Dr. William S. Love’s Vegetable Elixir – Baltimore

Posted on 25 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Dr. William S. Love’s Vegetable Elixir – Baltimore

25 November 2014

I don’t know if you noticed, but there was this incredible Dr. W. S. Love’s Vegetable Elixir – Baltimore in Glass Works Auctions The ‘Christmas Comes Early’ Catalog Auction #105 that closed last night. What a beauty. Great color, embossing, character and a rough open pontil. This bottle dates from around 1842 to 1844.

“DR. W.S. LOVE’S / VEGETABLE / ELIXIR / BALTIMORE”, (Odell, pg. 232), Maryland, ca. 1840 – 1860, olive green cylinder, 7 3/8”h, open pontil, applied tapered collar mouth. A few light scratches, otherwise in perfect attic found condition. An exceptional example with highly whittled glass. How rare is it? The last one sold at auction was in 1994! – Glass Works Auction #105.

Dr. W. S. Love’s Vegetable Elixir for the Cure of Ague and Fever advertisement – The Sun (Baltimore), Saturday, July 16, 1842.

William S. Love

William S. Love was a physician, apothecary and chemist who first appears in Baltimore directories in the early 1830s. He seems to move around a lot. Maybe he should have used a wagon but I guess you can not address a wagon. His advertisements for his Vegetable Elixir occur from 1842 to 1844 only. One advertisement example is pictured above. I wonder if he ever considered calling it Dr. Love’s Love Elixir? In 1847, in Baltimore, the Lucina Cordial or Elixir of Love was being sold. Different fellows selling this.

There is some evidence to suggest that William S. Love’s father was John Love who came to America in 1767 and lived in St. Augustine, Florida. He does show up in Baltimore directories from 1807 to 1822 as a druggist. John Love has a relationship to Paul’s Patent Columbian Oil from Baltimore. William Loves wife may have been Elizabeth Erreckson.

Select Listings

1807-1816: John Love, druggist, 16 Market space – Baltimore directory

1822: John Love M.D. apothecary, 22 m. m. space – Keenan Baltimore Directory

1833-1837: Wm. S. Love, apothecary and chemist, 65 w Lexington st – Matchetts Baltimore Directory

1842: Wm. S. Love, M.D. and apothecary, 65 w Lexington st – Matchetts Baltimore Directory

1845: Love W. S., druggist, 89 Hanover st. – Baltimore Directory

1849: Dr. Wm S. Love, physician and apothecary, dw 92 Barre – Matchetts Baltimore Directory

1851: Dr. Wm S. Love, physician and apothecary, s e cor. Hanover and Perry – Matchetts Baltimore Directory

1853-1854: Love Dr. Wm. S. 156 German – Matchett’s Baltimore Directory

1856-1857: Dr. William S. Love, apothecary, 121  w Fayette, dw 152 German – Woods Baltimore Directory

1860: Dr. William S. Love, n e corner Monument and Aisquith – Woods Baltimore Directory

1863-1865: Dr. William S. Love, Apothecary, 9 Penn – Baltimore City Directory

1870: Dr. Wm. S. Love, apothecary, 226 Harford Ave. – Baltimore City Directory

1871-1872: Dr. Wm. S. Love, apothecary, 259 s. Broadway – Baltimore City Directory

Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Auction News, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures | Tagged Ague, Apothecary, Baltimore, chemist, Druggist & Drugstore, Elixir, Fever, John, love, physician, pontil, Vegetable, William | 2 Comments

S.O. Dunbar & his Tomato (ya ya ya) Bitters

Posted on 23 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

S.O. Dunbar & his Tomato (ya ya ya) Bitters

DUNBAR’S LIFE BITTERS

23 November 2014 (R•112514) (R•060219) (R•082519)

Bitters ephemera authority Joe Gourd, sent me the above handbill from the druggist, S. O. Dunbar from Taunton, Massachusetts. The Tomato, Sarsaparilla, Blackberry, Dandelion and Wild Cherry, Vegetable Compound Life Renovating Bitters has to be the longest name for a bitters product ever. Samuel Oliver Dunbar pretty much spent his whole life in Taunton. We have heard from Mr. Dunbar before.

“S.O. Dunbar / Taunton Mass” Ink Bottle, America, 1840-1860. Twelve sided, bright blue green, sheared mouth – pontil scar, ht. 2 1/4 inches; (shallow 1/8 inch flake from base edge). C #520 Interesting 1/4 inch piece of glass adhered to side. Rare in this color. Strong embossing. Ex Roger Long collection. – Heckler Auctions

I didn’t have to look far for good information as Ed and Lucy Faulkner, from up Virginia way, had done a nice article in the FOHBC Bottles and Extras back in 2010. Makes sense, as Ed and Lucy are ink bottle authorities and Samuel O. Dunbar sold some neat inks. Read article.

These two trade cards from Joe Gourd for S. O. Dunbar started a chain reaction making us change the T 35 designation in Bitters Bottles to “L” listings in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. The bottle image is from GreatAntiqueBottles.com

Trade cards
L 90.5 LIFE BITTERS, Illustration roses and flowers. S.O. Dunbar, Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, Basement Post Office, Reverse: Manufacturer of Fluid Magnesia, Writing, Stencil & Dotting Ink, Swan’s Cherry Syrup, Shepard’s Condition Powders, Life Bitters…Taunton, Mass. See s2L 90.5

L 91.5 L … Tomato, Sarsaparilla, Blackberry, Dandelion and Wild Cherry, Vegetable Compound Life Renovating Bitters
S. O. DUNBAR / TAUNTON / MASS. // c //
7 1/4 x 3 1/4 (4 1/2)
Round, Aqua, LTC, Rough pontil mark S. O. Dunbar, Sole Agent, Bank Row, Taunton, Mass.
S. O. Dunbar (Samuel Oliver Dunbar), apothecary and books, 9 and 10 Bank Row, Taunton. Taunton, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1859
BAR p40, UMB 519, WAT L45 Previously T 35 in Bitters Bottles. See s2L 91.7

Handbill
L 91.7 LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS, The Cheapest and Best Bitters to be had, Tomato, Sarsaparilla, Blackberry, Dandelion and Wild Cherry, Vegetable Compound Life Renovating Bitters. Prepared and sold by S. O. Dunbar, Taunton, Mass.
LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS See See s2L 91.5

S. O. Dunbar advertisement – The Bristol County Directory and Gazetteer, 1867-68

The bottle shown above is one of the 1850 age bottles known from the S. O. Dunbar Company in Taunton. This bottle was thought to have contained ink but this specimen, with the original label shows it to be a medicine. It is likely that he used this container for both ink and medicine. – Bottle Books

“S.O. DUNBAR – TAUNTON – MASS.”, (Faulkner pg. 61), Massachusetts, ca. 1840 – 1840, aqua, 10-sided, 4 1/8”h, open pontil, thin tooled flared out lip. Perfect condition, highly whittled glass, rarely seen size and form. Ex. Bob Mebane Collection #128. – Glass Works Auctions

Select listings

1836: Samuel Oliver Dunbar publishes a Map of the town of Taunton, with a view of the public buildings (see below) – Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library See Map

1855: S.O. Dunbar, Director, Farmers’ Insurance Company – Taunton, Massachusetts City Directory

1859: Samuel O. Dunbar, Apothecary, 9 and 10 Bank, Taunton, Massachusetts – Taunton, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1859

1867: S. O. Dunbar advertisement (above) – The Bristol County Directory and Gazetteer, 1867-68

1875: S.O. Dunbar & Son, 10 and 11 Bank Row, City square, druggists – The Bristol County Directory and History

1880: S.O. Dunbar, Drugs and Chemicals, Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts – United States Federal Census

1893: Dunbar’s Drug Store, drugs, stationery, etc. 51 City sq. cor Lincoln (see advertisement below) – Taunton, Massachusetts City Directory

Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, Inks, Medicines & Cures, Sarsaparilla | Tagged bitters, Blackberry, Compound, Dandelion, Dunbar, Ed, Faulkner, Ink, invigorating, life, luck, Massachusetts, Oliver, Samuel, Sarsaparilla, Taunton, Tomato, Vegetable, Wild Cherry | Leave a comment

Dr. Truman Stillman’s Temperance Bitters – NOLA

Posted on 21 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Dr. Truman Stillman’s Temperance Bitters – NOLA

21 November 2014 (R•112314) (R•121014) (R•061415)

Dr. Truman Stillman’s Temperance Bitters (see advertisement below) is an unlisted bitters that was uncovered while I was trying to find out the original source of the Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters. Initially I thought that the Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters was made in Boston in the mid 1840s by F. Brown (Frederick) as his name is embossed on the bottle. Research shows that initially, he was only the New England agent for the bitters.

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

Advertisement
S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS
Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841
Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

Advertisement
S 196.5 DR. TRUMAN STILLMAN’S TEMPERANCE BITTERS
Prepared only by Dr. Stillman, 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La., proprietor and discoverer.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans), Tuesday August 16, 1842
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Sunday, August 30, 1840

Stillmans2_The_Times_Picayune_Tue__Aug_16__1842_

Advertisement for T. Stillman’s Temperance Bitters – The Times Picayune (New Orleans), Tuesday August 16, 1842

When you say “New England agent” that means the bitters is coming from some place outside of the region. Further research takes us to New Orleans and Dr. Truman Stillman who first started advertising Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters in 1842 (see advertisement below).

SarsandTomato_The_Times_Picayune_Sat__Aug_13__1842_

Advertisement for T. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters – The Times Picayune (New Orleans), Saturday August 13, 1842

Prior to advertising his Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters and his Temperance Bitters, Dr. Stillman was heavily advertising his Stillman’s Sarsaparilla Syrup and Blood Pills (see advertisements below).

Tomato&Sars_The_Times_Picayune_Sun__Aug_30__1840_

Dr. Truman Stillman’s Patent Medicines advertisement – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Sunday, August 30, 1840

Stillman_The_Times_Picayune_Wed__Jul_21__1841_

Dr. T. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla Syrup and Blood Pills – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841

There is scant information on Dr. Stillman, but what I do find is that Truman Stillman was born in Oneida County, New York about 1815. He next shows up in 1840 as a doctor in New Orleans at his Southern Chemical Laboratory at 96 Customhouse street. He is totally engrossed with the value of Spanish sarsaparilla and tomatoes and says that his bitters are natural without the need for alcohol. He is aiming for the female market and by using the word “Temperance”. The American Temperance Society was formed in 1826 and within 12 years they claimed more than 8,000 local groups and over 1,500,000 members. One advertisement says his product is “extremely pleasant as well as effective, and may be resorted to without the imputation of dram-drinking”.

