!

READ MORE

Gorgeous green, E. WIDEMAN & J. CHAPPAS (reverse Z), Widemann misspelled Wideman – American Bottle Auctions

The puce E. WIDEMAN & J. CHAPPAS (reverse Z), Widemann misspelled Wideman – American Bottle Auctions

ADVERTISING

Widemann Important Notice – Marysville Daily Herald, 13 October 1855

Widemann advertisement, Marysville Daily Herald, 22 November 1855

Widemann advertisement, Marysville Daily Herald, 3 January 1856

E. Widemann, Celebrated Alpine Stomach Bitters advertisement (probably 1863) Chappas not listed.

Alpine Celebrated Stomach Bitters by E. Widemann & J. Chappas with a Depot in San Francisco. – 1864

Wideman & Chappas Alpine Bitters listing - Report of the Fourth Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute of the City of San Francisco – 1864 *Pictures exist of the Fourteenth Exhibition in 1879 but would not show this product.

Case Bitters, Widemann & Chappas and One hundred and forty-five cases Salutarus Bitters, Byrnes & Castree in Case 3 at the Fourth Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute of the City of San Francisco – Daily Alta California, 8 September 1864

E. Barthe & B. Pache, Successors to E. Widemann – Marysville Daily Appeal, March 9, 1872

TIMELINE

1854

Advertisement: Widemann, Importer and Wholesale Dealer in Wines, Liquors, Wisconsin House, Corner of B and 8d street, Marysville *Widemann not listed in 1853 Directory.

1855

Advertisement: Widemann, Importer and Dealer in Wines, Brandies, Liquors, Alcohols &c, Wisconsin House, Corner of B and 8d street, Marysville

1856

Advertisement: Widemann, Importer and Dealer in Wines, Brandies, Liquors, Alcohols &c, Wisconsin House, Corner of B and 8d street, Marysville

1857

Listing: Widemann, E., Wholesale Liquor Store, cor Third and B, Germany, 1857 Marysville Directory

1863

Advertisement: E. Widemann, Wholesale Dealer in Native Wines, Liquors, Cognacs and Provisions. Proprietor of the Celebrated Alpine Stomach Bitters, at the Wisconsin House, Corner of B and Third Street, Maryscille (Probsably 1863 as Chappas not listed) *see advertisement above.

1864

Listing: Wideman & Chappas Alpine Bitters listing - Report of the Fourth Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute of the City of San Francisco - 1864

Advertisement: Newspaper ad, Alpine Celebrated Stomach Bitters, Marysvile, California, 1864, Bitters Bottles

1867

Listing: E. Wideman, B St. & 3rd, Marysville, Yuba, California, liquors, Pacific Coast Directory, 1867

1872

Advertisement: E. Barthe & B. Pache, Successors to E. Widemann - Marysville Daily Appeal, March 9, 1872

Note: What is interesting, is that there are no strong listings for E. Widemann or J. Chappas in ancestry wen sites or forums, nor are there any other references or pictures of the Wisconsin House. It is only assumed that the bottles pictured were labeled and contained the Celebrated Alpine Stomach Bitters.

MARYVILLE FLASKS

Mountainbrook Whiskey, John L. Stewart, Marysville, Cal & W.W. Ward Grotto Marysville from Western Flasks by Ralph Van Brocklin

EARLY MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA

In 1842, John Sutter leased part of his Rancho New Helvetia land to Theodore Cordua, a native of Mecklenburg in Germany, who raised livestock and, in 1843, built a home and trading post he called New Mecklenburg.[2] The trading post and home was situated at what would later become the southern end of ‘D’ Street, Marysville’s main street. In 1844, the Mexican government granted Cordua his own land grant, Rancho Honcut.
In 1848, a former employee of Cordua, Charles Covillaud, discovered riches in the gold fields and bought half of the Cordua ranch. Then, in January 1849, Michael C. Nye and William Foster Nye, brothers-in-law to Covillaud’s wife, Mary Murphy, bought the other half of the Cordua ranch. They later sold their interest to Covillaud. In October of the same year, Covillaud sold most of the ranch to Jose Ramirez, John Sampson, and Theodore Sicard. In the days of the Gold Rush, the ranch was a stopping point for riverboats from Sacramento and San Francisco that carried miners on their way to the digging grounds. A sign on the roadside as one enters Marysville carries the slogan: “Gateway to The Gold Fields.” Read More on Wikipedia

