Mormon Temple and Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views – Wikipedia

Reference to an unlisted Mormon Tonic Bitters

08 November 2014 (R•040819 – R&H listing)

Made and used by the Mormons of Utah for 46 years

The other day, while patrolling the internet, I came across this listing for Mormon Tonic Bitters from the St. Paul Daily Globe on April 9, 1893. To my knowledge, this is the first bitters with the word “Mormon” that I am aware of. This brand was sold up in St. Paul, Minnesota as confirmed by the second advertisement.

Mormon Tonic Bitters listing – St. Paul Daily Globe, April 9, 1893.

Mormon Tonic Bitters advertisement – St. Paul Daily Globe, June 11, 1893.

I like the marketing copy above. “We guarantee to CURE any of the above diseases. We can’t publish testimonials, as we got 16,000 from 16,000 bottles in 16 weeks.” OK the bottle of Mormon Tonic Bitters cost $1 a-piece. Are they boasting that they got $16,000 or 16,ooo testimonials? Both figures quite astonishing, in 16 weeks no less. Un-huh.

The reference to $250,000 at the top of the advertisement relates to The Great Mormon Remedy Company (limited) from St. Paul, Minnesota which incorporated on November 11, 1892 with $250,000 in Capital Stock. They were gone by the end of 1893. Oh well. I guess drinking a bitters from the Mormons didn’t catch on.

The Great Mormon Remedy Company (Limited) was listed at 321 Wabasha Street in 1893 and 1894 in St. Paul City Directories. Dermont M. Monteith was the President and Treasurer. John J. Cushing, was the Secretary and Manager. Dermont was also a Managing Director at North American Savings, Loan & Building Company. He was born in Colfax, Wisconsin in 1856. The bitters foray was a short-lived, side line venture. I know of no existing bottle.

The new listing by Bill Ham for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

M 129.5 MORMON TONIC BITTERS, Great Mormon Remedy Company, General Agents, St. Paul, Minn.
St. Paul Daily Globe, June 11, 1893

Wabasha Street circa 1908 – Shorpy