Tag: Long Island

E D Seabury, Rockville Centre, L.I.

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The E stands for Edwin D Seabury. A long-time Long Island resident, his obituary, found in the September 29, 1926 edition of the “Nassau Daily Review,” described him as:

one of Long Island’s most prominent figures and a leader in political, educational, business and fraternal circles…

His obituary went on to say:

Mr. Seabury was born at Greenpoint, Long Island City. He was in the piano hammer manufacturing business before moving to Rockville Centre in 1889. He established his business in Rockville Centre, became the first village trustee of this town and later held the office of village president, being the third in line to have this distinction. After residing in Rockville Centre for 18 years he moved to Yaphank…

His obituary located Seabury in Rockville Centre from roughly 1889 to 1907, a time frame  supported by advertisements found in several editions of the 1894 “American Art Journal.” The ads indicated Seabury operated his piano business out of Rockville Centre while at the same time he maintained a branch office on Second Avenue in New York City.

Furthermore, he’s also listed in the 1898 and 1900 Annual Report of Factory Inspections of the State of New York in Rockville Centre with the occupation “piano supplies.” The 1900 Report indicated that he had four employees.

During his time in Rockville Centre, or for that matter, his entire career, I can’t find any mention of a bottling business.

Acoording to another Seabury obituary, this one found in the September 29, 1926 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times,” he  ultimately settled in Roosevelt, Long Island in 1905 where he passed away in 1926.

The bottle is 27 oz with a tooled blob that fits the 1889 to 1907 time period that Seabury was active in Rockville Centre.

W. Z. Ketcham, Hempstead, L.I.

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The W stands for William Z Ketcham. Born in New York, about 1851, as early as 1880, census records listed him  living in “Hempstead Town Village” with the occupation “bottling.” Census records from 1900 to 1920 listed his occupation “soda business” (1900) and caterer (1910 and 1920).

In the Hempstead Sentinel 1938-1940 files there is a story on Ketcham who at the time was 87 years old. It stated that he ran his business from the back of his house on Henry Street and bottled birch and root beer, ginger ale, cream, lemon, raspberry and plain soda. He also ran a catering business.

Directories and advertisements support this story. In the 1890 Lain’s Business Directory under Hempstead, William Z Ketcham was listed as a bottler with an address of 10 Henry. By 1906, advertisements for his business listed him as a caterer at 62 Henry Street. An advertisement in the May 20, 1914 issue of the Nassau Post in Freeport said he’ll provide catering for all social functions.

ketcham-ad

In 1930, census records listed him as widowed  and living with his daughter’s family on Dureyea Place in Hempstead. Apparently retired by then, he listed his occupation as “none.”

Today 62 Henry Street is an old residence with a large driveway in the back that could easily have been utilized for a catering business. The house could date to the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Today 10 Henry doesn’t exist and the former location appears to be within the right-of-way of Peninsula Blvd. So Ketcham either moved down the block when Peninsula Blvd was constructed or the Henry Street homes were re-numbered around the turn of the century.

I’ve found a total of 4 bottles, 3 Hutchinson’s and a champagne style bottle (12 oz) with a blob finish. All most likely date to around the mid point of the business at around the turn of the century.