Featured Cigar Manufacturers Ledger - Please help me figure out which manufacturer

Discussion in 'Ephemera and Photographs' started by Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024.

  1. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    I have this 1889/1890 Cigar Manufacturer's Book. Cigar Manufacturers at this time had to do a detailed daily inventory of everything they manufactured and/or purchased.

    The label on the front of the book states it is the "official form prescribed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue". The ledger is 12" by 18" with 75 pages. The name of the person who filled out the pages is George Bettecke. There is a piece of paper stuck between two of the pages stamped U. S. Treasury Department at the top with a hand written note by Department Collector William H. Perry.

    What I would like help with is finding out which cigar manufacturer this book belonged to. New York City had three cigar "districts" with hundreds of factories in each. This book is marked Factory No. 96.......1st District of New York. There is no name or address anywhere on the book.

    I haven't been able to find a list of cigar makers with their district and factory numbers online. Can anyone help?

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    Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024
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  2. Marote

    Marote Well-Known Member

    Marote, Apr 29, 2024
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  3. sabre123

    sabre123 Well-Known Member

    Good find!
    I was looking at derivates of the surname because it didn't look like "Bettecke" to me.
     
    sabre123, Apr 29, 2024
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  4. Marote

    Marote Well-Known Member

    Marote, Apr 29, 2024
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  5. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Thank you Marote!!

    That certainly looks like him right next to number 96.
    Is Stapleton a street? Neighborhood?
     
    Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024
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  6. Marote

    Marote Well-Known Member

    Marote, Apr 29, 2024
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  7. sabre123

    sabre123 Well-Known Member

    Factory burned down:

    February 2, 1901
    The fire which Thursday night destroyed the cigar box and label factories of the William Wicke Company and other buildings in the neighborhood of Thirty-first Street and First Avenue may have caused the death of three persons who have not been seen since the conflagration.

    THREE MAY BE DEAD IN BIG FIRE RUINS; Two Policemen and a Wicke Factory Workman Missing. Total Damage Now Estimated at $1,204,500 -- Explosion Credited to Red Cedar Dust.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2024
    sabre123, Apr 29, 2024
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  8. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Thanks Sabre.
    Why do you think that's the factory?
     
    Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024
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  9. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    According to this ledger, the company bought leaf tobacco from someone else, then made and sold the cigars.
     
    Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024
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  10. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Found him! George Betteke [sic] in 1900 census. Living at 163 Richmond Road on Staten Island. Born 1858, immigrated from Germany 1878 and occupation "cigar manufacturer." Wife Gretchen and daughter Louisa.

    Debora
     
    Debora, Apr 29, 2024
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  11. Marote

    Marote Well-Known Member

    :hilarious:
    I was about to post this reply:
    Can someone send a doctor to Debora's house? She must be ill.
    Normally she would have posted the address, phone number and the date of birth, marriage and death, and a picture of Mr Bitteke by now ... and possibly even the name of his dog :D
     
    Marote, Apr 29, 2024
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  12. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Thank you Debora! I wonder if the name of the company was Bettike?
     
    Bookahtoo, Apr 29, 2024
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  13. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    I'm laughing. What a reputation to have! (And by way of explanation, I didn't post a photograph of his residence only because the block has been re-developed.)

    Debora
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2024
    Debora, Apr 29, 2024
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  14. Marote

    Marote Well-Known Member

    :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:
     
    Marote, Apr 29, 2024
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  15. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    you talent and efforts proceed you !!!:kiss:
    I'm laughing too...!;)
     
    komokwa, Apr 29, 2024
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