Narragansett - The Original Six

Narragansett Brewing Company
Cranston, Rhode Island

The “Original Six” Investors
Before it became New England’s largest brewery and made the region’s best selling beer,
the Narragansett Brewing Company began life as the brainchild of six German -
American businessmen from New England in 1888.
These gentlemen included beer/wine distributor, bottler and restauranteur Jacob Wirth
from Boston, Massachusetts, saloon keeper and seller of lager beer, Constand A. Moeller
from New Haven, Connecticut (who served as the brewery’s first President), George M.
Gerhard, and the three owners and founders of the Providence Dairy Company: John H.
Fehlberg (Originally from New Haven, Connecticut), Augustus F. Borchandt, and
Herman G. Possner (who served as Treasurer and General Manager of the brewery).
Jacob Wirth
Boston, Massachusetts
Jacob Wirth
Jacob Wirth was born on June 2, 1840 and raised in the wine growing Bad
Kreuzanach district in Rhineland - Palatinate, Germany. He emigrated to Boston,
Massachusetts, in 1865 where, according to the Boston Globe archives, Wirth
began his life in the United States as a baker.
In 1868, Jacob Wirth established a wholesale and bottling company at 60 Eliot

Street in Boston. From this location, he imported and sold fine Rhine wines from
his homeland as well as wines from France. Wirth was the sole Boston agent for the
lager beers of the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company of St. Louis, Missouri. This
may have been partly due to the mutual heritage he shared with Eberhand
Anheuser who also hailed from Kreuzanach. Additional beers sold by Wirth
included George Ehret's Hell Gate Lager from New York, Robert Smith's India
Pale Ale from Philadelphia, as well as a house beer he dubbed “The Boss Lager."
Portrait of Jacob Wirth
(June 2, 1840 - August 10, 1892)
(Jacobwirth.com)
“The Boss Lager” Lithograph
c. 1875
(Boston
(AlamyPublic
Stock Photo)
Library)
“The Boss Lager” Lithograph
c. 1875
(Boston
(AlamyPublic
Stock Photo)
Library)
Jacob Wirth
In 1878, Jacob Wirth moved his establishment across the street to a series of Greek -
revival bow front row-houses located at 37 - 39 Eliot Street. These were later listed
at 33 - 37 Elliot Street. There, in addition to his prosperous wholesale business, he
opened a restaurant.
Jacob Wirth’s was a most impressive establishment that catered to the famous, as
well as not - so famous, of Boston. Entering the front door, guests were greeted by a
long mahogany bar that offered the finest selections of draught beers available. The
back bar was adorned with the motto "SUUM CUIQCE" (To Each Their Own)
over which hung an image of the proprietor himself. At the many tables and chairs
spread over the sawdust covered floor, guests could enjoy traditional
German delicacies such as sausages, pigs feet, bacon, herring, and an assortment of
cheeses.
Portrait of Jacob With Hanging in Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
c. 1900
(Jacob With & Co. - Photographed by G.S. Theberge in 2011)
The Bar at Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
1911
Postcard - Jacob Wirth & Co. at 31 - 39 Elliot Street, Boston
1896
(ebay - Private Collection)
Jacob Wirth
Being a bachelor for many years, Jacob Wirth had the reputation of being married
to his work. That said, he was also very active in his local community. Among his
many avocations, Wirth was a member of the Germanic Masons Lodge of Boston.
According to legend, Jacob Wirth fell in love with his future wife during an
altercation at his restaurant. Hired as a cleaning lady, Anna Maria Lauppe (Born
August 22, 1844) witnessed an unruly customer becoming very confrontational with
her boss one evening. When things began to get physical, Maria became so
flustered with the situation that she took matters into her own hands and broke her
wooden mop bucket over the patron’s head. After the individual was escorted off
the premises, Jacob became so smitten with this feisty girl that the couple were
married a month later. They lived at 39 Elliot Street in Boston.
Jacob and Maria Worth had two children: Jacob Jr., who was born on May 19,
1880, and Elisa Marie, who was born four years later on March 22, 1884.