Read: THE TOWN OF MARYSVILLE from the Marysville Herald, August 1850

The town of Marysville is geographically speaking, in a position to become one of the most important in the Eureka State. It already numbers three thousand
inhabitants, celebrated for their industry, commercial enterprise, and public spirit.

Tidbits

A small brewery was built in Marysville by John Rueger, in 1852, corner of First and C streets. Its successor is the present California Brewery, owned by Gotlieb Sieber. There are six men employed here and the annual manufacture is over thirty-five thousand gallons. In the great flood of 1875 the brewery sustained a loss of about six thousand dollars, and in April, of the same year, it was destroyed by fire. A new frame building has since been erected. - Yuba County, California History

About 1856, an ale brewery was built on Feather river at the foot of Third street, by an Englishman, but it was not long operated, and was converted in 1859, into a beer brewery by a man named Meyer. This was in operation but a few years. - Yuba County, California History

Wine was made in Marysville, by J.M. Ramirez, as early as 1855, though none was made for the market prior to 1859, when Charles Covillaud, who had been making small quantities for several years, commenced its manufacture on a larger scale. A great deal of wine is now throughout the county, by a number of persons who have vineyards. The largest vineyard and winery near Marysville is that of Grass Bros. They commenced the manufacture as early as 1863, and now have twenty-five acres of vineyard. This, at an average of one thousand vines to the acre, makes a total of twenty-five thousand vines, which are of forty-three varieties. They have made as high as seventeen thousand gallons of seven varieties of wine in one year. Last year their manufacture was, however, but four thousand five hundred gallons. Some of the wine made here is shipped direct to the East, but the larger portion is sold in San Francisco. Two of the finest varieties of grapes, cultivated here, were imported from South America, by J. M. Ramirez; they are the Rose of Peru, and the Chile Rose. - Yuba County, California History

A soda water and sarsaparilla factory was started in 1865. It is located at No. 82, Second street, and two men are employed there; L. Belding is the proprietor. - Yuba County, California History

May 20, 1872, the Johnston Wine and Brandy Manufacturing Co. was formed for the manufacture of those liquors by the Johnston process. The capital stock was $100,000, divided into one thousand shares. Of this, about $27,000 were
subscribed. That year a large quantity of both wine and brandy was made, but on account of the low price, the company became involved in debt, and was finally compelled to discontinue their business. - Yuba County, California History

Golden Eagle Hotel and Bar in Marysville, California, 1856 – Historic Downtown Marysville – The Golden Eagle Hotel, a three-story brick building containing forty rooms, was erected in 1862 by A. Farnham.

Marysville D. Street. Although the exact date is uncertain, records indicate that sometime in the 1850s, Marysville received over 1.75 inches of rain in less than 15 minutes. – Historic Downtown Marysville

Banking House of Decker & Jewett, 60 D. Street, Marysville

The photo was taken in Escanaba, on Michigan’s upper peninsula. I wonder if the Alpine Bitters is the labeled bottle and the larger cylinder bottles are Fairmont and Clutch Rye? Could that be N.A. Bink with the tie? What about that Sheriff?

I wonder if the Alpine Bitters is the labeled bottle and the larger cylinder bottles are Fairmont and Clutch Rye? Could that be N.A. Bink with the tie? What about that Sheriff?

Did N. A. Binks make an Alpine Bitters too?

07 September 2013

Bill Ham and I were corresponding yesterday and comparing notes on the various Alpine Bitters brands. As you may be aware, I got side-tracked and went off on this rather exciting journey to look at a few of the rarer and unlisted Alpine Bitters.