He sells his products in a variety of places using agents like Frederick Brown in Boston. Other agents were in Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Natchez, Vicksburg, New York, Charleston, Augusta, England and the Island of Cuba (Don Pedro & Co.). He also places many advertisements warning of counterfeit imitations.

There are signs of trouble in 1845 when Dr. Stillman is arraigned for violently assaulting is wife.

Stillman assaults wife – The St. Landry Whig (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) July 03, 1845

In 1846 Dr. Stillman is listed as a doctor, surgeon and proprietor of the Louisiana Lock Hospital Institution at 37 Bourbon st. He must have moved on from his Southern Chemical Laboratory business. You went to the Lock Hospital for the “most speedy and permanent cure for Gonorrhoea, Gleets, Strictures, Affections of the Kidneys, Diseases of the Bladder, Gravel, Seminal Weakness, Involuntary Seminal Emissions and Impotency”. They offered “a perfect and permanent cure for certain secret habits and secret diseases” too. They also sold “Lucina Cordial” or “Elixir of Love” to restore vigor. Love this stuff.

I am wondering if he did not have good ventilation in his chemical laboratory of if he was putting mercury in his bitters because in early 1847 he is committed for a spell to the Lunatic Asylum in New Orleans for Delirium Traumaticum (see 1830 definition below). He dies in New York City later that year.

Delirium Traumaticum – The surgeon’s vade mecum, Robert Druitt, 1839

Below is a new picture that I came across showing an extremely rare Dr. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla.

Dr. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla New Orleans from an anonymous New Orleans collection.

Dr. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla New Orleans – Gene Baudouin Collection

Dr. Stillman’s Sarsaparilla New Orleans – Gene Baudouin Collection

Select Listings

abt 1815: Truman Stillman born in Oneida County, New York.

1835: Truman Stillman, M.D., 233 Broadway – New York City Directory

1836: Truman Stillman, M.D., 422 Broadway – New York City Directory

1837: Truman Stillman, M.D., 359 Broadway – New York City Directory

1840: Dr. T. Stillman, Free White Person, New Orleans Ward 1, Orleans, Louisiana – 1840 United States Federal Census

1842: Dr. Trueman Stilling, 96 Customhouse St. – Orleans Parrish Louisiana City Directory

1843: T. Stillman, occupation Doctor, passenger on Empressario from Havana Cuba to New Orleans, Louisiana, 27 March 1843 arrival date, age 28 – New Orleans Passenger Lists

1845: Dr. Truman Stillman violently assaults wife (see clipping above) – The St. Landry Whig (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) July 03, 1845

1846: Dr. Truman Stillman, proprietor of the Louisiana Lock Hospital Institution (also listed under Doctors), 37 Bourbon st. – New Orleans annual and commercial register of 1846

1847: Admissions to Lunatic Asylum Orleans Parish, Truman Stillman, physician, from Oneida County, New York. Age 34 years. Delirium Traumaticum

1847: Death, Dr. Truman Stillman, 27 January 1847, death place, New York City, New York – New York, Genealogical Records, 1675-1920

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, History, Medicines & Cures, Sarsaparilla | Tagged Baudouin, chemical, Customhouse, Doctor, New Orleans, New York, Oneida, physician, Sarsaparilla, Stillman, Temperance, Tomato | Leave a comment

Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters – Boston

Posted on 20 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters – Boston

20 November 2014 (R•112314) (R•083019)

Here is a bitters bottle that could be the most underrated and undervalued bottle in our hobby. The Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters from Boston rarely sell for more than a few hundred dollars which is surprising. First of all, look at the form and beauty of the bottle. It sums up what bottle collecting is all about. Crude, aqua, applied top, rough pontil, ample embossing and in this case, the words “Bitters” and “Sarsaparilla” on the same bottle. It also dates from 1844 to 1855. Shut the door!

What prompted this post was seeing these graphics above for the Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters that Chip Cable posted on Facebook. Chip said that this was found on the inside of a box made in 1842. Pretty cool! This doesn’t guarantee it is the same brand, but there is, what looks like “Devereaux & Brown” wording beneath the tomato. A label noted by Ring and Ham say, “Two red tomatoes and stem with four green leaves covers the entire bottle”. Bingo. All this is odd because Frederick Brown put out the bitters in Boston. As you can see, F. Brown is embossed on the bottle. The “1842” date might explain why Brown was at first, an agent for the bitters. Where did it come from?

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

S 36 SARSAPARILLA & TOMATO BITTERS

F. BROWN BOSTON / SARSAPARILLA / & TOMATO / BITTERS // c //
9 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 2 1/2 (6)
Oval, Aqua, LTCR, Applied mouth, Rough and Metallic pontil mark, Common
Label: Two red tomatoes and stem with four green leaves covers the entire bottle.
Advertised in 1856 – for the blood

F. Brown Boston Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters – Meyer Collection

Pontil on a F. Brown Boston Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters – Meyer Collection

Frederick Brown

Frederick Brown was a druggist and apothecary and was located prominently at the corner of Washington and State Streets in Boston, Massachusetts. The first reference I could find puts him at that address in 1840. The first advertisement I could find (see below) said that Frederick Brown was an agent in New England for Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters located at 68 Washington Street, corner of State Street in Boston. This was in the Boston Post, on Thursday, October 14, 1841.

BrownsTomsars_Boston_Post_Thu__Oct_14__1841_

Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Frederick Brown, 68 Washington Street, corner of State Street, Boston, agent for New England – Boston Post, Thursday, October 14, 1841.

This means the listing in Ring in Ham is correct under “S” for “Sarsaparilla” though it could, I suppose, have been listed under “B” for “Brown”. Brown changed his advertising in 1843 and put “F. Brown” before “Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters”. These advertisement were usually placed in New England newspapers (though I did find one in New Orleans) and ran through early 1847. Brown also advertised that the product did not contain any alcohol and was based on “Spanish Sarsaparilla” and “Extract of Tomato”.

I believe Brown stayed at the Washington Street address until the late 1860s when he died. I did find this passage in from the “Boston Herald,” on 31 October 1895 about Capt. John P. T. Percival. “In 1867 he returned to Cohasset, where he resided during several years, and on the death of Frederick Brown, who was at that time in the druggist business at the corner of Washington and State streets, he bought out that business in connection with Mr. J. O. French. Later, Mr. French sold out his interest to Capt. Percival about the spring of 1869, leaving the latter in sole possession, with Dr. A.K. Tilden as manager. Not long after this … removal was made to the present store of Percival & Tilden.”

Here is a trade card from Joe Gourd noting that Capt. John P. T. Percival had taken over the brand.

Trade card
S 36.5 SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS, Paintings of water fowl. Reverse: Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters (A Purely Vegetable Compound) Prepared by J. P. T. Percival, 35 School Street, Boston
In 1867, Capt. John P. T. Percival, on the death of Frederick Brown, who was at that time in the druggist business at the corner of Washington and State streets, bought out that business which included Brown’s Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters. See S 36 in Bitters Bitters.

As far as information on “Devereaux” if that does say “Devereaux and Brown” on the crate sticker, I can only find a later listing in Boston in the 1860s.

As an aside, there was also a F. Brown, Druggist (see bottle above) in Philadelphia who parallels the F. Brown in Boston. Lots of info on this guy. I can not tie them together.

Washington Street

Look at this really neat illustration of the east side of Washington Street in Boston showing F. Brown at the corner of Washington and State Streets. I have included the entire illustration and a few detail enlargements. Look at the soldiers parading and the dog on a leash. Lots more if you really look close. See original print.

Grand panoramic view of the east side of Washington Street, Boston, Mass., commencing at the corner of State Street and extending to No. 206. – Boston Athenaeum Collection, 1853

Illustration detail of F. Brown at the corner of Washington and State Streets – Grand panoramic view of the east side of Washington Street, Boston, Mass., commencing at the corner of State Street and extending to No. 206. – Boston Athenaeum Collection, 1853

Advertising

BrownsSarsaparillaBitters_Boston_Post_Mon__Apr_3__1843_

F. Browns Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, 68 Washington Street – Boston Post, Monday, April 3, 1843.

BrownsSarsBitters_The_Middlebury_Galaxy_Tue__Dec_23__1845_

F. Browns Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters, 68 Washington Street – The Middlebury Galaxy, Tuesday, December 23, 1845

F. Brown Druggist and Apothecary, 68 Washington Street, Currency and Receipt

Script note during Civil War: F. Brown Druggist, 68 Washington Street, 1 January 1863, 03c. – Heritage Auctions

Receipt: F. Brown, Chemist and Druggist – Agents for F. Brown’s Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, 1844 – Meyer Collection

The New Orleans Connection – Dr. Stillman

After thinking about this further and looking at New Orleans newspapers around 1840, I now believe that the birth of Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters started here with Dr. Truman Stillman at his Southern Chemical Laboratory at 96 Customhouse Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Note that the advertisement below says he is the “proprietor and discoverer” of Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters. The advertisement format is very similar as they use an abundance of product testimonials. Frederick Brown must have been the New England agent as I said before. Then he took over the brand. I would bet two tomatoes. Dr. Stillman, who was from New York, must have drank too much of his bitters, or not enough as he was admitted to a Lunatic Asylum in New Orleans in 1847 at the young age of 34.

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

Advertisement
S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS
Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841
Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Sold only by Dr. Stillman, No. 96 Customhouse Street, proprietor and discoverer. – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Saturday, August 13, 1842

Dr.Truman Spillman on the cusp of discovering his Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters – The Times Picayune, Sunday, August 30, 1840

Select Milestones:

1840: Frederick Brown, druggist and apothecary, corner of State and Washington – article passage.

1840: Dr. Truman Stillman in New Orleans, Louisiana at his Southern Chemical Laboratory at 96 Customhouse Street. Working with tomatoes and Sarsaparilla.

1841: Advertisement, Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Frederick Brown, 68 Washington Street, corner of State Street, Boston, agent for New England – Boston Post, Thursday, October 14, 1841.

1842: Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Sold only by Dr. Stillman, No. 99 Customhouse Street, proprietor and discoverer. – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Saturday, August 13, 1842

1855: Frederick Brown, druggist and apothecary, 68 Wasington – Boston City Directory

1863: Script note during Civil War: F. Brown Druggist, 68 Washington Street, 1 January 1863, 03c.

1867: Reference to Frederick Browns death.

From the “Boston Herald,” 31 Oct 1895: Capt. John P. T. Percival — Prominent Business Man Drops Dead on the Common.

Heart Trouble Follows an Accute Attack of Indigestion — Was the Senior Member of the Druggist Firm of Percival and Tilden — Followed the Sea in his Early Life.

Capt. John P. T. Percival of Percival & Tilden, the well known druggists of School street and City Hall avenue, dropped dead on the Common yesterday morning. He had an accute attack of indigestion, and it is believed that this superinduced a heart trouble, which occaioned his sudden death.