Jacob Wirth & Co.
Jacob Wirth expanded his operations when he opened a wholesale and bottling
facility at 160 Broad Street in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1880. With his business
now known as the Jacob Wirth (&) Co., Wirth continued to run his Boston
operations, while his nephew, Henry R. Wirth, took on the responsibility of
managing his Rhode Island branch on May 1, 1889..
The Providence branch of the Jacob Wirth & Co. was located at 160 and 162 Broad
Street in 1883. It was listed at 164 Broad Street between 1884 - 1886, the corner of
164 Broad Street and Potter Street in 1887, the corner of 186 Broad Street and 2 &
6 Potter Street in 1889, and by 1892 186 Weybosset Street. The Jacob Wirth & Co.
also had addresses of 25-27 Page Street and 17 North Main Street in Pawtucket. At
these locations the company imported and bottled fine wines, beers, ales, and
seltzer waters.
Receipt for Jacob Wirth & Co. at 33 & 37 Elliot Street, Boston
April 13, 1895
(Ed & Greg Theberge Collection)
Receipt for Jacob Wirth & Co. 33 - 37 Elliot Street, Boston
October 17, 1895
Advertisement for Jacob Wirth at 164 Broad Street & the Corner of Potter Street, Providence, R.I. and 37 - 39 Elliot Street, Boston
1886
(Taylor McBurney)
Lithograph Print - Jacob Wirth & Co. Boston & Providence
c. 1880 - 1889
(Historic New England)
“The Providence Directory, and Rhode Island Directory”
1889
(Google Books)
Receipt for the Jacob Wirth & Co. at 227 - 231 West Exchange Street, Providence, Rhode Island
July 27, 1900
Anheuser - Busch Export Beer Bottled by Jacob Wirth & Co., Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1900
Jacob Wirth & Co.
When the Narragansett Brewing Company of “Providence”, Rhode Island, was

incorporated in 1890, Jacob Wirth became one of the original six investors of the
fledgling company.
The Jacob Wirth & Co., bottled Narragansett Select Stock Lager at both their
Rhode Island and Boston branches. Jacob Wirth was the brewery's sole agent in
Boston.
Label & Neck Label for Narragansett Brewing Company Select Lager Beer, Bottled by Jacob Wirth & Co., Boston
c. 1905 - 1907
Label for Narragansett Brewing Company Select Stock, Bottled by Jacob Wirth & Co.
c. 1905 - 1907
Jacob Wirth
Jacob Wirth passed away on August 10, 1892 in Reichenhall, Bavaria when he was
only 52 years of age. He was laid to rest on August 29th in the Forest Hills
Cemetery located in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts. After his death, Henry R.
Wirth, managed the family business while his wife, Maria, distributed the profits
amongst the beneficiaries under his will.
Maria Wirth passed away on September 3, 1899 at the age of 55. Buried alongside
her husband, Maria’s headstone reads “Died at Kreuznach” which would imply that
she had returned to Germany prior to her passing.
Newspaper Announcement of the Passing of Jacob Wirth
The Boston Post, August 11, 1892
(Newspapers.com)
Fitchburg Sentinel, Monday, August 29, 1892
(Newspapers.com)
“Official Hand Book of the Rhode Island District Assembly 99 Knights of Labor and Protective Association”
1894
(Google Books - Wisconsin Historical Library”
Obituary for Mrs. Jacob Wirth
Boston Globe September 18, 1899
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
(Newspapers.com)
The Wirth Family Gravestones
Forrest Hills, Massachusetts, Cemetery and Crematorium
(Find a Grave)
Jacob Wirth & Co., Inc.
By 1899, the Providence branch of the Jacob Wirth & Co., under the direction of
Henry R. Wirth, was listed at 227 - 231 West Exchange Street. The company would
become one of the largest wholesalers and bottlers of domestic wines, beers, and
mineral water in New England.