Read: The Widemann & Chappas Alpine Stomach Bitters – Marysville

Read: Our Most Celebrated Alpine Stomach Bitters - Gehrmann’s, Ahrens, Co., NYC

Read: Otto Kornemann and his Alpine Bitters Statuette - New York

Read: Alpine Herb Bitters – Western Mountain Themed Square - San Francisco

The Mysterious E-mail

Just when I thought I had things ‘under control’ with the various Alpine Bitters, Bill sends me this mysterious e-mail:

Ferdinand - Does this work for the new things?

Serving Tray
A 34.5  N.A. Binks
“Drink Fairmont Rye, Ask for Alpine Bitters”, Escanaba, Mich.
16 inches long

Binks may have been a distributor for A 36 Alpine Bitters and Fairmont Rye. Tray pictures beautiful Victorian women. – Bill

Wow. Strange. Bill and Carlyn do have a rather diminutive listing for an Alpine Herb Bitters in Bitters Bottles and have assigned it A 36 (listing and picture below).

A 36 – Alpine Herb Bitters illustration, p60 Bitters Bottles

A 36  ALPINE HERB // sp // BITTERS // f //
10 x 2 3/4 (7 1/2) 1/4
Square, Amber and Yellow, 2 sp, LTC, Tooled lip, Rare

Other ‘Oddball’ Alpine Bitters References

While we are at it, let’s add in a few other Alpine Bitters ‘oddball’ references in Bitters Bottles. Maybe they are also linked to N. A. Binks, whoever that is?

Alpine Bitters Dispensing Barrel listings and illustrations, p60 Bitters Bottles

Alpine Bitters Decanter listing and illustration, p60 Bitters Bottles

Who is N.A. Binks?

“listed in various census reports and directories as a wholesale liquor dealer in 1893 and a saloon owner”

A quick search online pulls up references to a Bink and Coca-Cola in Escanaba, Michigan. Interesting. I really need to find out what “N. A.” stands for so I jump over to the powerful tool, Ancestry.com and type in N. A. Binks, 1890 (+/- 10 years), Escanaba, Michigan. I get some of the typical mis-connections and a few possibilities. You see, the United States census collectors hand wrote their entries so I see no direct links. I remove the ‘s’ from Bink and there he is, Nicholas A. Binks. I now can cross reference various records and confirm that in the years 1889 – 1910, a Nicholas A. Bink was listed in various census reports and directories as a wholesale liquor dealer in 1893 and a saloon owner in 1897 for instance.

Bink, Nicholas A. - Delta Ave. – Escanaba – 20 – bookkeeper, 1889, Escanaba City Directory

Bink, Nicholas A., sample rooms. Dealer in fine wines liquors, cigars and fresh beer, 1003, 1893-95 Escanaba Directory

Bink, Nicholas A., saloon, Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1897

Now that I have a full name, I go back and search for Nicholas A. Bink and get the following great information:

Nicholas A. Bink has been a resident of the city of Escanaba, Delta county, since he was a youth of nineteen years, and has been actively associated with the business interests of this vital community during a period of more than forty years, so that, as proprietor of the City Bottling works, he now ranks as one of the veteran business men of the city.

Mr. Bink was born at Fredonia, Wisconsin, September 7, 1866, and is a son of Michael and Mary K. Bink, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Belgium. Michael Bink was a youth of fourteen years when he came to the United States, and after having been for a number of years actively identified with farm industry in Wisconsin he engaged in the hotel business at Belgium, Wisconsin, Ozaukee county, where also he conducted a general store and served a number of years as justice of the peace. He finally retired from active business and he passed the closing period of his life at West Bend, Wisconsin, where he died in 1922, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. He was a staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and was a communicant of the Catholic church, as was also his wife, who died in 1921, at the age of seventy-five years.

engaged in the retail liquor business, and thereafter he conducted a substantial wholesale liquor business, under the title of Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply company

The early education of Nicholas A. Bink was obtained mainly in the district schools of Wisconsin, and at the age of nineteen years he came to Escanaba, Michigan, and entered the employ of the Escanaba Brewing company, with which he continued his association three and one-half years. During the ensuing ten years he was here engaged in the retail liquor business, and thereafter he conducted a substantial wholesale liquor business, under the title of Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply company, until the national prohibition laws came into effect. Since 1922 he has been the proprietor of the City Bottling works, and has developed a prosperous business in the bottling of aerated beverages and other “soft drinks.”