Capt. Percival was well known and highly respected, and very popular with all the patrons of his store, as well as with all who enjoyed the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was not himself a druggist, that part of the business being looked after by Dr. A.K. Tilden, his partner. He was 77 years of age, and was born in Hanover. In his early years he followed the sea, and was soon made master of a vessel, and during this pariod of his life he was in the Crimean war, trading in the Mediterranean. During the civil war in this country he was in the merchant service, and engaged also in trade with China, doing business in Shanghai, Foo Chow, Hong Kong, Formosa, etc. He was very popular and successful with the Chinese trade, and a massed considerable of a fortune therein.

In 1867 he returned to Cohasset, where he resided during several years, and on the death of Frederick Brown, who was at that time in the druggist business at the corneer of Washington and State streets, he bought out that business in connection with Mr. J. O. French. Later, Mr. French sold out his interest to Capt. Percival about the spring of 1869, leaving the latter in sole possession, with Dr. A.K. Tilden as manager. Not long after this … removal was made to the present store of Percival & Tilden.

Capt. Percival, though 77 years of age, was much younger in appearance. There was no one in the druggist business in this city more popular than he; every one seemed to know him, and he was esteemed by all. Yesterday, after his sudden death, his store was the mecca of not only old friends but many seafaring men, all anxiously inquiring about him and expressing sorrow at his sudden demise…. He leaves a widow (Sarah) and two daughters (by his first wife, Drusilla Snow). The arrangements for the funeral have not yet been made, but the remains will be interred in Cohasset.

Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Bitters, Currency, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Sarsaparilla | Tagged Apothecary, bitters, Boston, brown, Cable, Druggist & Drugstore, Frederick, Meyer, New Orleans, Sarsaparilla, state, Stillman, Tomato, Truman, Washington | Leave a comment

I wish someone would find me a Newfoundland Bitters

Posted on 19 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

I wish someone would find me a Newfoundland Bitters

19 November 2014

Sitting lonely, in the Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham Bitters Bottles book, is a listing for N 21 NEWFOUNDLAND BITTERS, The Daily Picayune (New Orleans) April 4, 1869. I had seen this listing before and even came across a Galveston, Texas advertisement, further below, that I tucked away for another day. I certainly thought we had a southern and maybe a Texas bitters. That is not the case.

Newfoundland Bitters was made from 1869 to 1874, at least that is when the product was advertised in newspapers and places like The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), The Ouachita Telegraph (Monroe, Louisiana), The Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) and Mississippi. The 1872 advertisements say, “It is now but two years since The Newfoundland Bitters has been offered to the public”.

What we do know, is that it was made in Cincinnati by Dexter & Sons and heavily exported to the south.

There are no recorded bottle examples. Most of us bitters collectors think that this is probably a labeled bitters. Probably so, but you can not dismiss the other examples of unlisted and embossed bitters bottles that periodically show up each year. Who knows? Someone, please find me a Newfoundland Bitters.

This story can really be summed up in one word, “Dexter”.

Edmund Dexter I

Edmund Dexter was a member of the Unitarian Church and was a true liquor baron who was born in 1801 in England. Some past records even list him as Baron Edmund Dexter. Dexter moved to Cincinnati in the 1820s and by 1829, he was a partner in the firm of Harvie and Dexter (Arthur Harvie and Edmund Dexter), grocers, at 18 Lower Market. He was also an importer of liquors and rectifiers of whiskey. The advertisement below says, “Dexter’s Whiskey, Known in the Southern Market since 1826”, showing that he was exporting lots of whiskey from Cincinnati at a rather young age. In 1831 he is listed alone as Edmund Dexter, liquors, 18 Lower Market. He stays at this location throughout the 1830s and 40s selling groceries and liquor. By 1850 he is at 49 and 51 Sycamore as Dexter & Sons. They are listed as retail and wholesale liquor dealers and rectifiers. In 1857. Dexter & Sons’ products included Old Dexter (established by Edmund Jr.), Arlington, Holmesdale Rye, Quaker Seal, Target Rye and Old A. Keller.

Dexters_NFLBitters_The_Times_Picayune_Sat__Jan_23__1869_

Dexter’s Whiskey, Known in the Southern Market since 1826 – Newfoundland Bitters noted – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Saturday, January 23 1869

In the early 1800s, rectifiers played and important role in how whiskey was distilled, marketed and sold. Dexter bought barrels of raw whiskey from many sources in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio and distilled it on the premises at 18 Lower Market in Cincinnati.

He would then provide restaurants, hotels, taverns, grocers and other establishments with the product. As mentioned earlier, he was shipping out and selling his whiskey and bitters in Texas and Louisiana. Many of the folks down south, did not even realize they were drinking an Ohio product from Dexter. At that time his whiskey was clear and the color of vodka. Later with the use of charred barrels, would the more amber color of whiskey be sold.

The distillation of liquors in the state of Ohio has always been the greatest in Cincinnati which ranked third in the industry in 1900. The industry was carried on in Ohio at least as early as 1808 when whiskey was sent from Cincinnati to New Orleans for distribution in the south.

What were the ingredients in the Newfoundland Bitters? It was probably based on whiskey, with whiskey flavoring with a dash of whiskey. None of the botanic bitters ingredients here. They even advertised it as a liquor but said you had to take it like a medicine and not abuse it. Just between meals, before meals of if you needed a stimulant, or if you wanted to get rid of certain malaise. Yeah, uh-huh. If it walks like a duck….

Edmund married his wife Mary Ann who was a New Yorker and they had five sons: Charles, Edmund Jr., George, Julius and Adolphus and four daughters. One report said, “He has been in America long enough, and had been financially successful enough, to have developed contacts all the way to Washington, D.C.”. Edmund Sr. died at the age of 61 in 1862 in Cincinnati. According to one newspaper entry, Dexter left each of his sons “a liberal fortune.”

The Dexter Mansion

Edmund Dexter’s Residence at the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio. Lithograph. Ehrgott & Forbriger & Co. Rare Books and Special Collections Department.

The Dexter mansion at Fourth and Broadway streets in Cincinnati was one of the city’s finest and hosted many a mover and shaker, including Charles Dickens in 1842 and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII, the King of England) in 1860. The mansion became the headquarters of Western and Southern Life Insurance, which razed it in 1914.

The Dexter Boys

Charles Dexter was born on January 17, 1830 and graduated from Harvard College in the Class of 1851 receiving the usual Bachelor of Arts degree. He would clerk for his father in 1853 and received his masters degree in 1867. Charles was an East Walnut Hills gentleman-father. He would run the family liquor business with his father and brother Edmund, Jr.

Edmund Dexter Jr. (1835-1879), the second of the three Cincinnati Dexter sons, lived downtown and also ran Dexter & Sons. He traveled to England numerous times. He and his wife, Emma R., had three children: Emma C., who died of whooping cough at age 5; John, who died of diphtheria at the age 6; and Edmund V. Dexter, who lived to be 50. Emma R. was an accomplished concert singer who performed in Music Hall. According to his Spring Grove Cemetery death card, Edmund Jr. succumbed to “consumption of bowels,” meaning ulceration and inflammation due to tuberculosis.

George Dexter (1838-83) was a fraternity man, a Harvard law graduate and a world traveler and distinguished literary historian. He married a young Boston woman and had three daughters, Helen, Mary and Margaret, over a five-year period. They settled in Cambridge, Mass. A physical description of George in his 1868 passport papers resembles that of Charles, except he was about two inches taller. The accompanying image, from Harvard’s Fobb Museum was taken in Cincinnati when George was 20.

Julius Dexter (1840-98), was a lawyer and was the fourth of Edmund’s five sons. He graduated from Harvard, worked in the family business as a clerk from 1860 to 1862, served a short stint in the Civil War where he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the One Hundred and Sixth Ohio Volunteers, was a state senator and ran for governor on the Gold-Democrat ticket the year before his death. Of the three sons who stayed in Cincinnati, Julius, who was single, was a visible civic leader. He belonged to numerous boards and held executive positions in several agencies and societies, including the Literary Club. He was president of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway Co., chaired the Music Hall building committee and managed the city’s finances as president of the Board of Trustees of the Sinking Fund. It was said that Julius, described in an extensive obituary by The Enquirer as a “capitalist,” became so wealthy he stopped accepting compensation for his work during the last 20 years of his life. He died suddenly of heart disease.

Adolphus Dexter (1841-70) graduated from the Naval Academy and served in the Civil War. Afterward, he married a New Yorker, settled into a mansion in New Rochelle, N.Y., and had a daughter named Bertha in 1868. His cause of death is listed as typhoid pneumonia, but an Aug. 24, 1870, Enquirer story quotes a New York Sun report that Adolphus had been overexposed to the sun, fell ill and shot himself in the head at his home. “Possibly his brain had been affected by the excessive heat,” the Sun reported. He is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

The Dexter Chapel Mausoleum

With the death of liquor baron Edmund Dexter and the end of the Civil War, renowned Cincinnati architect James Keyes Wilson created a magnificent Gothic Revival funerary chapel and mausoleum for the family at Spring Grove Cemetery in 1869. It took him four years, from 1865 to 1869, to design and build which may have been inspired by the famous Parisian church, Sainte-Chapelle or the Chinchester Cathedral in England. The flying buttresses and pure size make the mausoleum unique and a popular site to visit.

Dexter Mausoleum in Cincinnati

Behind the locked door to the top level is a marble-lined chapel that is 12 feet wide, 30 feet long and 34 feet high. The lower level crypts contain 12 marble catacombs where four generations of Dexters reside. Up to 20 people from the family are buried within. There is even an unused lift or elevator within. In the 1870s, buggy-riding Cincinnatians swarmed the cemetery to see the structure according to a report in The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Southern Advertising

The Newfoundland Bitters advertisement – Times Picayune (New Orleans) 1872

NewfoundlandBitters_The_Galveston_Daily_News_Tue__Oct_7__1873_

The Newfoundland Bitters advertisement – The Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) 1872

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Whiskey | Tagged Adolphus, bitters, Charles, Cincinnati, Dexter, Edmund, Galveston, George, grocer, Harvie, Julius, Kentucky, liquor, Louisiana, mansion, New Orleans, Newfoundland, ohio, rectifier, Southern, texas, Whiskey | Leave a comment

The Beggs’ and their Dandelion Bitters

Posted on 18 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

The Beggs’ and their Dandelion Bitters

18 November 2014 (R•010315) (R•120317) (R•032019) (081019)

As a follow-up to both of the DeWitts Stomach Bitters posts, I thought it would be appropriate to do a post on Beggs Dandelion Bitters. Beggs and DeWitt were partners at one time.