While Jacob Wirth, Jr. was attending Chauncy Hall and Hopkinson’s School in
Boston, he decided to leave his studies and by 1901 took on the responsibilities of
running his family’s business.
In 1908, Jacob Wirth & Co. became Jacob Wirth & Co., Inc. when Henry R.
Wirth, Fred A. Browning, and Frederick P. Eddy became partners of the newly
formed corporation.
Newspaper Advertisement
Boston Globe, October 12, 1894
(Newspapers.com)
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book”
No. 8, 1899
(Google Books - Harvard University Library)
Wirth’s Munich Malt Extract - “A Tonic”
by Jacob Wirth & Co. c. 1899
(Steve Berquist Collection)
“Annual Report of the License Commissioners of the City of Providence, Made to the General Assembly At Its January Session, 1901”
1901
(Google Books)
“Annual Report of the License Commissioners of the City of Providence, Made to the General Assembly At Its January Session, 1901”
1901
(Google Books)
Insurance Map of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 1, 1899
Sanborn - Feris Map Company 1899
(Brown University)
(Brown University)
“Jacob Wirth & Co.”
Insurance Map of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 1, Sanborn - Feris Map Company 1899
(Brown University)
“Jacob Wirth & Co.”
(Brown University)
Bottle, Jacob With & Co. Prov. R.I.
Late 19th - Early 20th Century
(Little Rhody Bottle Club)
Early 20th Century
Early 20th Century
Boston Globe, December 7, 1901
(Newspapers.com)
Boston Globe, July 28, 1904
(Newspapers.com)
Boston Globe, February 3, 1904
(Newspapers.com)
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book”
1905
(OneRhodeIslandFamily.com)
The Boston Globe, June 4, 1906
(Newspapers.com)
Pawtucket Times, May 4, 1911
(Geneologybank.com / Newsbank / American Antiquarian Society)
Pawtucket Times, June 1, 1911
c. 1912
(Public Domain)
c. 1912
(Public Domain)
Pawtucket Times, May 21, 1912
Pawtucket Times, October 1, 1912
Pawtucket Times, September 17, 1913
The Pawtucket Times, December 23, 1913
Pawtucket Times, September 21, 1915
Fifth Class License “To Sell Malt Liquors, Cider and Light Wines”, 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
1916
The Pawtucket Times, June 20, 1916
The Pawtucket Times, August 9, 1916
Newspaper Announcement
The Pawtucket Times, October 17, 1916
Label for Narragansett Brewing Company Select Stock Beer, Bottled by Jacob Wirth & Co. Inc.
c. 1908
The Jacob Wirth & Co. Located at 227 - 231 West Exchange Street, Providence, Rhode Island
Viewed from Bradford Street c. 1917
(Providence Public Library)
The Boston Store Warehouse
The Boston Store
Warehouse
The Boston Store Warehouse Located Adjacent to Jacob Wirth & Co. on West Exchange Street, Providence, Rhode Island
City Hall & Adjacent Buildings, Dorrance Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1912 - 1913
City Hall & Adjacent Buildings, Dorrance Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1912 - 1913
The Jacob Wirth and Co. Located at 227 - 231 West Exchange Street, Providence, Rhode Island
2017
(Google Maps)
Viewed from Bradford Street 2017
(Google Maps)
Wirth’s
Cafe’ & Hof Brau Haus
Providence
Wirth’s
In addition to their wholesale liquor and beer operations, the Jacob Wirth & Co.
established a gentleman’s cafe and German themed family restaurant in Providence
similar to Jacob Wirth’s operation in Boston. This establishment, located adjacent
to the grandiose Crown Hotel on Weybosset Street, was known as Wirth’s Cafe
and Hof Brau Haus.
In 1910, Wirth’s Hof Brau Haus was located 14 - 22 Garnet Street. In 1915, it was
listed at 2 - 4 - 6 Garnet Street and by 1917 it was listed at 6 Garnet Street, at the
corner of Weybosset. This can be corroborated with postcards from the era that
reveal signs for Wirth’s Cafe on a building at the corner of Weybosset and Garnett.
