JOHN M TOPPER
New Baltimore, PA.

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John Michael Topper was known throughout his life as a merchant. His father, Peter Andrew Topper, one of the earliest settlers of New Baltimore, Somerset County, died when John was a young man of just 21, in the year 1865. Initially, John Michael had started out as a merchant in a dry goods store in Roxbury, Stoneycreek Township, Somerset County. Later the operation was run from the town of New Baltimore. After that John Michael built and operated a distillery. Then he acquired, in addition, the well-known Suhre distillery in Stoneycreek which had been involved in some sort of tax litigation. He also had a gristmill operation.

The Topper gristmill was built by John Topper at a location just west of New Baltimore along the road leading in the Breastwork Road. Farmers from the surrounding community brought their grain on horses and wagons to the mill to be ground into meal. Part of his rationale in building the mill was the assurance that he would have a necessary supply of rye grist for his distilleries.

The Topper distilleries were noted for a high quality rye whiskey and operated till the onset of Prohibition. After acquiring the Suhre operation, John Topper also operated a distillery in concert with his brother, Sylvester. Thereafter, Sylvester operated a distillery on his own. John Topper died in 1925 at the age of 80. For more information on John M Topper, see the Topper Family Tree website, from which this information is extracted.

John M. Topper Distillers produced "Old Topper Rye" and "Topper Rye", neither of which were registered.

Business name timeline:
John M Topper

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