Read: Braille Dots on a DeWitts Stomach Bitters

Read: An Unknown Millionaire Found In New York

“BEGGS’ / DANDELION / BITTERS” (with virtually complete original label), America, 1890 – 1900. Honey amber, rectangular with strap sides, tooled sloping collar – smooth base, ht. 7 5/8″, sparkling attic mint. R/H #B51. Label reads in part, “Beggs’ / Dandelion / Bitters / Purely A / Strengthening Tonic & Appetizer / Restores Activity & Vigor To The Body”. Very scarce with virtually complete original label. – American Glass Gallery

The various Beggs Dandelion Bitters listings in the Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham Bitters Bottles book is as follows:

B 51 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS

BEGGS’ / DANDELION / BITTERS // f // f // f //
7 5/8 x 3 x 1 1/2 (5 1/4) 1/2
Rectangular, Amber, Yellow-olive, and Clear, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Rare
Lettering reads base to shoulder.
Slightly raised panels on wide side.
Slightly, raised 3/4 inch bevel on narrow sides.
Older variant has beveled corners, new variant has rounded corners and slightly smaller embossing pattern.

B 52 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Chicago

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL // f // f //
9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce

B 52.5 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Chicago

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL. // f // f //
9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce
On this variant, the B starts over the L, and on the B 52, the B starts over the E.

B 53 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Sioux City

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // SIOUX CITY / IOWA // f // f //
9 1/2 x 2 7/8 (6 1/2) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Rare
Drug Catalog: 1896-7 and 1901-2 JP&K Co.
Sioux City Directory: 1871-72 Beggs, George W. physician
Iowa State Gazetteer: 1882-90 list George W. Beggs, physician and from 1884 Charles W. Beggs as healer in proprietary medicines in partnership with Cora E. DeWitt.

This bitters below was submitted by Greg Price and will be included in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

B 50.5 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS

BEGGS / DANDELION / BITTERS // f // f // f //
7 ½ x 3 1/8 x 1 ½ (5 ¼) 1/2
Rectangular strap side flask, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare
Embossing is block letters and runs shoulder to base
Similar to B 51 except block letters

Here is another listing in Bitters Bottles that is supposed to be related to John H. Sheehan and his Dandelion Bitters in Utica, New York. I believe this bottle should not be attributed to John H. Sheehan but should be attributed with the XXX Begg’s Dandelion Bitters of Chicago.

D 12 XXX DANDELION BITTERS

XXX / DANDELION / BITTERS // f // f // f //
Manufactured by John H. Sheehan & Co. 155 Genesee St. Utica, New York
7 1/4 x 3 1/4 x 1 1/2 (5 1/4)
Rectangular – strap side, Amber and Clear, LTC, Tooled lip, Scarce
Lettering reads base to shoulder.
Trade card has art work by Kate Greenway. Directory of Utica 1906.

D 12: XXX Dandelion Bitters (This bottle should not be attributed to John H. Sheehan but should be attributed with the XXX Begg’s Dandelion Bitters of Chicago) – Meyer Collection

“BEGG’S / DANDELION BITTERS – SIOUX CITY / IOWA”, America, probably 1884 – 1890. Light yellowish honey, almost a honey yellow coloration, square with beveled corners, tooled sloping collar – smooth base, ht. 9″, near mint; (just a touch of faint interior milkiness, otherwise perfect). R/H #B53. The mold is noted as “Rare” by Ring-Ham, and not listed in this color. Provenance: Ex. Carlyn Ring collection. – American Glass Gallery | Auction #22

The Beggs

The Beggs family can be traced back some six or seven generations or so to James Beggs who was a native of Ireland. He emigrated to the Colonies in the early part of the eighteenth century. His son Thomas Beggs was born in New Jersey, where he married Sarah Barnes. He emigrated later to Virginia and lived in Rockingham County until the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, when he became an officer in the commissary department. He died of camp fever in 1879 or 1780.

Thomas Beggs had four sons and one daughter; John, one of his elder sons, had a large family consisting of one son, James and eight daughters; James had four sons, Charles, John, Stephen and Thomas. All married and settled in Clark County, Indiana and all served their fellow citizens in various honorable capacities. John was a Judge of Court, James was a State Senator for nine years, Charles was a member of the Legislature for several years ands served as captain of a light horse Calvary company during the Indian war, and participated in the battle of Tippecanoe. Reverend Stephen R. Beggs was the father of four sons, two of which play a role in the development of the Beggs business in patent medicines.

The first son to discuss is George W. Beggs, M.D who was born in Peoria, Illinois on 17 May 1837. He graduated from Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1862 and was a pioneer physician of Sioux City, Iowa. He was a surgeon of the One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War and a member of the local and state medical societies and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. He was also surgeon general of the Union Veteran Army of the United States in 1885 and for many years local surgeon for the Illinois Central and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroads and president of the Sioux City College of Medicine for ten tears. Quite an accomplished career.

The second son was Charles Waugh Beggs who was born in Plainfield, Illinoison 31 July 1840. One historical passage reads, “One name stands out as worthy of more than mere mention in early Elk Point business enterprise. Charles W. Beggs established a general mercantile business in 1868. He was a man of unexcelled energy, probity and executive ability. Promoters of any plan that seemed to be in the interest of Elk Point, Union County or Dakota Territory always found a sympathetic ally in Mr. Beggs.” So at some point, Charles Waugh Beggs heads west while his brother goes off to medical school.

Elk Point South Dakota – Jeffrey Kraus Antique Photographics

Elk Point, Dakota Territory was settled in 1800, and was the county seat of Union county, in the southern portion of which it is situated, 1/2 miles from the Missouri river and 35 miles from Yankton. It was a station on the S. C. & D. division of the C. M. & St. Paul Railroad. The usual features of a village of its size were found there. A bank, newspaper, the Courier, 3 flour mills, a brickyard, 3 hotels, 5 churches, public schools, and a number of general and special stores, shops, etc. The exports were wheat, oats, barley and live stock. Farming land in the vicinity was finding a ready sale at from $4 to $15 per acre. A good court house is one of the attractions of the place. Here Beggs was involved in livestock as Beggs & Brace, grain with Beggs & Caton and he ran a general store.

It is in Elk Point, Dakota Territory that Charles first put out the Beggs Dandelion Bitters with Elden C. DeWitt and his wife Cora. In 1882, Beggs & DeWitt were listed as manufacturers of patent medicines. Possible the B 51 flask variant made an appearance here. I also believe Charles was influenced from his brother George. In 1884, the Beggs & Dewitt business moves to Sioux City, Iowa. The square B 53 variant is produced here. In 1886, Beggs & Dewitt move to Chicago, Illinois. The 52 Chicago squares were made here. By 1890, DeWitt has moved on and Beggs Manufacturing Company is formed in Chicago, Illinois. By 1900, Beggs Manufacturing Company changes names to C. W. Beggs, Sons & Co., Inc. of which Charles Waugh Beggs is president, Charles Walter Beggs, Jr. is Vice President and Stephen J. Beggs is Treasurer. They are officed at 1744-1746 N. Richmond Street, Chicago, Illinois. They are listed as late as 1916 in Chicago, possibly later.

The Beggs Manufacturing Company put out a wide variety of Beggs Family Medicines and Remedies such as Beggs Hair Renewer, Beggs Blood Purifier & Blood Maker, Beggs Soothing Syrup, Beggs Cherry Cough Syrup, Beggs Tropical Oil, Beggs Vegetable Liver Pills, Beggs German Salve, Beggs Diarrhea Balsam, Beggs Royal Tooth Soap, and of course their big seller, Beggs Dandelion Bitters. A few collateral pieces are below.

Beggs Manufacturing Company advertising envelope, 1900 – eBay

Beggs Soothing Syrup – National Museum of American History

Beggs Manufacturing Co. bank draft, July 11, 1891 – eBay

Beggs Advertising Trade Cards | Joe Gourd

I put in a call to bitters trade card authority Joe Gourd from Chicago asking for any material he may have on the brand. I was certain I would get a treasure trove since Beggs was based out of Chicago at one time. I was not mistaken. Joe’s response: Ferd: The windy city has become the frozen city. Got lots of Beggs stuff (never enough though). Here’s a sampling. These are incomplete sets of cards. I am always striving to complete them. Something like completing color runs. I like the card that shows the cat being bombarded by all kinds of things including a perfectly good Hoc Wine maybe? I choose the winter scenes because it looks like what’s going on here in Chicago right now. The Fireman cards are just a just a cool set. Too bad I only have two of the 6. Have fun with your selections. I don’t want to hog the post. Have a great day……….Joe

Select Listings

1801: Birth Stephen R. Beggs (father of George W. Beggs and Charles W. Beggs), Rockingham, Virginia. Reverend S.R. Beggs.

1837: Birth George West Beggs, Peoria, Illinois, 17 May 1837.

1840: Birth Charles Waugh Beggs, Plainfield, Illinois, 31 July 1840.

1862: George W. Beggs, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1862 – Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929

1871-1872: George W. Beggs, physicians and surgeons, w s Douglas bet 4th and 5th – Sioux City Directory

1875: Charles Walter Beggs, birth Dakota Territory, father and mother both from same – United States Federal Census

1882-1883: Beggs Charles W., general store – Minnesota State, Dakota Territorial Gazetteer Business Directory

1882: Charles Waugh Beggs and Elden C. DeWitt as Beggs & DeWitt manufacturer of patent medicines in Elk Point, Dakota Territory.

1882-1890: George W. Beggs, physician and from 1884 Charles W. Beggs as healer in proprietary medicines in partnership with Cora E. DeWitt – Iowa State Gazetteer

1884: Beggs & Dewitt business moves to Sioux City, Iowa.

1886: Beggs & Dewitt business moves to Chicago, Illinois.

1887-1888: Beggs and DeWitt, medicines, Charles W. Beggs and Elmer C. DeWitt, 179 Michigan – Chicago City Directory

1890: Beggs Manufacturing Company formed in Chicago, Illinois.

1891-1896: Beggs Manufacturing Company, patent medicines, Milton R. Wood, pres., Charles W. Beggs, Sec., 141 Ontario – Chicago City Directory

1892: E. C. DeWitt & Co., patent medicines, Elden C. DeWitt, 253 Kinzie – Chicago City Directory

1900: Charles W. Beggs, salesman, patent medicines, wife Gertrude, Milwaukee Ward 18, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – United States Federal Census

1900: Beggs Manufacturing Company, medicines, Author E. Havens, pres., C. J. Nudelman, Sec., 118 Michigan st. – Chicago City Directory

1900: C.W. Beggs Sons & Co., printers, (Charles W., Charles W. Jr. and S. Jay Beggs) 161 Superior – Chicago City Directory

1900: Beggs Manufacturing Company changes names to C. W. Beggs, Sons & Co., Inc. of which C. W. Beggs is president, Charles W. Beggs, Jr. is Vice President, Stephen J. Beggs, Treasurer. Office 1744-1746 N. Richmond Street, Chicago

1907: C.W. Beggs Sons & Co., patent medicines, (Charles W. and S. Jay Beggs) 36 and 38 Union Park ct. – Chicago City Directory

1906: Death (April 10 1906) George W. Beggs, Sioux City Iowa, Allopath – Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929

1916: Miss Nina Beggs married. Doughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Beggs, patent medicine firm of C.W. Beggs Sons & Co., 1744 North Richmond Avenue. – The Chicago Tribune, 19 January 1916

1931: Death Charles W. Beggs, Plainfield, Illinois, 1 March 1931.

