William V. Geiss was a mineral water and beer bottler in Far Rockaway that had been in business since 1899 and Sidney Jackier was a sales agent for a Manhattan Brewing Co. In 1909, they joined together and formed Geis-Jackier Co. The notice of incorporation was printed in the November 27, 1909 issue of Brooklyn’s Times Union.
A certificate of incorporation of the Geis-Jackier Company of the Borough of Queens has been filed with the Secretary of State. It is proposed to deal in mineral waters, wines, liquors, cigars, etc., with a capital of $10,000, divided into shares of $100 each. The directors for the first year are Sidney Jackier, William V. Geis, Hattie Jackier and Elsie C. Geis, of Far Rockaway.
According to a story written years later, in the October 23, 1915 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Sidney Jackier had signed a five year lease to operate the Haffner Neptune Park Hotel in August of 1909, three months prior to incorporating Geis-Jackier. Back then it was fairly typical for hotels to maintain a bottling operation as part of their business and I’m fairly certain that Geis Jackier was established to serve as the bottler for the hotel operation.
N.Y.S. records indicate that Geis Jackier was a liquor tax certificate holder up through September 30, 1914, however, the business came to a practical end sometime before that, likely in late 1913 or early 1914, when according to the October 23, 1915 Brooklyn Daily Eagle story, Jackier missed the final year’s payment on the hotel lease and declared bankrupt.
In 1915, Sidney Jackier was listed in New Rochelle, New York as the manager of the local F&M Schaefer Brewing Co. depot and by 1914 Geis was the proprietor of the Hewlett Inn on Long Island. The story of William V. Geis is told in another post on this site.
Wm. V. Geis, Far Rockaway, N.Y.
Both Crescent and William have changed names over the years. Crescent is now Brunswick and William is now Wheatley. Brunswick opposite Wheatley puts Geis-Jackier in an area between the Far Rockaway Station of the LIRR and Brunswick Avenue. The location of the Neptune Park Hotel given in advertisements is “midway between station and ocean,” so they were relatively close to each other.
I’v found several 8 oz slug plate bottles, one 8 oz private mold bottle and two 27 oz bottles; all tooled crowns. The private mold also has a G/J insignia embossed on the back of the bottle with the “J” in the shape of a fish hook.
