William N.H. Maack
Company Names, addresses, dates:
  Henke & Maack, Corner Olive & Green Sts, Georgetown DC (1850-1853) 2,3
  Wm N.H. Maack, Corner Olive & Green Sts, Georgetown DC (1853) 3
  Maack & Arny, Corner Olive & Green Sts, Georgetown DC (1853-1854) 4,5
  William N.H. Maack, Corner 4½ and N Streets SW, Washington DC (1854-1870) 1
  William N.H. Maack, 1304 4½ Street SW, Washington DC (1871-1877)1
  William N.H. Maack, 1300 6th SW (1878-1892) 1
Notes:
William N.H. Maack (1820-1904) was born in Hamburg Germany8.
His obituary claims he was the first man to brew Ale in the Washington DC9.
He had a long career as a beer brewer, mineral water (aka soda pop) manufacturer, and bottler.
He had many business partners through the years, as discussed below.
    Henke & Maack at
Olive and Green streets
The earliest venture into the bottling business I can find for Maack is when he teamed up
with Louis Henke and took over the mineral water & vinegar factory at
Olive and Green streets
in Georgetown on August 21st 18502.
On Apr 15, 1851,
Henke & Maack
announced they had renovated their whole mineral water apparatus
10.
The announcement also had a request for "3 boys, colored, slaves preferred". It also said they
had a large supply of vinegar on hand - my guess is that they stopped manufacturing vinegar at
this time, as I've found no mention of vinegar from their company after this.
    Maack & Arny at
Olive and Green streets
On January 10th, 1853, Henke & Maack announced they had disolved their partnership, and that
Maack would continue the business and pay off all their debts3. I don't know how long Maack
was the sole proprietor, but on June 27th of that same year (1853) there is
a want ad for a horse from
"Maack & Arny" at
Olive and Green streets
11, so apparently Maack had quickly teamed up with
Charles Arny.
On March 1, 1854, Maack & Arny announced their copartnership was mutually disolved, and that
the the company would continue as
Arny & Shinn12.
    William N.H. Maack at 4 1/2 and N Streets
Maack didn't stay idle for long. On May 1, 1854, he announced that he had commenced manufacturing
mineral water, and had purchased the "Worlds Fair premium Soda Water apparatus" for his factory
at 4 1/2 and N Streets6.
The 1855 city directory lists his address as 426 4 1/2 Street, whereas subsequent city directorys
list it at 428 4 1/2 Street. I'm not sure if he had 2 separate buildings during that period, or
if the 1855 entry was a mistake. But various newspaper articles refer to the address as the corner
of 4½ and N Streets, so I'm confident that is referring to the same location as "428 4½ Street".
On June 30, 1856,
John McKeon3
announced that he had sold the machinery, bottles, fixtures, etc belonging to his mineral water
factory to William N.H. Maack13. Below that announcement was an announcement by Maack
that he was now able to supply the public with the best Porter, Ale, Cider and Mineral Water.
This is the earliest document indicating that Maack sold beer, although it does not specify that
he actually brewed the beer himself.
The 1858 City directory lists
William Bosse
at the same address as William Maack, so apparently they were teamed up at that time.
Then there was an announcement on June 13th 1859 that
Haugstetter & Koehler
had purchased a Mineral Water and Bottling establishment from Mr. Maack and Mr.
Bosse
, but it did not say what the address of the establishment was14.
I wonder if it was at 426 4½ Street, and that Maack moved to 428 4½ Street after that,
as Maack contined to be listed at that latter address in city directories until 1865.
The article claimed that
Haugstetter & Koehler
had taken ownership all bottles with the names "Bosse" or "Maack" on them.
But there was an announcement made a few days later (June 18th 1859) where Bosse refuted that
claim, and made it clear that the Bottles did not convey15, and that he still owned
all bottles with his name on them.
My guess from all this is that Maack had teamed up with Bosse at some point, but their
partnership didn't work out, so they sold their mutual ownings and went their separate ways.
    Beer Brewer
Starting in 1860, Maack is listed as a brewer in city directories, and the address of his
establishment was listed as a brewery (as well as his home). He continued to be listed
as a brewer until 1877.
    William N.H. Maack at 1304 4½ St SW
This is the modern day address near the intersection of 4½ and N Streets, so I
believe that this is the same building referred to as both "Corner of 4½ and N Streets"
and "428 4½ Street".
    William N.H. Maack at 1300 6th St SW
In 1878-1892, Maack shows up in city directories at 1300 6th Street SW. He shows up as a
bottler or mineral-water manufacturer during these years, not a brewer.
book # 292 This is a dark-green 9" torpedo-shaped bottle embossed: front: HENKE & MAACK |
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book # 381 This is a dark-green 7.2" short blob top bottle embossed: front: MAACK & ARNY / GEORGETOWN / D.C. back: THIS BOTTLE IS / NEVER SOLD base: (iron pontil scar) |
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book # 375 This is an aqua 7.1" short blob top bottle embossed: front: W.N.H. MAACK / W. C. D. C. back: THIS BOTTLE IS / NEVER SOLD The "W.C.D.C." stands for "Washington City District of Columbia" |
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book # 375 This is a variation on the above bottle in that it has a big "W M" on the back. It's an aqua 7" short blob top bottle embossed: front: W.N.H. MAACK / W. C. D. C. back: W M / THIS BOTTLE / NEVER SOLD |
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book # (unlisted) This is a variation on the 2 bottles above, in that it has "& Co" after "W.N.H.MAACK", and the "W.C.D.C." is split on 2 lines. It's an aqua 7.2" short blob top bottle embossed: front: W.N.H. MAACK & Co / W. C. / D. C. back: THIS BOTTLE / NEVER SOLD |
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book # 376 Aqua 7.1" short blob top bottle embossed: front: W.N.H. MAACK / W. C. D. C. back: THIS BOTTLE IS / NEVER SOLD base: (iron pontil scar) |
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book # 378 This is a 7" green squat blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm MAACK / WASHINGTON / D.C. rear (in a rectangular slug plate): THIS BOTTLE / IS NEVER SOLD base: (iron pontil scar) |
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book # 378 This bottle is similar to the one above except for the embossing on the back. It's a 7" green squat blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm MAACK / WASHINGTON / D.C. rear: (blank rectangular slug plate) base: (iron pontil scar) The lip on this bottle has been repaired/replaced. It doesn't quite match the lip on the bottle above. (also, the embossing has been painted) |
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book # 379 This is an aqua 7.4" squat blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm N.H. MAACK / WASHINGTON / D.C. back: THIS BOTTLE / IS / NEVER SOLD |
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book # 379 This is an aqua 6.5" squat blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm N.H. MAACK / WASHINGTON / D.C. back: M / THIS BOTTLE IS / NEVER SOLD |
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book # 380 This is an aqua 7.2" short blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm N.H. MAACK & Co / WASHINGTON / D. C. back: THIS BOTTLE / IS / NEVER SOLD |
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book # 380 This is a green 7" short blob top bottle embossed: front: Wm N.H. MAACK & Co / WASHINGTON / D. C. back: THIS BOTTLE / IS / NEVER SOLD |
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book # (unlisted) This is a tan 7.3" stoneware blob top bottle (front & back shown). It is imprinted: front shoulder: W N H MAACK back shoulder: W C D C |