Mr. Bink has been an upright and reliable citizen and business man and has a host of friends in this section of the Upper Peninsula. He gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, he and his family are communicants of the Catholic church, and he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On the eighth of September, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bink to Miss Anna Groos, who was born and reared in Escanaba and who is a daughter of the late Peter and Anna (Huffman) Groos, of whom more specific mention is made in the personal sketch of their son Dr. John O. Groos, elsewhere in this volume.

Another nice bit of information on Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply Co:

was occupied in 1907-08 by Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply Co., incorporated October 1, 1903, with Capital Stock of $30,000, N. A. Bink, manager (Polk 1907). After Prohibition began in 1919, Bink remained in business as the City Bottling Works, distributing “soft drinks” that included Bink’s Beverages (Fuller 1926: 267; Bink 2003). It has remained in business, becoming a Coca Cola franchisee in 1932 and becoming one of the Upper Peninsula’s largest distributors of soft drinks (Bink 2003).

And more on the Coca-Cola business:

Bink’s Coca-Cola was founded as Bink’s Wholesale Liquor and Supply Company on October 10, 1903 by Nicholas A. Bink. In December, 1921, the company became The City Bottling Works.

The second generation of ownership was with Nicholas J. Bink, the founder’s son. Bink’s Coca-Cola Bottling Company began selling Coca-Cola in 1931 and purchased the Coca-Cola franchise for Delta and Schoolcraft counties in 1936. In 1961, Bink’s purchased the franchise to sell Coca-Cola in Dickinson, Iron, and part of Florence, Menomonee and Marinette Counties.

Robert N. Bink, the founder’s grandson is the current president of Bink’s Coca-Cola. He represents the third generation in the family business. Robert has continued to provide growth to the Coca-Cola business and has maintained the status of being a Coca-Cola Bottler.

Nicholas R. Bink, general sales manager for Bink’s Coca-Cola, is the fourth generation in the business. Nick has continued to provide growth and superior service to Coca-Cola customers. As a father and son venture, Robert and Nick have recently partnered to form Bink’s Wines & Beverages. This new Bink enterprise currently services five counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with fine wines from around the world.

The Serving Tray

Since we still have no Alpine Bitters mentioned with Nicholas A. Bink or Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply Co., we need to look at this tray Bill references. Bill unfortunately, upon questioning, does not have an image of the Fairmont Rye serving tray, only the mysterious notation from his record from some years ago.

Crutch Rye Whiskey Escanaba, Michigan Advertising Tray, Escanaba, Michigan. Manufactured by American Can Co. Chicago. 13 1/4″ x 10 1/2″. – O’Gallerie Auctions

I start looking for images of the Fairmont Rye tray and ‘almost’ hit payola with a Bink Wholesale Liquor and Supply Co., tray image (above) with a Victorian woman. Unfortunately it says “CRUTCH RYE” instead of “Fairmont Rye”. Not a big stretch to think another similar tray may be out there. But where is the ”Drink Clutch (or Fairmont) Rye, Ask for Alpine Bitters” copy? Could this be on this tray, and the copy mostly faded away or too small? Someone out there has these trays. Maybe they will surface.

I am now starting to think that Bink, since he was a wholesaler, was in the saloon businnes and had a liquor supply company, it is entirely possible that the Alpine Herb Bitters, Alpine Bitters Dispensing Barrels and Decanter pictured further above, may be related. No proof though. Someone owns these pieces out there. Bill and Carlyn had to get the information to create the listings in Bitters Bottles.

So we leave today with the mystery not solved and no concrete proof. I bet we can solve this.

