McCuen & Young


Company Names, addresses, dates:
  McCuen & Young, Alexandria VA (1890-1892) 1,2
  Lewis Young, Alexandria VA (c.1894-1895) 3,4
  Jas McCuen, 832 Gibbon Street, Alexandria VA (c.1892-c.1899) 2,5
  Jas McCuen, 600 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria VA (c.1903-c.1904) 5
  Alexandria Bottling Co., 832 Gibbon Street, Alexandria VA (1906-1907) 5

Notes:
In July of 1890, Lawrence Stabler sold his mineral water business to Messrs. James McCuen and Lewis Young1.
Then in August 1892, McCuen & Young announced they were splitting up, with McCuen taking over the business2.

But it appeared that Lewis Young also continued bottling Mineral Water after the 2 split up, as his mineral water business is mentioned in some subsequent newspaper articles in 18943 and 18954. The 1895 article mentions that he sold his soda water establishment to James McCuen for $15004.

All through these years, James McCuen is listed as a grocer, owning a grocery store at 600 Alfred Street. The 1897 and 1899 Alexandria city directories list him as a bottler as well, with his bottling establishment at 832 Gibbon Street, which is very close to where his grocery store was.
The 1903 & 1904 directories list his bottling establishment at 600 S Alfred St, so maybe he moved it into his grocery store.

The 1906 & 1907 directories list the "Alexandria Bottling Co" at 832 Gibbon Street, where McCuen's bottling establishment used to be. I could not determine whether or not McCuen was affiliated with that company.


McCuen & Young Bottles:

mccuen_02 book # 407/406
The bottle on the left is a baltimore-loop top, and the one on the right is a normal hutchinson (with the metal stopper inside). Both are embossed:
vertical: RETURN TO / McCUEN & YOUNG / ALEXANDRIA / VA


Lewis Young Bottles:
young book # 732
This is a 7" aqua Hutchinson bottle with a 10 sided base, embossed:
tombstone slugplate: LEWIS YOUNG / ALEXANDRIA / VA



James McCuen Bottles:
mccuen_05 book # 402
This is a 7.25" tall hutchinson style bottle with a baltimore-loop top, embossed:
vertical: RETURN TO / JAMES McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA / VA
mccuen_07 book # 402 (unlisted variant)
This is a 7.6" tall hutchinson style bottle, embossed the same as the bottle above, except that this bottle has a blob top (vs. baltimore-loop top). It is embossed:
vertical: RETURN TO / JAMES McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA / VA
mccuen_03 book # 403
This is unusually tall for a hutchinson (8.25"). It's aqua colored, has a 10-sided base, and is embossed:
tombstone slugplate: JAMES McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA / VA /
mccuen_01 book # 404
These are two 6.7" aqua hutchinsons with slightly different shapes.
The left one is embossed:
round slugplate: JAS. McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA, VA
The right one is embossed:
round slugplate: JAS. McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA, VA
beneath slugplate: REGISTERED
back: D.O.C. 19 1/2
mccuen_06 book # 404
This is similar to the bottles above, except it's clear glass. It's a 6.7" hutch embossed:
round slugplate: JAS. McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA, VA
beneath slugplate: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
base: O D
It has the original stopper inside.
mccuen_04 book # 405
Thsese are 7.7" and 7.8" tall BIM crown top bottles. The left one is sun colored amethyst and the right one is clear. They are both embossed:
round slugplate: JAS. McCUEN / ALEXANDRIA, VA
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD

1 Alexandria Gazette, 22-Jul-1890, page 3
2 Alexandria Gazette, 20-Aug-1892, page 3
3 Alexandria Gazette, 5-Nov-1894, page 3
4 Alexandria Gazette, 27-Feb-1895, page 3
5 Boyd's Directory for the Alexandria VA (various years)


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This page last updated on January 3, 2021.