David Stevenson established a brewery on Manhattan’s west side and served as its proprietor for over 30 years until he passed away in 1884. After his death the brewery continued to operate until National Prohibition likely forced its closure in 1920.
Born about 1807 in Ireland, David Stevenson first appeared in United States census records in 1850. Those records indicate that his then four year old son, also named David, was born in New York, so its safe to say that David, Sr. had arrived in the United States by the mid-1840’s and possibly earlier.
His business was first mentioned in the 1850/1851 New York City directory where he’s listed as a “brewer,” located on the corner of Tenth Avenue and West 39th Street. According to a publication called “One Hundred Years of Brewing,” published in 1903, that first year he turned out about 1,200 barrels of ale. Not just a brewer, in the early 1850’s Stevenson also included distiller and rectifier among his early occupations, all of which were conducted at his Tenth Avenue location.
In 1854, the August 23, 1854 edition of the “New York Tribune” announced that those Tenth Avenue facilities were impacted by a major fire.
About a quarter before 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon a fire broke out in the range of frame buildings corner of Tenth Ave. and Thirty-ninth St., occupied by David Stevenson, as a Malt-House, Brewery and Rectifying establishment. The flames spread with astonishing rapidity, and notwithstanding the exertions of the firemen of the District, who were early on the ground, the distillery portion of the establishment was burned to the ground. A portion of the frame shed extending along the avenue to Fortieth St. was also destroyed. The upper part of the building corner of Thirty-ninth St. was occupied as a dwelling by Mr. Stevenson. The greater portion of his household goods were destroyed.
Another story, this one in the “New York Times,” provided some additional details.
The fire originated from the iron coal furnace being hot and thereby causing the woodwork of the basement to catch fire. The flames spread with astonishing rapidity, and before ten minutes had elapsed the entire premises were enveloped in flames, and all efforts of the Firemen to save the property were of no avail. The buildings extended down Thirty-ninth Street some 250 feet, and about 150 feet on Tenth Avenue, and were all filled with heavy stock of distilled liquors, pure spirits and other materials of a combustible nature…
The brewery survived the fire but there’s no mention of “liquors” in any of Stevenson’s subsequent directory listings, suggesting the fire put an end to his distilling/rectifying operations. This assumption is further supported by his advertisement found in the “Commercial Register” of the 1861/62 directory that simply mentions ale and porter.
In the mid-1870’s the New York City directories began associating David Stevenson Jr. with the business suggesting that around this time Stevenson’s son began playing a significant role in the management of the brewery. He ultimately assumed ownership when his father passed away in 1884. Unfortunately, in October, 1892 Stevenson, Jr. also passed away at which time James McClenahan, the Stevenson estate’s trustee, took control. He operated the business until December 28, 1893 when he transferred it to a newly formed corporation called “The David Stevenson Brewing Company.”
James McClenahan went on to serve as the corporation’s first president.
I suspect that it was sometime in the 1890’s when the brewery began producing lager beer in addition to their ales and porters. (The company was not listed as a lager beer brewer in the 1890 business directory but was in 1897) The addition of lager had certainly occurred by 1896 as evidenced by their advertisement that year in “The World Almanac and Encyclopedia.”
Another 1896 advertisement, this one found in the New York Protective Association’s Labor Day Program, makes it clear that by then the company was also bottling their product, having established a bottling department on Tenth Avenue and 40th Street (the location embossed on the subject bottle).
By the turn of the century, the brewery complex encompassed a total of 27 New York City lots, employed 110 full-time workers (based on both 1898 and 1901 New York State Factory Inspection Reports.) and was producing 140,000 barrels annually (100 Years of Brewing). Based on the images found on their turn of the century calendars it’s also apparent that the wood frame buildings of the 1850’s had all been replaced with brick and mortar.
McClenahan continued to serve as president of the company throughout the first decade of the twentieth century, but not without controversy.
In 1905 Stevenson Jr.’s son, (Stevenson Sr.’s grandson) also named David, brought suit against McClenahan for what he called systematic fraud demanding that as trustee of the Stevenson estate , he sell back to the estate the brewery property which he had transferred to the Daniel Stevenson Brewing Company in 1893. The facts behind his demand were summarized in an April 17, 1906 story in the “New York Tribune.”
It was shown yesterday to Justice Blanchard after the death of Mr. Stevenson’s father, in 1892, the business of the brewery was carried on by McClenahan for two years at an annual profit of $200,000, for the benefit of the estate. Then, as trustee of the estate, McClenahan transferred the brewery property to the corporation he had formed, the corporation giving a mortgage of $1,500,000 in payment.
Mr. Beard, of Mr. Stevenson’s counsel, said there was presented in the transfer of the property a systematic fraud by which McClenahan meant to obtain full possession of the property for nothing. Without investing or risking a dollar, Mr. Beard said, McClenahan had transferred the brewery which earned $200,000 a year to a corporation which he controlled absolutely, giving to the estate a mortgage on which the estate received only $75,000 a year. McClenahan, it was declared, was thus able to make the estate pay him $125,000 a year, and the money had been used since the mortgage had been given to reduce the mortgage to $1,000,000. At the present time, therefore, the estate was receiving only $50,000 a year from the brewery, while McClenahan was receiving $150,000 a year, and in a few years he would pay off the mortgage and own the brewery if the courts did not compel him to relinquish his hold and give back the property to the estate.
Surprisingly, a year later, the April 11, 1908 edition of the “New York Tribune” announced that the parties had reached an amicable ending, with McClenahan continuing to serve as president and two Stevenson’s, David and Malcom, elected 1st and 2nd vice-presidents, respectively.
McClenahan continued to be listed as president up through 1912 but by 1915, was apparently no longer associated with the company and David Stevenson was listed as president. Four years later in 1919 David passed away at the age of 45.
The David Stevenson Brewing Company continued to be listed at the brewery’s address of 521 10th Avenue, with Malcom Stevenson now named president, as late as 1925. That being said there’s no evidence that I can find that indicates any attempt to brew near beer. A review of 1920’s newspaper items suggests the company remained active simply managing/selling their real estate holdings that included a large number of former saloon properties.
Also listed at that address beginning in 1920 was the Stevenson Refrigerating Company, with Malcom Stevenson also named as president. So I suspect that the brewery itself transitioned into the cold storage business at the same time they were selling off their saloon properties. The Stevenson Refrigerating Company was still listed at that location in 1933 after which I lose track
Today, there’s no sign of the former brewery complex, as its former footprint now accommodates a portion of the ramp system connecting the Port Authority Bus Terminal with the Lincoln Tunnel.
The bottle I found is a champagne style beer. It’s blown in a mold with a blob finish and exhibits the “David Stevenson Brewing Company” name. Recognizing that the business incorporated under that name in late December, 1893 the bottle certainly dates no earlier than 1894.