 A Little on Escanaba, Michigan

Mid 1800s Birds Eye View of Escanaba, Michigan, 1881

Wikipedia: Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state’s Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. Named for the Escanaba River that flows into the Little Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan just north of the city.

Early Escanaba photograph. Look at the ships in the background.

Old Ludington Street Escanaba

Ludington Street Escanaba hand tint Post Card

The word “Escanaba” roughly translates from various regional native languages to “land of the red buck” although some people maintain that it refers to “flat rock”. Escanaba was an Ojibwa village in the early 19th century. As an American settlement, Escanaba began as a port town in the mid-19th century, gaining importance to the Union as a shipping point for iron ore, lumber and copper during the Civil War. In his poem “The Song of Hiawatha”, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow described how Hiawatha “crossed the rushing Esconaba” referring to the river. Located on Little Bay de Noc at the northern edge of Lake Michigan, Escanaba continues to serve as an important shipping point for iron ore to other Great Lakes ports, especially south to Chicago and northern Indiana. The local paper mill, for many years Mead Corporation’s Publishing Paper Division, is currently operated by NewPage Corporation; located on the outskirts of the city alongside the Escanaba River, it is now the area’s largest employer.

Ore Docks, Escanaba, Michigan 1870s

As shipping increased, a lighthouse was needed to warn of a sand shoals that reached out into Little Bay de Noc from Sand Point, a sandspit located just south of and adjacent to the harbor area. The United States Lighthouse Service approved construction of the Sand Point Lighthouse at a cost of $11,000. Construction began in the fall of 1867 and was completed in early spring 1868. It was deactivated in 1939, and was used by the United States Coast Guard to house seaman assigned to Escanaba. The building was completely restored to its original design in the late 1980s, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.P. Original Old Portable Sawmill located in Escanaba MI.

Escanaba Ore Docks

The Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad was closely linked with the lumbering and iron ore shipping of the region for many years, and now is playing an important role in the industrial activity of Escanaba and vicinity.

Escanaba Tree topping competition. This photo was orignally posted by World Champion Speed Climber Brian Bartow.

The New York State Glass Factories

Part 1 of a Series | New Amsterdam

by Stephen Atkinson

07 September 2013

Below is a 1640 map of New York City, known then as New Amsterdam. As you can see, the area was quite developed in 1640 and Glass Makers Street is marked in yellow the Canal Street in Blue.

makes a strong case for quite a bit of glass manufacture occurring on Glass Makers Street which proves beyond a doubt that dark green drinking vessels were being blown here in 1640.

The Canal made it quite easy and safe to load and unload products from ships. Tall arched bridges cross the Canal allowing ships easy passage beneath. One other neat feature is the wall that was built around the entire city for protection mainly from Native Americans but also from invading countries from Europe.

Glass Makers Street was in the heart of the manufacturing district and judging from this map, looked quite developed and very busy. To see New York City this developed in 1640 is amazing and something I can not recall that I learned about in school. This makes a strong case for quite a bit of glass manufacture occurring on this street which proves beyond a doubt that dark green drinking vessels were being blown here in 1640.

New Amsterdam was the first successful area in North America to manufacture glass continuously in the 17th century.

Evert Duycking came to America in 1638. By 1640 he had constructed his first glass house and manufactured mainly window glass. He soon realized the need for utilitarian glass but there were no master gaffers in the colony of New Amsterdam at the time. Soon master gaffers were being lured from Germany to come to New Amsterdam to blow glass. Evert who was a leading citizen in his day, was a general artisan who was succeeded in 1674 by one of his assistants, Jacob Melyer. His family was said to have made glass “unto the third and fourth generation.” Cornelis Dirkson, and members of the Jansen family, and other Dutch artisans also practised the art of glass-blowing in New York during the late 1600s.

His glass works made bulls-eyes, for the windows and doors of the early homes, and plain utilitarian bottles and all the hollow ware for the citizenry of New Amsterdam.