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, eBay, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Postage, Remedy, Salve, Trade Cards | Tagged Beggs, bitters, Charles, chicago, Dakota, Dandelion, DeWitt, Elk, George, illinois, Ireland, James, Medicine, Point, Remedy, Rockingham, Sioux, Thomas, Virginia | Leave a comment

An Unknown Millionaire Found In New York

Posted on 16 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

An Unknown Millionaire Found In New York

Mr. Elden Casselle DeWitt

16 November 2014

I’ve often wondered who E. C. DeWitt (also written De Witt) was? A have a few of his DeWitt’s Stomach Bitters bottles, one is pictured above. I have even posted about him before titled, Braille Dots on a DeWitts Stomach Bitters.

Elden Casselle DeWitt was born in Wyoming, Jones County, Iowa on April 11, 1855. His father was Jeremiah Dewitt who was born in Delaware, Ohio. His mother was born in Vermont. DeWitt got his start in the drug business as a clerk in Elk Point, Union, Dakota Territory. Sometime during 1880, while in Elk Point, Charles W. Beggs proposed a partnership with DeWitt who had been manufacturing and selling patent medicines to a local market. A partnership was formed and by 1883 the patent medicine firm of Beggs & DeWitt had moved to Sioux City, Iowa.

Beggs Dandelion Bitters, Chicago – Meyer Collection

During 1886, the business was moved to Chicago and eventually the partnership was dissolved. You can see a Beggs Dandelion Bitters above which uses a very similar bottle. E. C. DeWitt then ran the drug and medicine business as E. C. DeWitt & Company with products sold in United States and around the world. He was a regular cross-Atlantic traveller overseeing his empire. He apparently amassed a fortune while flying, for the most part, under-the-radar as far as his personal appearances. His last twenty years, before he died in 1927, was spent in New York. I thought I would share a neat newspaper article about Mr DeWitt.

AN UNKNOWN MILLIONAIRE FOUND IN NEW YORK.

Tuesday, June 14, 1927

That in the United States, where the newspapers chronicle every action of persons of wealth, a man would acquire a fortune of $17,000,000 without the public being aware of the extent of his riches is disclosed by the death of Mr. Elden C. Dewitt.

It has been discovered with nothing short of amazement by the newspapers that Mr. Dewitt lived in New York for 20 years as the head of a drug and medicine firm which bears his name without being once mentioned in print.

During that time he built up this huge fortune, which he left to his wife and upon her death to 14 relatives. Only when the filing of the will disclosed that he was unusually rich did the newspapers print his name. Then they had great difficulty in learning how he amassed his millions.

Born 72 years ago in Iowa, he began as a clerk in a chemist’s shop, and ultimately became its proprietor. He started to manufacture his own remedies for common ills, and the business gradually grew until the firm had branches in Europe.

A close search revealed that he once received newspaper attention when in 1895 he participated in an election campaign to reform Chicago, but beyond that ho had succeeded in avoiding publicity.

An Unknown Millionaire Found In New York- The Geraldtown Guardian (South Australia), Tuesday, June 14, 1927

E.C. De Witt & Co. Proprietary Medicines receipt from 1901. Notice two sizes of DeWitts Stomach Bitters – Joe Gourd Collection

A Big Question

What got me thinking again about DeWitt again was finding this De Witts Anti-Dyspeptic Tonic Bitters advertisement below from the 1866-67 Ottawa, Illinois City Directory. This is weird. Was DeWitt 11 years old when he put out his first bitters? Obviously not. I don’t think it was his after, Jeremiah DeWitt as he was a farmer. What am I missing here? It looks like I need to find out who J.J. Vaughan is.

De Witts Anti-Dyspeptic Tonic Bitters advertisement – 1866-67 Ottawa, Illinois City Directory

Milestones

1825: Jeremiah Dewitt, born in Delaware, Ohio on 22 February 1825. Father Charles DeWitt. Mother Lydia Goldsmith

1855: Elden C. DeWitt born in Wyoming, Jones County, Iowa on April 11, 1855. Father Jeremiah Dewitt, born in Delaware, Ohio, Mother born in Vermont.

1880: Elden C. DeWitt, Druggist, Elk Point, Union, Dakota Territory, married to Cora E. Dewitt – United States Federal Census

1890: Elden C. DeWitt, Manufacturing Pharmacist, Chicago, Ward 22, Cook, Illinois, married to Cora E. Dewitt – United States Federal Census

1897: Elden C. DeWitt passport application. Living in Chicago.

1919: E.C. DeWitt & Co., Inc. (N Y), Elden C. DeWitt, president, Cora E. DeWitt,vice president – Trow’s New York City Directory

1920: Elden C. DeWitt passport application for trip to England from New York. Obviously a younger picture. That is his wife Cora.

1927: Elden C. DeWitt death in Scarsdale, Westchester, New York on 29 March 1927. Died at 400 W. Park Avenue, New York. Wife Cora DeWitt.

1886: Jeremiah DeWitt death in Wyoming, Iowa.

The many friends of Jerry DeWitt and the community at large were shocked as the report rapidly spread about on Wednesday morning of his sudden and totally unexpected demise. It was about 6 o’clock in the morning while Mr. DeWitt was temporarily alone that the relentless summons came, a stroke of paralysis of the heart striking him down while on his way from one room to another, where he was found by his family a few moments later with life’s powers extinct. The deceased was a native of Ohio, having been born at Delaware, Feb. 22, 1825. In 1853 he moved to Cedar County, and the year following to Jones County, where he farmed one year near this place, moving to Wyoming the following season. During his long residence here he was more or less connected with the livestock industries of the surrounding country in the capacity of buyer and shipper, and his practical knowledge of horseflesh made his services valuable and sought after by parties coming to this market in search of animals for shipment. As a citizen he was unassuming and law-abiding. In his church affiliations he was a Presbyterian, having become a member of the First Presbyterian Church of this place some twenty-five years ago, and was a fear less defender of the principles and doctrines laid down by the Bible, in which he was well versed by careful study. As a neighbor, husband and father he was peaceable and indulgent, and had the present and future welfare of his family at heart. Mr. DeWitt leaves a sorrowing wife and family of intelligent sons and daughters, a number of whom have established homes for themselves abroad, but most of whom were here at the funeral and to take a last sad look at the loved and familiar features of their now slumbering sire. The funeral obsequies took place from the family residence four o’clock Friday afternoon, which were attended by a large circle of sympathizing friends. The Rev. Geo. R. Carroll delivered the funeral address, choosing for his text, Numbers xxiii. 10 “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be likehis.” The burial took place in Wyoming Cemetery. Among those from a distance who attended the funeral were E. C. DeWitt and wife, from Sioux City, also from same place, Mrs. George Gross, nee Carrie DeWitt, Mrs, DeWitt, from Crete Neb., nee Miss Ida DeWitt, Mr. and Mrs. Anson Kelly, from Chardon, Ohio, and Dr. and Mrs. White, from Olin. – The Anamosa Eureka, 1886-07-29 – Page 3, Jones County, Iowa

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics | Tagged Bessg, bitters, Casselle, chicago, Dakota, Dandelion, DeWitt, Elden, Gourd, Iowa, Medicine, New York, proprietary, Stomach, Tonic, Vaughan | Leave a comment

K.S.S.B = Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters – Ottawa, Illinois

Posted on 15 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

K.S.S.B = Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters – Ottawa, Illinois

15 November 2014 (R•070515)

You know, I like bitters bottles. Collecting them, tracking them, researching, buying, selling, trading, winning, recording, photographing, writing, blogging etc. Kinda hooked. It has gotten to the point that it fills my life and consumes my time. When I am not thinking or doing something involving bitters, I get that “caged-in feel”. Like a bird in a cage, or one of my many dogs needing a run, I get restless. Imagine my surprise to be released from this caged-in feeling when I received this e-mail and related bottle pictures from Tim Henson in Missouri:

“I picked up this very rare Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters that is from Ottawa, Illinois. A pretty tough dude. A friend of mine was talking to Ken Farnsworth who put out the Illinois book (Bottled in Illinois: Embossed Bottles and Bottled Products of Early Illinois Merchants from Chicago to Cairo, 1840-1880 by Kenneth B. Farnsworth and John A. Walthall) and he told him that he only knew of one other himself. You just never know what might show up…..”

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

K3 KAGY’S SUPERIOR STOMACH BITTERS

KAGY’S / SUPERIOR / STOMACH BITTERS // f // f // f //
9 1/2 x 3 x 2 3/8 (7 1/4) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Very rare (should be extremely rare)
Dug in Earlville, Illinois

Embossed lettering on a Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters – Tim Henson Collection

Applied top on a Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters – Tim Henson Collection

Tool marks on a Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters – Tim Henson Collection

Aaron Albert Kagy

The newspaper advertisement below, from the The Ottawa Free Trader, on 9 December 1871, lays it out for the K. S. S. B. – Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters. The notice says the product was put out by A. A. Kagy, Sole Manufacturer, Ottawa, Illinois.

Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters advertisement – The Ottawa Free Trader, 9 December 1871

This would be Aaron Albert Kagy. Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters was a short-run bitters product that had its roots from a great Swiss family that came to America and settled in the Shenndoah Valley in Virginia. To understand this family, you must read a Kagy passage from The Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield County, Ohio by C.M.L. Wiseman.

THE KAGY’S OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY

The Shenndoah Valley, of Virginia, was settled largely by Pennsylvania people, both English and German speaking people. They emigrated from Berks, Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania. There were Mennonites, Dunkers and Primitive Baptists among-them. From the year 1806 to 1840, in almost every year many families came from that valley to Fairfield County. Samuel and Reverend John Wiseman, Abraham Winters, the Millers, Murphys, Ashbrooks, Beerys, Freeds and hundreds of other families all came from that splendid valley.

Of the many families referred to, none were larger or more highly respected than the Kagys. They were a hardy race, descended from hardy Swiss ancestors. But few of this large family now reside in Fairfield, for as the children grew to years of maturity, they married and either moved north to Seneca and Hancock Counties or to Marion, Cumberland and Effingham Counties, Illinois. This family produced many men of considerable prominence and ability, farmers, lawyers, doctors, ministers, teachers and merchants.