Wirth’s
Although it is difficult to ascertain if the Jacob Wirth Co. was running the
establishments at the time, a Providence insurance map from 1889 reveals that
buildings for bottling, a beer depot, and ale storage were present at the location
later advertised for Wirth’s Hoff Brau Haus. A “Beer Garden”, “Restaurant”, and
“Beer Storage” facility are depicted at this same location in a map from 1899. It is
interesting to note that this section of Weybosset Street is labeled as Broad Street
and Garnet Street is labeled as Potter Street at this time.
In addition to serving the public, Wirth’s Hof Brau Haus served as the
headquarters of the Rhode Island Automobile Club. It did this from as early as 1910
to as late as 1915.
The fixtures and license of the Jacob Wirth & Co. Hof Brau House were listed for
sale in February of 1917. The establishment was listed as “closed” in the Rhode
Island Twenty - Fourth Annual Report of Factory Inspection Made to the General
Assembly in January, 1918.
Sanborn Map Company 1889
(Brown University)
“Beer Garden”, “Restaurant” & “Beer Storage” Facility / Providence Athletic Ass’n, Later the Crown Hotel in 1901
Insurance Map of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 1, Sanborn Map Company 1889
(Brown University)
Insurance Map of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 1, Sanborn Map Company 1889
(Brown University)
(Brown University)
(Brown University)
Central Business District Providence, Rhode Island, Map 1904
(Brown University)
Corner of Weybosset & Garnet Streets
Central Business District Providence, Rhode Island, Sanborn Map Company 1904
(Brown University)
Advertisement - Fraternal Order of New England Eagles Field Day Souvenir Programme, Providence, Rhode Island
August 3, 1905
August 3, 1905
August 3, 1905
August 3, 1905
The Crown Hotel and Wirth’s Cafe, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1905
c. 1905
The Pawtucket Times, August 19, 1905
Tasting Glasses for Jacob Wirth’s Hofbrau Haus
1907 - 1908
Pawtucket Times, January 27, 1908
Pawtucket Times, July 9, 1908
Advertisement for Jacob Wirth’s Hof Brau Haus
Automobile Blue Book - Official 1910
(Google Books - University of Illinois)
“Crown Hotel and Hof Brau Haus, Providence, R.I.” Postcard Looking Towards Weybosset
c. 1910
(Rhode Island School of Design)
c. 1910
c. 1910
c. 1910
A Gentleman in Front of the Crown Hotel with Wirth’s Cafe in the Background, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1910
A Gentleman in Front of the Crown Hotel with Wirth’s Cafe in the Background, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1910
The Pawtucket Times, February 5, 1912
The Pawtucket Times, June 23, 1913
Wirth’s Cafe with Sign, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1915
(Public Domain - Photograph Courtesy David Crowell)
Wirth’s Cafe with Sign, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1915
(Public Domain - Photograph Courtesy David Crowell)
The Outlet Company and Wirth’s Cafe with Sign, Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1915
c. 1915
c. 1915
c. 1915
c. 1915
c. 1915
(Google Books - Pennsylvania State University)
Coaster for Jacob Wirth’s HofBrau Haus
c. 1910
Providence Journal,September 9, 1915
(Public Domain)
Advertisement for Jacob Wirth’s Hof-Brau
Providence Magazine March, 1917
(Google Books)
Boston Globe, February 8, 1917
(Newspapers.com)
The Crown Hotel and the Former Wirth’s Cafe (Sign Removed), Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island
Prohibition Era c. 1925
Corner of Weybosset Street and Garnet Street
2018
(Google Maps)
Corner of Weybosset Street and Garnet Street
2018
(Google Maps)
Rhode Island Twenty - Fourth Annual Report of Factory Inspection Made to the General Assembly
January, 1918
Wirth Concorde Ade Co.