At the same time, Johannes Smedes who had been here quite a while, was allotted an area of land on which he erected a glassworks in 1654. The bordering path soon became known as Glass-makers Street. Smedes also had a neighbor, Jacob Melyer (mentioned above). After a few years in America, Johannes simplified his name, becoming Jan Smedes. He retired from the glass business in the same year that Peter Stuyvesant “retired” from the Governorship in 1670. His glass works made bulls-eyes, for the windows and doors of the early homes, and plain utilitarian bottles and all the hollow ware for the citizenry of New Amsterdam.

With the influx of German refugees from the Palitinate region in Germany, it wasn’t long before new glass houses would be established at present day Brooklyn, mid-town Manhattan, and Newburgh, New York. All of these were the direct result of the Glass House Company formed in 1750 by Lodewick Bamper, Samuel Bayard, Matthew Earnest, Christian Hertell, and a master gaffer, named Johann Martin Greiner from the Saxe-Weimar Palatinate region of present day Germany. Greiner, who also a few years later would be hired by Wilhelm Henry Stiegel in 1767, entered into partnership and organized the Glass House Company of New York.

This location was then known as New Found Land, where a stage coach road with a tavern had been established in the late 1600s when New York was under Dutch rule.

With financial backing from the Dutch West Indies Company, they constructed their first glass factory at the present day site on the Hudson River in Newburgh, New York, 12 miles north of Manhattan on January 3rd, 1751. The second factory was established near Lodewick Bampers home in Brooklyn in 1754 and the last factory was built in December 1758, in what is now present day, mid-town Manhattan near a location which would now be located between 34th and 40th Streets, and 8th and 11th Avenues. This location was then known as New Found Land, where a stage coach road with a tavern had been established in the late 1600s when New York was under Dutch rule.

As a resident of southern New Jersey and an amateur glass historian at best, I have always been quite proud to have known that the first successful glass works in the colonies, The United Glass Company, was located just 15 miles from my home at Alloway, New Jersey, Salem County in 1738. Was it the first? Evidence seems to prove otherwise quite clearly. It now is quite evident to me that the English, when they ruled the Colonies in the late 1600s on and up to the American revolution, may have conveniently forgotten about the history above when assembling the records of the glass industry in the now United States.

As students of the early glass manufactured here in the United States it is time to give due diligence to the Dutch as the first at glass manufacture on a grand scale in North America.

As students of the early glass manufactured here in the United States, it is time to give due diligence to the Dutch as the first at glass manufacture on a grand scale in North America. Secondly we need to rethink that all the black glass bottles which turn up in large numbers were only produced in Europe in the glass centers of England, France and The Netherlands when in fact they were produced right here at home in New York City beginning as early as 1640. The sealed, dark glass wine bottles in the Van Cortland Museum from Mr. Bamper were most definitely produced here for the prominent citizenry of the colonies from Boston to New York to Philadelphia.

Was New Amsterdam first? Or as I am finding out now, by bits and pieces, a glass factory may have been erected by the Swedes and Finns in present day Wilmington, Delaware in 1638. It lasted for six years. If this account is true, then this attempt would have been two years prior to the Dutch at New Amsterdam. Stay tuned!

Mallet type bottle has a sheared lip, unseen on this type of large vessel.

About Stephen Atkinson

Stephen Atkinson, from Sewell, New Jersey has been collecting bottles and glass since he was 12 years old. He once dug an original EG Booz figural cabin bottle on Norris Street in Mantua, New Jersey in 1972 at 12 years old and traded it for six bitters bottles. Fast forward to 2012 and Stephen bought the exact bottle back at an estate auction in New Jersey!

His passion is for pre-1880 glass, as the majority of his collection consists of historical flasks, colonial era chestnut bottles, and whimsical end of day pieces of glass. He also has three rare T.W. Dyott bottles, an original Dr. Robertson’s family medicine; one of the rarest collectable American bottles, a T.W. Dyott vial bottle dug by Chris Rowell and a paper labeled T.W. Dyott bottle. He has researched many southern New Jersey glass works first hand by locating the original factory sites. The best piece in his collection is the Wistarburgh Glass Company ledger showing monies paid out to Caspar Wistar’s Children and their husbands and wives.