Honorable John Seitz, of Seneca County, was the son of Lewis Seitz, whose wife was a Kagy.

Rudolph Kagy, a native of Switzerland, came first to Pennsylvania. From there he moved to the valley of Virginia, and lie was the founder of the family that came to the county in 1833 and settled in Rushcreek.

Christian Kagy, son of Rudolph, the second, was born September 14, 1771, in Pennsylvania, and went to Virginia in 1781. He was married to Mary Bibler in 1796; they were the parents of ten children. He moved to Fairfield County in 1818 and died September 3, 1831.

Lewis B. Kagy once lived on the Goldthwait farm in Walnut township, and was the oldest son. He was born January 15, 1798. On October 9, 1823, he married Francina Ashbrook. He died May 12, 1872, in Illinois; his wife lived to be 93 years of age and died in Illinois, April 2y, 1897. They were the parents of seven children.

Abigail died in infancy.

Aaron Kagy was born April 2, 1826. He married Eliza Mauk, of Walnut township; they now reside at McCool Junction, Nebraska. For five years, beginning in 1850, Aaron Kagy was the largest and busiest stock buyer in Ohio; he drove his cattle in lots of 100 to Baltimore, Maryland. He failed in 1854 and involved many of his friends. His father and father-in-law endorsed for him and their farms were sold to pay his debts.

Mary Kagy, the oldest daughter, was born May 11, 1828. She married Jacob M. Walters and with him moved to the West; she now lives, a widow, in Webster City, Iowa.

Laura C. Kagy was born March 19, 1832. She married James T. Church, son of Isaac Church, of Lancaster, and now lives, a widow, in Chicago, Illinois.

John M. Kagy was born April 8, 1834; he married Mary P. Beckwith. He has lived in many parts of the West and now resides at Boseman, Montana.

Tunis A. was born April 26, 1830; he was drowned July 3, 1853, in the Emberras river, Illinois, where he was visiting.

Rebecca Kagy was born March 4, 1836. Her first husband was Benjamin Walters, brother of Jacob M., husband of Mary. Her second husband is Moab P. Trumbo, to whom she was married February 26, 1856. They reside on a fine farm near Ottawa, Illinois. The three daughters of Lewis B. Kagy are good women and exceptionally good looking. They were belles of Walnut township.

Aaron Albert Kagy was born on April 2, 1826 in Fairfield County, Ohio. As noted earlier, Kagy was the largest and busiest stock buyer in Ohio and he drove his cattle in lots of 100 to Baltimore. He failed in business in 1854 and had to be rescued by family members to pay his debts.

“he drove his cattle in lots of 100 to Baltimore, Maryland”

At 34 years old, Aaron A. Kagy resurfaces as a grocer in Mason, Effingham County, Illinois. The grocery business would play a big part in the Kagy family. In 1866, he is listed as a retail liquor dealer in a U.S. IRS Tax Assessment List. The business is called Walters & Kagy and they sold wholesale liquor in Ottawa, Illinois. His partner was his brother-in-law, Jacob M. Walters whose wife was his sister, Mary Kagy. The Bottled in Illinois book says that John M. Kagy was a partner with Jacob M. Walters. This may be true. I can not conform. In any event, both Kagy’s and Walters next have some misfortune in 1867 as they lose their grocery store and rectifying establishment to fire (see clipping below). Fortunately, the building was wholly covered by insurance.

KagyFire_The_Pantagraph_Tue__Apr_16__1867_

Walters & Kagy grocery and rectifying lost by fire –The Pantagraph, Tuesday, April 16, 1867.

This is where it gets cloudy for a moment. In 1869-1870, Kagy & Trumbo is listed as grocers in Ottawa, Illinois with J.M. Kagy. This is according to Bottled in Illinois.

Ottawa, which is a bit southwest of Chicago, was the site of the first of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. During the Ottawa debate Stephen A. Douglas, leader of the Democratic Party, openly accused Abraham Lincoln of forming a secret bipartisan group of Congressmen to bring about the abolition of slavery.

In 1870, Aaron A. Kagy, age 44, lists “no business” and lives in Ottawa, La Salle, Illinois according to the United States Federal Census. John M. Kagy is listed as a farmer in the same census. Rebecca Kagy, Aaron’s and John’s youngest sister married Benjamin Walters, brother of Jacob M. Walters, who, as stated above was the husband of Mary. Her second husband is Moab P. Trumbo. So they are all or related to the grocery business in some respect or another.

Then comes the advertisement at the top of the post from 1871 for Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters. We must assume that this is Aaron’s baby. He was the older brother and his name is on the advertisement. It was probably sold in the Kagy grocery store. Aaron Cagy died in 1909.

163. “KAGY’S / SUPERIOR / STOMACH BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, K-3), American, ca. 1865 – 1875, yellowish olive amber, 9 1/2”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. A few minor scratches exist mostly near the base. Also two tiny surface bubbles have slight openings in the outer glass. Lightly cleaned to near perfect condition and loaded with air bubbles. Extremely rare mold and in an unlisted color! The last one we sold was in 1996! Jim Lyle Collection. – Glass Works Auctions 107

Select Listings:

1826: Aaron Albert Kagy born 02 April 1826 in Fairfield County, Ohio.

1834: John M. Kagy born in Fairfield, Ohio on 8 April 1834. Father was Lewis B. Kagy (1798-1872) who was born in Virginia and died in Ottawa. Mother was Francina Ashbrook (1804-1897) who was born in Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) and died in Ottawa.

1848: Aaron A. Kagy marriage to Mary Elizabeth Mauk on 07 Dec 1848 in Fairfield County, Ohio

1860: Aaron A. Kagy, age 34, grocer, Mason, Effingham, Illinois – United States Federal Census

1865: John M. Kagy marriage to Mary Piper Beckwith on 19 September 1865.

1866: A. A. Kagy, Retail Liquor Dealer – U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Report

1866-1867: Walters & Kagy, wholesale liquor, John Kagy and Jacob M. Walters (wife is Mary Kagy) – Ottawa City Directory (reported in Bottled in Illinois)

1867: Walters & Kagy grocery and rectifying lost by fire (see above) – The Pantagraph, Tuesday, April 16, 1867.

1869-1870: Kagy & Trumbo, Grocers, J. M. Kagy – Ottawa City Directory

1870: Aaron A. Kagy, age 44, no business, Ottawa, La Salle, Illinois – United States Federal Census

1870: John M. Kagy, farmer, wife Mary – United States Federal Census

1871: Kagy’s Superior Stomach Bitters advertisement (see above) – The Ottawa Free Trader, 9 December 1871

1880: Albert A. Kagy, age 54, laborer, Deer Park, La Salle, Illinois – United States Federal Census

1900: John M. Kagy, age 66, living in Monforton, Gallatin, Montana – United States Federal Census

1909: Aaron A. Kagy death.

1910: John M. Kagy, age 76, living in Billings Ward 2, Yellowstone, Montana – United States Federal Census

1914: John M. Cagy death in Billings, Yellowstone County, Montana on 17 January 1914.

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures | Tagged Aaron, Albert, bitters, Fairfield, Grocery, Hensen, illinois, John, Kagy, Ottawa, Rudolph, Stomach, Superior, Tim, Trumbo, Walters | Leave a comment

Brown’s Aromatic Bitters – Hannibal, Missouri

Posted on 13 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Brown’s Aromatic Bitters – Hannibal Missouri

13 November 2014 (R•111514) (R•111814)

[This post was inspired by Tim Henson from Missouri]

A very suspicious label card I purchased off of eBay for .99 cents a few years ago for Brown’s Aromatic Bitters.

Jim Hagenbuch with Glass Works Auctions sure knows how to tug at the heart-strings (and pull at the purse strings) as when he auctioned off the extremely rare, Brown’s Aromatic Bitters from Hannibal, Missouri in Auction #87 back in October 2009. He wrote under the bottle description, “From the Mississippi River town of Hannibal, Missouri, birthplace of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known to most people as Mark Twain.” Now that is pretty cool, a bottle from Hannibal, Missouri. I wonder if Brown knew Clemens?

Aqua and amber Brown’s Aromatic Bitters from an old bottle book.

Well, I did end up winning the bottle, as Jim’s methods seem to work. The bottle is extremely rare and unlisted in amber. It is 8 3/4″tall, has a smooth base and has an applied double collar mouth. Apparently in 2002, Glass Works Auctions sold an aqua example for $900. You can see my catalog page below with the example. I make an 8 1/2″ x 11″ page for all of my bottles. Digitally stored, printed and inserted in large 3-ring binders.

Brown’s Aromatic Bitters – Meyer Catalog Page

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

B 219 BROWN’S AROMATIC BITTERS

BROWN’S / AROMATIC / BITTERS / HANNIBAL / MO. // c //
L…Brown’s Aromatic Cordial Bitters
8 3/4 x 3 3/8 x 2 (6 1/4)
Oval, Aqua, LTC, Applied mouth, Extremely rare (amber needs to be added)

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

B 219 BROWN’S / AROMATIC / BITTERS / HANNIBAL / MO, // c //
L . . . Brown’s Aromatic Cordial Bitters, Prepared by J. B. Brown, Wholesale and retail Druggist, Hannibal, Mo.
L . . . Brown’s Aromatic Bitters, Prepared by J. B. Brown, Wholesale and Retail Druggists, Hannibal. MO.
8 ¾ x 3 3/8 x 2 (6 ½)
Oval, Aqua and Amber, LTC and DC, Applied mouth, Extremely rare
BAR p23, TMS 50, N&Q, UMB 527, WAT 56

Brown’s Aromatic Bitters, Hannibal, Missouri – Meyer Collection

J.B. Brown, Druggist, Hannibal, Mo. bottle – eBay (Digger Dave’s Bottles and Treasures)

This classic Italianate villa with cupola is the J.B. Brown house, built in 1870. He built 121 South Fifth Street just before the Civil War and 321 North Fourth Street about ten years later.

James Burket Brown

Pontiled and labeled Liniment for Rheumatism by J.B. Brown, Druggist

James Burket Brown was a successful druggist and home builder in Hannibal, Missouri. He life story reads like a Horatio Alger story, you know, “rags to riches” as he was born from a farmer named William Woody Brown (father James Brown and wife Elizabeth Hubbard Brown) who came to Missouri in 1832 from Kanawha County, Virginia. They arrived at the Port of Scipio in Marion County, Missouri, on 6 April 1832 on the Herald, a steamboat, which plied regularly between the south and Galena, Illinois. He brought four sons, James Burket Brown, John Henry Brown, Marion Francis Brown and William Lawrence Brown. They purchased land in Ralls County south of Hannibal and they constructed a home and other buildings of logs. It was here that William Woody Brown died in 1845, along with his parents. The seeds of the other browns were firmly planted.