Like many other fine establishments, the Jacob Wirth & Co. in Rhode Island hit
hard times during the dark years of Prohibition. In order to survive, the business
produced ConcordAde, “A delicious and refreshing drink made from Grapes”. Still
listed at West Exchange Street, they company became known as the Wirth
Concorde Ade Co. in 1927. Unable to survive on this alone, the Providence branch
of the Jacob Wirth Co. would forever close its doors shortly after.
Up in Boston, the Jacob Wirth & Co. would forever cease to import and bottle fine
wines, beers, and ales with the coming of prohibition. It would, however, continue
to operate as a restaurant for nearly a century longer despite experiencing anti -
German sentiment during and after World Wars I and II.
Listing for Wirth & Co., Inc. and “Concord Aide.”
Chilton Supply Index May 1922
(Google Books)
The Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram June 16, 1920
(Newspapers.com)
Boston Post, May 3, 1921
(Newspapers.com)
Boston Post, May 27, 1921
(Newspapers.com)
Jacob Wirth & Co.
After World War II, Jacob Wirth, Jr. handed the reins of the Jacob Wirth Co.
restaurant over to his son in law, Frank Lindsey.
Jacob Wirth, Jr., passed away on December 12, 1965. His wife, Dorothy, passed
away on October 20, 1995.
The Wirth Family Gravestones
Forrest Hills, Massachusetts, Cemetery and Crematorium
(Find a Grave)
Jacob Wirth Co., Boston, Massachusetts
Mid 1950s
(MIT Library)
Waiters Charles Bischoff, Pat Donovan, Ernie Kunstler and Alfred Elias Pick Up Their Plates Inside Jacob Wirth Co.
Boston, Massachusetts, May 29, 1957
(Boston Globe Photograph)
Sign, Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Early to Mid 20th Century
Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Mid 1960s
(Public Domain)
1911
1911
1911
“The Original Tap” with Dawson’s Dark Beer Ball Tap Knob, Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
c. 1930s
Anheuser Busch Brewing Assn., St. Louis, M0. U.S.A., Jacob Wirth & Co., 31 - 37 Stuart Street, Boston, Massachusetts
c. 1900
Jacob Wirth Co., Boston, Massachusetts
2018
(Public Domain)
Jacob Wirth
In 1975, the Jacob Wirth Co. restaurant in Boston was sold to William J. Fitzgerald
where it continued to operate under the Fitzgerald family until 2018.
Although Eliot Street has since been renamed Stuart Street, the famous restaurant
continued to operate and appear much the same as it did when Jacob Wirth opened
it nearly a century and a half earlier. Your author went to school across the street
from “Jake’s” and has many very fond memories of the establishment. Despite being
designated as a historic landmark by the Boston Landmark Commission to protect
it from ownership tearing it down to expand an adjacent parking lot, the restaurant
finally closed in 2018 when its owner, William Kevin Fitzgerald, filed for
bankruptcy.
As of the writing of this document, Jacob Wirth’s is currently up for sale for
$1,025,000. If anyone wants to go in with me on it, let me know…
Constand A. Moeller
New Haven, Connecticut
First President
Narragansett Brewing Company
Constand “Constant” A. Moeller
Constand a.k.a. “Constant” A. Moeller was born in Baden, Saxony, Germany on

April 15, 1841. He emigrated to the United States with his brother, Ernest F.
Moeller, and possible other members of his family, sometime about 1860. They
established their home and businesses in New Haven, Connecticut.
Constand A. Moeller was married to a woman by the name of Augusta who was
born on August 5, 1848. According to her headstone, her middle name was “D”. A
descendent of her family states that her maiden (?) name was Augusta T. Ehle.
Constand and Augusta Moeller had at least 10 children: Emma (Born August 12,
1880), Augusta J. (Born 1875), Clara (Born c. 1878), Constantina Alweena (Born
January, 1879), Twins Ida E. and Constant R. (Born December, 1880), Laura
(Born September, 1882), Edward C. (Born 1884, Died at 8 months of age in 1885),
Lillian Emma (Born July, 1886) and Herbert L. (Born 1888)
The Connecticut census for New Haven in 1870 lists Constand A. Moeller as a
“Saloon Keeper” by the name of “Constantine Miller”.
