OLD TIMES DISTILLERY CO., Louisville, KY. (1886-1914)

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OLD TIMES DISTILLERY CO.
Louisville, KY.
1886-1914
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The Old Times Distillery and Old Times brand were established in 1869 by John G. Roach and sold to Anderson Biggs in 1878. On Biggs' death in 1889, his widow, disapproving of the business, sold to the first bidder for $17,000. The new owners were Chas. Lemmon, pres., formerly with F. G. Paine & Co., D, Meschendorf, VP and A. W. Bierbaum, secy-treas. Operating as The Old Times Distillery Co., their brands were Old Times and Gladstone.

Bierbaum was succeeded by Meschendorf when the former died in 1890. In 1897 Meschendorf withdrew, having bought the Mayflower Distillery. Lemmon died in 1908 and was succeeded by J. J . Beck, who in turn was succeeded by D. H. Russell, previously listed as Secretary and Treasuer

After Meschendorf withdrew in 1897, Ferdinand Westheimer, operator of large distributing houses in St. Joseph, MO, and Cincinnati, OH., purchased his interest and changed the name to the "Number One Distillery Co."

The Old Times brand won a gold medal at the 1893 World's Fair that was held in Chicago. The Old Times distillery in Louisville (RD #1 of Kentucky's 5th District) changed hands and number around the turn of the century (see the distillery listing page for more details) and production was moved to a new facility across the street. Old Times was also being produced by the Goosehorn distillery (RD #263). Sales and distribution during the early 1900's was apparently handled by The Old Times Distillery Distibuting Co., also in Louisville.

The company used the brand names:
"Dr. Russell Gin", "Gladstone", and "Old Times."

Business name timeline:
Old Times Distillery Co.

Address timeline:
Office: 104 E Main (1886), 142 W Main (1887-1889), 107 W Main (1890-1891), 205 W Main (1892-1894), Broadway, NE cor 28 th (1895-1897), 126 E Main (1907-1908), 745 W Main (1910-1911), 830 W Main (1912), 55 Am Nat Bank Bldg. (1914)

Business category timeline (abbreviations decoded below):
D

Years that company appeared in directories
Years directories were consulted
Louisville directory notes

The images below are thumbnails linked to listing pages containing larger, more detailed images and links to related material.
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BUY ME!

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Appearance in directories:
1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914

Directories consulted:
1866, 1867, 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919

Louisville directory notes:
W = Wines & Liquors, I = Importers, D = Distillers, R = Rectifiers, DA = Distiller's Agents, B = Brokers (1892), S = Saloons (1905), M = Mail Order House (1915). Listings for wholesalers from 1866 to 1869 and for distillers 1866 through to 1906 were compiled from a typescript prepared by Norma Snyder. 1887 and 1889 wholesaler listings are partial, missing last names in the alphabet, 1890, 1895 missing their entirety. No copies of listings in any category for 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901. 1888 has a partial list of Importers (not found in copies for other years). 1905 copies include Saloons (not incorporated). 1906 is incomplete for distillers, missing wholesalers.

1881 witnessed a major city-wide street reorganization so all addresses change. In 1909, there is a second renumbering and this year shows both old and the new number in brackets.

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