James worked from a very young age until he and two of his brothers, Marion Brown (who would become a physician in Hannibal) and William L. Brown, decided to go to California during the Gold Rush. They each came home with about $1,000 and they were flush to start new lives in Hannibal. James invested his income by buying out an old drug firm and successfully developed it so that he was able to build his own store and building in 1848 on North Main Street. They were wholesale and retail druggists and dealers in drugs, medicines and chemicals along with perfumery, window glass, glassware and many other fancy items of the day. They were also advertising pure wines and liquors for medicinal purposes. I like that, for medicinal purposes. That way they could sell the Brown’s Aromatic Bitters.

James also served as mayor from 1882 to 1885 and again in 1888 and founded a family that was prominent for several generations.

The Brown family took a strong stand for the Confederacy during the war between the states. The family, fearing acts of plunder by marauding troops, hid articles of value in a small cave which had been created by removal of stone for building purposes. A Confederate flag was made from silk petticoats by Sarah Brown Carstarphen, her mother, Frances Hubbard Brown, and the wives of Dr. Marion F. (Eleanor Virginia Carter) and William L. Brown. In defiance of Union soldiers who were occupying Hannibal, Dr. Marion Brown (Sarah Brown Carstarphen’s brother) displayed this flag on a wire which was extended from his office on North Main Street next to the J.B. Brown drug store. Dr. Brown persisted in saluting it whenever he passed it, in spite of the warnings of his friends. He did not fear being shot for this act, as he was the only doctor left in the vicinity. Finally, realizing that the flag would be confiscated as were other Confederate flags in the town, it was hidden. It was found in 1925 by the owners of the old J. B. Brown home at Fifth and Church Streets. It had been wrapped in paper, and a ball of twine had been wound around it. Bessie Brown placed this historic flag on display in the Mark Twain Museum on Hill Street.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens “Mark Twain” , Born November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri

It was reported that James Burket Brown, went to school with Samuel Clemens in the old log house in what is now “the park” in Hannibal.

J.B. Brown retired after sixty years of service in the drug business and turned his business over to his son, Albert S. Brown. He was, for fifty years, in the same building without any change of firm. He died in 1915.

Floral Lotion label. Probably 1910 or so.

Hive Syrup advertising card

Select Date Listings

1827: J.B Brown born in Virginia about 1827.

1832: Brown family arrives in Hannibal, Missouri.

1853: J.B. Brown & Co., Druggists and Apothecaries, City Hotel Building, Hannibal, Missouri advertisement (see below) – Hannibal Daily Journal, Wednesday March 23, 1853

BrownsAd_Hannibal_Daily_Journal_Wed__Mar_23__1853_

J.B. Brown & Co., Druggists and Apothecaries, City Hotel Building, Hannibal, Missouri advertisement – Hannibal Daily Journal Wednesday March 23, 1853

1858: Brown’s Drug Store, J.B. Brown, opens for business

1870: J.B. Brown, age 43, druggist, wife Nancy N. Brown, children, Fanny C., George S., Jefferson B., Albert S. Brown, Anna M. Brown, Hannibal, Missouri – United States Federal Census

1871: J.B. Brown, 217 North Main, wholesale and retail dealer in Drugs, Medicines etc. advertisement (see below) – History of Hannibal and City Directory 1871-72

J. B. Brown advertisement – History of Hannibal and City Directory 1871-72

1884: Honorable J. B. Brown, Mayor of Hannibal, Missouri.

1903-1905: J. (James) B. Brown, Druggist, 219 N Main – Hannibal, Missouri City Directory

1907: Veteran pharmacist, J.B. BROWN retires, Hannibal, Missouri, now eight years of age, after sixty years of service in the drug business, has retired from active work and turned his business over to his son, Albert S. Brown. He was for fifty years in the same building without any change of firm. – Meyer Brothers Druggist, C.F.G. Meyer, 1907

1915: Death James Burnet Brown

Posted in Apothecary, Auction News, Bitters, Holiday, Medicines & Cures | Tagged Aromatic, bitters, Brown's, Burket, Clemens, Druggist & Drugstore, drugs, Hannibal, Henson, J.B. Brown, James, Langhorne, Mark, Medicines, Missouri, retail, Samuel, Tim, Twain, wholesale | 1 Comment

“In Hoc Vinces” – Romaine’s Crimean Bitters

Posted on 12 November 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

“In Hoc Vinces” – Romaine’s Crimean Bitters

12 November 2014 (R•111614)

I have posted before, back in August 2011, on Romaine’s Crimean Bitters when I started the Peachridge Glass web site. At that time I posted my color run (above) and a few picture. Simple and sweet. Read: Nice Romaine’s Crimean Bitters in ABA Auction #53. I have also always wondered about the name of the bitters.

A few days since Newbern was dreadfully alarmed at poster’s placed in conspicuous places over the city, in these mysterious characters: R C B. The Mayor called upon his officials to tear the incendiary document down, which could mean no less, he supposed, than “Rise, Colored Brethren”.

This time around I wanted to talk about the mysterious triangular logo with the initials “R C B” at each point of the triangle. Within the triangle is “In Hoc Vinces” and the number “110” in an oval. “Libertu” is written at the base of the triangle. What did this mean? Some thought, and were quite alarmed, that it meant, “Rise Colored Brethren”. This might explain why many Romaine’s Crimean Bitters advertisements have a blank space where the logo might have been placed.

Newspaper advertising for Romaine’s Crimean Bitters usually took the form of full-page columns touting the bitters with testimonials and other tidbits of medical benefit information. The ads occurred from May 1863 until mid to late 1866 in newspapers like The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, The New York Times, National Republican (Washington, D.C.), Burlington Weekly Free Press (Vermont), Reading Times (Pennsylvania), Vermont Watchman and State Journal (Montpelier, Vermont) and the New York Tribune. About 10% of the advertising included the triangular art and the rest did not. Examples of both are below.

RCB8_Vermont_Watchman_and_State_Journal_Fri__Jun_9__1865_

Full column Romaine’s Crimean Bitters advertisement with the triangular logo on top. – Vermont Watchman and State Journal, Friday, June 9, 1865

Romaines_The_Brooklyn_Daily_Eagle_Wed__May_17__1865_

Full page column advertisement for Romaine’s Crimean Bitters. Notice the conspicuous open area at the top of the ad. Was the triangular logo pulled? – The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Wednesday, May 17 1865

In Hoc Vinces & Symbolism

Stanze_Vaticane_-_Raffaello_-_Apparizione_della_croce

Detail from The Vision of the Cross by assistants of Raphael, depicting the vision of the cross and the Greek writing “Ἐν τούτῳ νίκα” in the sky, before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

“In hoc vinces” or “In hoc signo vinces” is a Latin phrase meaning “In this sign you will conquer.” It is a translation, or rendering, of the Greek phrase “ἐν τούτῳ νίκα” en touto nika níkaː]), literally meaning “in this conquer.” So take this bitters and conquer your illness. It also relates to something else which we well see further on.

“Libertu”, meaning I suppose, liberate yourself from whatever and all illnesses that Romaine’s Crimean Bitters will cure.

The imagery is the bowl of Hygeia with the serpent of Epidaurus. Hygeia was Aesculapius’s daughter and a Goddess of health (“Hygiene”). Hygeia was often pictured holding a cup with a snake coiled about her body or arm. The medical staff is the Caduceus with the two snakes on the staff that has been adopted in the West as a symbol of medicine (not pharmacy) since the 19th century and has likely stemmed from bowl of Hygiea and the serpent. The staff is depicted with wings and is that of Mercury (Roman) or Hermes (Greek), the messenger of the Gods.

These bitters marketing guys, weren’t holding back any punches. ~~I have no clue what the “110” in an oval means.~~

Marianne Dow states that 110 has to do with Psalms 110:1 and is a Masonic reference. “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Sample of use of “In hoc signo vinces” in a 1721 Portuguese coin

The Crimean War

The facsimile bank note below, from the Joe Gourd collection, helps illustrate more about the name of this bitters, “The Crimean Bank” is the prominently arched over a fort under attack. “In hoc vinces” is beneath the illustration. There are tepees and rifles at the base of the note flanked by the signature of “Romaine” on the left and “W. Chilton” on the right.

Romaine’s Crimean Bitters facsimile bank note (Note that note is signed by Romaine and Chilton) – Joe Gourd Collection

The Crimean War (October 1853 – February 1856) was a conflict in which Russia lost to an alliance of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia. The immediate cause involved the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, which was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The French promoted the rights of Catholics, while Russia promoted those of the Orthodox Christians. The longer-term causes involved the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and the unwillingness of Britain and France to allow Russia to gain territory and power at Ottoman expense. Russia lost the war and the Ottomans gained a twenty-year respite from Russian pressure. The Christians were granted a degree of official equality and the Orthodox gained control of the Christian churches in dispute. [Wikipedia]

The illustration above, from the Romaine’s Crimean Bitters facsimile bank note, shows what appears appears to be Fort Konstantin and Fort Mihail under attack. During the Crimean War, The Siege of Sevastopol lasted from September 1854 until September 1855. The allies (French, Ottoman, and British) landed at Eupatoria on 14 September 1854, intending to make a triumphal march to Sevastopol, the capital of the Crimea, with 50,000 men. The 35 mile traverse took a year of fighting against the Russians. Major battles along the way were Alma (September 1854), Balaklava (October 1854), Inkerman (November 1854), Tchernaya (August 1855), Redan (September 1855), and, finally, Sevastopol (September 1855). During the siege, the allied navy undertook six bombardments of the capital, on 17 October 1854; and on 9 April, 6 June, 17 June, 17 August, and 5 September 1855. “In hoc vince”, we will conquer.

The tents had me wondering. Indians? The Civil War? No, this illustration, also from the facsimile bank-note, also represents The Siege of Sebastopol. This is Captain Wodehouse’s Battery at Camp Redoubt (see illustration below).

The Siege of Sebastopol. Part of Captain Wodehouse’s Battery from The Illustrated London News, 18 November 1854

Read about another bitters with a Crimean War link: What about this New Orleans Malakoff Bitters?

Bandit Signs and Guerilla Advertising

You all have seen bandit signs before. You know, the little wire and cardboard signs that seemingly appear overnight at intersections and in medians touting a nefarious product, local apartment complex or politician wanting your votes. They are illegal but they happen. Like weeds, you have to be diligent in removing the nasty little things.