During this time period, it was quite common for Continental Europeans
immigrating into the United States to change their surname in order for them to
appear more “American”. Sometimes, this was done without their consent. Since
English was not the first language of many of these individuals. it was also quire
common for record keepers to simply make mistakes due to misunderstanding the
immigrant. This is the only record of “Miller” being used.
Constand A. Moeller’s saloon was located at 86 Crown Street, New Haven,

Connecticut. In addition to selling lager beer at this establishment, he also
manufactured and sold cigars.
Census of 1870
Name: Constantine Miller Saloon Keeper

Age in 1870: 28
Birthplace: Baden (Germany)
Home in 1870: New Haven Ward 3, New Haven, Connecticut
Constantine Miller 28
Augusta Miller 22
Oscar Miller 2
Emma Miller August 12
Ennis Miller (60) (Was this his father? No other details at the present)
Newspaper Announcement - Notices of Deaths
Columbian Register, New Haven, Connecticut, December 9, 1876
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, December 20, 1879
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, June 2, 1879
The Connecticut census for New Haven in 1880 lists “Constan Moeller” with
“Lager Beer” by his side.
1880 Census - New Haven

Moeller Constan A 38 “Lager Beer”
Augusta (his wife) Age 32 “Keeps House”
Emma Age 10
Augusta Age 5
Clara Age 2
Constantina Age 1
15 yo servant.
In the New Haven, Connecticut, Directory of 1880, C.F. Moeller is listed as a

“Bottler and Wholesale Distributor of Lager” located at 86 Crown Street. His
brother, E.F,, is listed as a manufacturer of cigars at the same location.
“E.F. Moeller & Co., Cigar Manufacturers / C. A. Moeller, Botter and Wholesale Dealer in Lager, No. 86 Crown Street”
The New Haven Directory of 1880
(Public Domain)
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, June 4, 1880
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, September 5, 1881
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, October 28, 1882
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, December 30, 1882
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, March 15, 1884
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, May 1, 1885
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, July 25, 1885
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, August 26, 1885
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, January 14, 1886
Directory Listing for Constant A. Moeller. “wholesale ale and porter and bottler 158 Crown” / N.H. Pump Co
Date Unknown
(Public Domain)
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, May 5, 1886
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, March 25, 1886
Crown Street and Temple Street
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume 2, 1886
(Library of Congress)
Temple Street
99
Temple St.
Grand
Opera House
168 - 182
Crown Street
C.A. Moeller
156
Crown Street
Crown Street and Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven Theatre at 182 Crown Street, New Haven, Connecticut
Destroyed by Fire April 26, 1915 c. 1900
(Public Domain)
New Haven Theatre at 182 Crown Street, New Haven, Connecticut
c. 1900
(Public Domain)
156 / 158
Crown Street
Crown Street and Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, February 13, 1889
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, April 27, 1889
97 Temple St.
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, November 6, 1890
Possibly Constand A. Moeller at His Establishment at 156 Crown Street, New Haven, Connecticut
By New Haven, Connecticut, Photographer Donnelly c. 1891
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, February 25, 1891
Residence
349 Crown Street, New Haven, Connecticut
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, April 6, 1894
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, October 25, 1895
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, September 10, 1896
Morning Journal and Courier (Hartford, Connecticut), Thursday, June 24, 1897
Bottle Reference
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, November 16, 1897
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, September 16, 1899
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, January 23, 1901
Morning Journal - Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, July 24, 1901
(Newspapers.com)
“Office on Temple Street”
Tin Over Wood Sign for Narragansett Half Stock on Draught - New Haven (Connecticut) Office at 99 Temple Street
c. 1895 - 1900
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, November 23, 1901
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, January 28, 1902
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, July 2, 1903
The Boston Herald, November 18, 1903
Sun and New York Press, New York, New York, November 18, 1903
The San Francisco Chronicle, November 18, 1903
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, February 13, 1906
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, July 9, 1906
Morning Journal - Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, April 11, 1907
(Newspapers.com)
“Augusta Moeller in the Rear Seat (Unknown) with Clara and Caldwell Sidney Johnston in a Continental Car”
(Daughter of C.A. Moeller, Date Unknown)
(Private Collection)
Morning Journal and Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, November 27, 1908
Constand A. Moeller “ - This is the nice gentleman who started the Brewery - in Providence many many years ago”
Date Unknown
Constand A. Moeller “ - This is the nice gentleman who started the Brewery - in Providence many many years ago”
Date Unknown
Constand A. Moeller was an investor in the Continental Automobile Company of

New Haven, Connecticut.
