Jacob Kronheim / Milton S. Kronheim


Company Names, addresses, dates: 1
  Jacob Kronheim [saloon], 123 Pa Ave NW (1900-1914)
  Jacob Kronheim [liquor dealer], 1409 F St. NW (1915-1916)
  Jacob Kronheim [liquor dealer], 3218 M street NW (1906-1908) 2

  Milton S. Kronheim [liquor dealer], 3218 M St. NW, (1911-1917) 2
  Milton S. Kronheim & Son [liquor dealer], 3301 K St. NW, (1935-1938) 3
  Milton S. Kronheim & Son [liquor dealer], 1425 NY Ave. NW, (1942-1948) 3
  Milton S. Kronheim & Co [liquor dealer], 1425 NY Ave. NW, (1954) 3
  Milton S. Kronheim & Co Inc. [liquor dealer], 2900 V St. NE, (1960) 3

Notes:
Jacob Kronheim (1862-1921)4 ran a Saloon in Washington DC from 1900-1914. In addition, in 1906 he started a wholesale liquor business and ran it until about 1910, after which he turned it over to his son Milton (see below). In 1915 he opened another wholesale liquor business, but it only lasted until 1916.1,2
I don't know when he was at 359 M street SW, as listed on one of the bottles depicted below, but that's the same address as R.T. Mazinger's bottling establishment.
Jacob came to DC with a "comfortable nest egg", from money left to him and his 2 brothers from their father. He had lost touch with one of his brothers (Peter), but in 1906, they were re-united, and he discovered that Peter had used his nest egg to become a a millionaire, and was sharing some of his wealth with family members. It wasn't reported whether or not Peter gave some of his wealth to Jacob. 5

Milton Stanley Kronheim (1888-1986) was Jacob's son. He lived to be 97 years old.6
In 1910/1911, he took over his fathers wholesale liquor business in Georgetown at 3318 M Street. Some of the newspaper ads for said business when Milton was running it referred to it as "Kronheim of Georgetown", which matches the embossing on one of the bottles below. Milton ran that store until 1917, which is the year prohibition started in Washington DC.1,2
One of the brands of beer that Milton advertised was Herancourts Light Beer, from Cincinnati Ohio, which was described as a "union made" beer.7 I didn't see any indication that he bottled local beers.
During prohibition, Milton is listed in city directories as a Bondsman. Milton took up the liquor business again after prohibition was lifted, first at 3301 K Street NW and later at 1425 NY Avenue NW.
The labeled bottle below has the address "2900 V Street NE", which is the address where Kronhiem is listed in the 1960 directory, but not the 1954 directory. So that bottle is from some time after 1954.

Kronheim Bottles:
kronheim book # 353
This is a 9.5" aqua blob top bottle, embossed:
round slug plate: JACOB KRONHEIM AGT / BOTTLING / WORKS / 359 M ST S.W. WASHINGTON, D.C.
below slug plate: REGISTERED / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: 387
kronheim_04 book # 354
This is a 14.5" clear BIM crown top bottle, embossed:
round slug plate: KRONHEIM / CAP. / OF / 58 FL. OZ. / GEORGETOWN
I believe it is meant to be read as "KRONHEIM OF GEORGETOWN" and "Capacity 58 fluid ounces".
I found ads that said "Kronheim of Georgetown" in D.C. newspapers from 1911-1914.
kronheim_02 book # (unlisted)
This is a 9.5" amber machine made, un-embossed bottle with a label:
small top label: IMPORTED FROM / AUSTRALIA / BY / MILTON S. KRONHEIM & CO., INC. / 2900 V. STREET, N.E., / WASHINGTON 18, D.C. / BASIC IMPORT PERMIT NO. 1-445
large label: FOSTER'S EXPORT LAGER BEER ...


Other Items:
kronheim kronheim book # 353
This is a corkscrew bottle opener. It was probably used for Kronheim's liquor bottles and not his beer bottles. It says:
front: MILTON S. KRONHEIM / "KRONHEIM OF GEORGETOWN"
rear: 3216-3218 M ST., N. W. / PHONE W 652 / DRINK FINOLA -- "IT SHO AM FINE"
An ad for Kronheim's "Finola Pure Rye Whiskey" was advertized in 19128


1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 Some years the liquor business was not listed in city directories, but newspaper ads for the liquor business existed
3 My access to post-prohibition Washington DC directories are limited; they only include years: 1932-39,1948,1954,1960
4 The Washington Evening Star, 6-Dec-1921, page 8 (obituary for Jacob Kronheim)
5 The Washington Times, 4-Apr-1906, page 9 "Long Lost Brother Is Now Millionaire"
6 Find-a-grave for Milton Stanley Kronheim
7 The Washington Herald, 15-Apr-1915, page 4 Advertisement
8 The Washington Times, 05-May-1912, page 7 Advertisement


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This page last updated on May 5, 2024.