Plantation Bitters Stereoscopic Card, America, 1865 – 1875. Black and white photographic image depicting the Flume Gorge at Franconia, New Hampshire with “Plantation / Bitters” painted in big letters on a large boulder. – Meyer Collection

Guerrilla marketing was originally a marketing strategy in which low-cost, unconventional means (including the use of graffiti, sticker bombing, flyer posting, etc.) were used in a (generally) localized fashion to draw attention to an idea, product, or service. Many bitters used this type of advertising, the king being Drake’s Plantation Bitters.

The two notices below explain the incident with the alarming number of small triangular “R C B ” cards posted on trees, fences, and brick walls. Interesting that this made national news. Did it alarm the marketeers? Usually any type of advertising is good to create product awareness and “buzz”.

RCB_The_New_Berne_Times_Thu__Jul_13__1865_

Romaine’s Crimean Bitters – The New Berne Times, Thursday, July 13, 1865

RCB_The_Daily_Kansas_Tribune_Sat__Sep_2__1865_

Romain’s Crimean Bitters “A Great Scare at Newbern, N.C. – The Daily Kansas Tribune, Saturday September 2, 1865

Romaine’s Crimean Bitters

The tall front label reads, “Romaine’s Crimean Bitters Tonic and Alterative”, “Depot Marble Store, No. 22 Walker St., New York”. It is signed “W. Chilton & Co”. The back label, not pictured, contains the medical benefits of the brand. More on Romaine and Chilton later.

“In Hoc Vinces” at the top of the label on a Romaine’s Crimean Bitters. Stephen Fletcher (Skinners) found a collection of bottles in a step back cupboard protected by a roll of chicken wire that was tacked to the face of the cupboard. This is one of the bottles. (from Jeff Noordsy) – Meyer Collection

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Color Runs, Currency, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged advertising, Bandit, bank, bitters, Britian, Catholics, Chilton, Christian, Crimean, Empire, france, Gourd, Guerrilla, Hygiea, In Hoc Vinces, Konstantin, lasbel, Libertu, Mihail, New York, Orthodox, Ottoman, Romaine, Romaine's, Russia, Sardinia, Sevastopol, symbols, Walker, war, Wodehouse | 2 Comments

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Dr. William S. Love’s Vegetable Elixir – Baltimore

25 November 2014

William S. Love

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S.O. Dunbar & his Tomato (ya ya ya) Bitters

DUNBAR’S LIFE BITTERS

23 November 2014 (R•112514) (R•060219) (R•082519)

Handbill L 91.7 LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS, The Cheapest and Best Bitters to be had, Tomato, Sarsaparilla, Blackberry, Dandelion and Wild Cherry, Vegetable Compound Life Renovating Bitters. Prepared and sold by S. O. Dunbar, Taunton, Mass. LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS See See s2L 91.5

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1836: Samuel Oliver Dunbar publishes a Map of the town of Taunton, with a view of the public buildings (see below) – Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library See Map

1855: S.O. Dunbar, Director, Farmers’ Insurance Company – Taunton, Massachusetts City Directory

1859: Samuel O. Dunbar, Apothecary, 9 and 10 Bank, Taunton, Massachusetts – Taunton, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1859

1867: S. O. Dunbar advertisement (above) – The Bristol County Directory and Gazetteer, 1867-68

1875: S.O. Dunbar & Son, 10 and 11 Bank Row, City square, druggists – The Bristol County Directory and History

1880: S.O. Dunbar, Drugs and Chemicals, Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts – United States Federal Census

1893: Dunbar’s Drug Store, drugs, stationery, etc. 51 City sq. cor Lincoln (see advertisement below) – Taunton, Massachusetts City Directory

Dr. Truman Stillman’s Temperance Bitters – NOLA

21 November 2014 (R•112314) (R•121014) (R•061415)

Advertisement S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La. The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841 Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

Advertisement S 196.5 DR. TRUMAN STILLMAN’S TEMPERANCE BITTERS Prepared only by Dr. Stillman, 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La., proprietor and discoverer. The Times Picayune (New Orleans), Tuesday August 16, 1842 The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Sunday, August 30, 1840

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abt 1815: Truman Stillman born in Oneida County, New York.

1835: Truman Stillman, M.D., 233 Broadway – New York City Directory

1836: Truman Stillman, M.D., 422 Broadway – New York City Directory

1837: Truman Stillman, M.D., 359 Broadway – New York City Directory

1840: Dr. T. Stillman, Free White Person, New Orleans Ward 1, Orleans, Louisiana – 1840 United States Federal Census

1842: Dr. Trueman Stilling, 96 Customhouse St. – Orleans Parrish Louisiana City Directory

1843: T. Stillman, occupation Doctor, passenger on Empressario from Havana Cuba to New Orleans, Louisiana, 27 March 1843 arrival date, age 28 – New Orleans Passenger Lists

1845: Dr. Truman Stillman violently assaults wife (see clipping above) – The St. Landry Whig (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) July 03, 1845

1846: Dr. Truman Stillman, proprietor of the Louisiana Lock Hospital Institution (also listed under Doctors), 37 Bourbon st. – New Orleans annual and commercial register of 1846

1847: Admissions to Lunatic Asylum Orleans Parish, Truman Stillman, physician, from Oneida County, New York. Age 34 years. Delirium Traumaticum

1847: Death, Dr. Truman Stillman, 27 January 1847, death place, New York City, New York – New York, Genealogical Records, 1675-1920

Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters – Boston

20 November 2014 (R•112314) (R•083019)

S 36 SARSAPARILLA & TOMATO BITTERS

F. BROWN BOSTON / SARSAPARILLA / & TOMATO / BITTERS // c // 9 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 2 1/2 (6) Oval, Aqua, LTCR, Applied mouth, Rough and Metallic pontil mark, Common Label: Two red tomatoes and stem with four green leaves covers the entire bottle. Advertised in 1856 – for the blood

Frederick Brown

Washington Street

Advertising

F. Brown Druggist and Apothecary, 68 Washington Street, Currency and Receipt

The New Orleans Connection – Dr. Stillman

Advertisement S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La. The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841 Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

Select Milestones:

1840: Frederick Brown, druggist and apothecary, corner of State and Washington – article passage.

1840: Dr. Truman Stillman in New Orleans, Louisiana at his Southern Chemical Laboratory at 96 Customhouse Street. Working with tomatoes and Sarsaparilla.

1841: Advertisement, Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Frederick Brown, 68 Washington Street, corner of State Street, Boston, agent for New England – Boston Post, Thursday, October 14, 1841.

1842: Sarsaparilla and Tomato Bitters, Sold only by Dr. Stillman, No. 99 Customhouse Street, proprietor and discoverer. – The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Saturday, August 13, 1842

1855: Frederick Brown, druggist and apothecary, 68 Wasington – Boston City Directory

1863: Script note during Civil War: F. Brown Druggist, 68 Washington Street, 1 January 1863, 03c.

1867: Reference to Frederick Browns death.

From the “Boston Herald,” 31 Oct 1895: Capt. John P. T. Percival — Prominent Business Man Drops Dead on the Common.

Heart Trouble Follows an Accute Attack of Indigestion — Was the Senior Member of the Druggist Firm of Percival and Tilden — Followed the Sea in his Early Life.

Capt. John P. T. Percival of Percival & Tilden, the well known druggists of School street and City Hall avenue, dropped dead on the Common yesterday morning. He had an accute attack of indigestion, and it is believed that this superinduced a heart trouble, which occaioned his sudden death.

I wish someone would find me a Newfoundland Bitters

19 November 2014

Edmund Dexter I

The Dexter Mansion

The Dexter Boys

The Dexter Chapel Mausoleum

Southern Advertising

The Beggs’ and their Dandelion Bitters

18 November 2014 (R•010315) (R•120317) (R•032019) (081019)

B 51 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS

B 52 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Chicago

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL // f // f // 9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8 Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce

B 52.5 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Chicago

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL. // f // f // 9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8 Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce On this variant, the B starts over the L, and on the B 52, the B starts over the E.

B 53 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS | Sioux City

B 50.5 BEGGS DANDELION BITTERS

BEGGS / DANDELION / BITTERS // f // f // f // 7 ½ x 3 1/8 x 1 ½ (5 ¼) 1/2 Rectangular strap side flask, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare Embossing is block letters and runs shoulder to base Similar to B 51 except block letters

D 12 XXX DANDELION BITTERS

The Beggs

Beggs Advertising Trade Cards | Joe Gourd

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1801: Birth Stephen R. Beggs (father of George W. Beggs and Charles W. Beggs), Rockingham, Virginia. Reverend S.R. Beggs.

1837: Birth George West Beggs, Peoria, Illinois, 17 May 1837.

1840: Birth Charles Waugh Beggs, Plainfield, Illinois, 31 July 1840.

1862: George W. Beggs, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1862 – Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929

1871-1872: George W. Beggs, physicians and surgeons, w s Douglas bet 4th and 5th – Sioux City Directory

1875: Charles Walter Beggs, birth Dakota Territory, father and mother both from same – United States Federal Census

Handbill
L 91.7 LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS, The Cheapest and Best Bitters to be had, Tomato, Sarsaparilla, Blackberry, Dandelion and Wild Cherry, Vegetable Compound Life Renovating Bitters. Prepared and sold by S. O. Dunbar, Taunton, Mass.
LIFE RENOVATING BITTERS See See s2L 91.5

Advertisement
S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS
Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841
Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

Advertisement
S 196.5 DR. TRUMAN STILLMAN’S TEMPERANCE BITTERS
Prepared only by Dr. Stillman, 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La., proprietor and discoverer.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans), Tuesday August 16, 1842
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Sunday, August 30, 1840

F. BROWN BOSTON / SARSAPARILLA / & TOMATO / BITTERS // c //
9 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 2 1/2 (6)
Oval, Aqua, LTCR, Applied mouth, Rough and Metallic pontil mark, Common
Label: Two red tomatoes and stem with four green leaves covers the entire bottle.
Advertised in 1856 – for the blood

Advertisement
S 196.4 DR. T. STILLMAN’S SARSAPARILLA AND TOMATO BITTERS
Truman Stillman M.D., 96 Customhouse Street, N.O. La.
The Times Picayune (New Orleans) Wednesday, July 21, 1841
Frederick Brown was the New England agent.

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL // f // f //
9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce

BEGGS / DANDELION BITTERS // CHICAGO / ILL. // f // f //
9 1/4 x 2 3/4 (6 5/8) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce
On this variant, the B starts over the L, and on the B 52, the B starts over the E.

BEGGS / DANDELION / BITTERS // f // f // f //
7 ½ x 3 1/8 x 1 ½ (5 ¼) 1/2
Rectangular strap side flask, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare
Embossing is block letters and runs shoulder to base
Similar to B 51 except block letters

KAGY’S / SUPERIOR / STOMACH BITTERS // f // f // f //
9 1/2 x 3 x 2 3/8 (7 1/4) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Very rare (should be extremely rare)
Dug in Earlville, Illinois