Herman & John F. Meyer, partnered together in a mineral water manufacturing and bottling business in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan from 1869 to 1876. According to 1880 census records both Meyer’s were born in the Hanover Region of Germany; John F. in 1833, and Herman in 1836, and I suspect that they were somehow related, likely brothers. That being said, they apparently took very different paths to their 1869 partnership.
Herman Meyer can be found in the New York City directories as early as 1852-53, partnered with John F. Rottman in the soda water business. The partnership of Meyer & Rottman was listed at 566 Greenwich Street (1853 – 55) and later at 94 Thompson Street (1855 – 60). By 1860 the partnership apparently ended when Meyer apparently headed north to work on Rottman’s farm in Rockland County. This classified advertisement puts Meyer there as late as 1865. The ad, announcing that the farm was for sale appeared that year in the March 20th edition of the “New York Herald.”
At the same time, back in New York City Rottman continued in the soda water business where he was listed individually as late as 1865-66, now with an address of 100 Thompson Street.
Meantime, John F. Meyer found himself in Augusta, Georgia where he likely arrived sometime in the early to mid 1850’s. His oldest son, William, was born there in 1857 so he had certainly settled in Georgia by then. During his time in Georgia Meyer served as the proprietor of a soda water manufacturing and bottling business under his name. His advertisement appeared in the 1859 edition of the “Directory and Business Advertiser” for the City of Augusta.
Meyer’s listing in the same directory indicated that he both lived and worked at the same location at 99 Broad Street.
In 1865 -66, John F. Meyer was not listed in Pughe’s Directory of Augusta (the next directory I have access to) suggesting that by this time he had made his way north to New York City where, in partnership with George W. Ruther, he apparently took over Rottman’s business at 100 Thompson Street. The Meyer & Ruther partnership was listed at that address from 1866-67 up through 1868-69 at which time the partnership apparently dissolved.
Enter Herman who, with Rottman’s Rockland County property apparently sold, was back in New York City where he and John F. Meyer formed the partnership of H. & J. F. Meyer, the name embossed on the subject bottle.
The Meyer’s business originally listed an address of 96 Laurens Street in the 1869-70 directory, later listing 139 South Fifth Avenue from 1871-72 up through 1875-76. Almost certainly located just south of Washington Square Park, that section of Laurens Street was renamed South Fifth Avenue in 1870 so it’s likely their change of address did not represent a physical move. (In the 1960’s, South Fifth Avenue in this area was renamed again, and is now called LaGuardia Place.)
In 1876, a notice dated February 2nd announced that the Meyer’s partnership had been dissolved. The notice was published the next day in the “New York Daily Herald.”
Census records in 1880 suggest that Herman went on to be a “barkeeper” while John F. continued as the sole proprietor of the soda water business, relocating it to 55 West 18th Street in 1879-80 and later to 528 (sometimes 530) Washington Street sometime in 1888 0r 1889.
In 1900 The NYC Copartnership and Corporation Directory began referring to the business as “the firm of J. F. Meyer,” and naming the principals as “Wilhelmina (his wife) and George W. (his son) only,” suggesting John F. had passed away, likely sometime in the late 1890’s. By 1906, only George W. was named as a principal. The business remained listed in this fashion in the Copartnership and Corporation Directories until 1915 after which I lose track.
The bottle I found is an 8-ounce pony with an applied blob finish. It certainly dates to the 1869 to 1876 period of the H. and J. F. partnership.