Augusta D. Moeller passed away from myelitis on July 9, 1894. Constand A.

Moeller passed away at the age of 73 on June 1, 1914 from complications related to
diabetes. He and his wife were laid to rest in the Evergreen Cemetery in New
Haven, Connecticut.
Narragansett Brewing CompanyTribute to Constand A. Moeller Upon His Passing
1914
1914
1914
The Detroit Times, Tuesday, April 15, 1930
The Britain Herald, New Britain, Connecticut, Tuesday, April 15, 1930
George M. Gerhard
George M. Gerhard
George M. Gerhard was born in 1827. He was married to Catherine Klemann who was
born in 1835.
Son - Joseph H. Gerhard, Crescent Bottling Co. of East Providence, liquor dealer,
electrician, and manager of a burglar alarm company
George M. Gerhard passed away in 1906, His wife, Catherine, passed away in 1922. The
couple and their family are buried in St. Francis Cemetery in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Providence Evening Press, Providence, Rhode Island, May 22, 1865
Providence Evening Press, Providence, Rhode Island, September 24, 1867
Manufacturers' and Farmers' Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, January 24, 1868
Manufacturers' and Farmers' Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, April 26, 1869
Manufacturers' and Farmers' Journal, Providence, Rhode Island, June 17, 1869
Providence Evening Press, Providence, Rhode Island, July 7, 1874
The Grave of George M. Gerhard and Family
Saint Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
(Find a Grave)
The Grave of George M. Gerhard and Family
Saint Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
(Find a Grave)
The Providence Dairy Company
237 Eddy Street
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence Dairy Company
The Providence Dairy Company was founded in 1879 by three German - American
businessmen; Herman G. Possner, Augustus F. Borchandt and John H. Fehlberg (who
served as manager). The dairy was located in the Hope Foundry Building at 237 Eddy
Street in Providence, Rhode Island.
During the late 19th century, the most profitable product the Providence Dairy Company
was “Oleomargarine” (also known as “Butterine”), an early precursor to margarine.
The profits from the Providence Dairy Company afforded Possner, Borchandt and
Fehlberg the necessary capital to invest in the construction of the Narragansett Brewing
Company.
Providence Dairy Co., 237 Eddy Street, J.H. Fehlberg, H.G. Possner, & A.F. Borchardt, Proprietors, Makers of Butterine
Providence Directory and Rhode Island Business Directory 1889
(Google Books)
Providence Dairy Co., 237 Eddy Street, J.H. Fehlberg, H.G. Possner, & A.F. Borchardt, Proprietors, Makers of Butterine
Providence Directory and Rhode Island Business Directory 1889
(Google Books)
Insurance Maps of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 2, 1889
(Brown University)
Insurance Maps of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 2, 1889
(Brown University)
“Oleomargarine Fac. / Oleomargarine W. Hos” at 237 Eddy Street, Providence, Rhode Island
Insurance Maps of Providence, Rhode Island, Volume 2, Sanborn Map Company 1889
(Brown University)
(Brown University)
(Brown University)
John Fehlberg’s Competitor, The Oakdale Dairy, Here Listed as the “Oakdale Manufacturing Co.”
“The Providence Directory, and Rhode Island BusinessDirectory” No. XLIX 1889
(Google Books)
(Brown University)
“BUTTERINE FAC(tory) ” at the Corner of Orange, Friendship, and Peck Streets, Providence, Rhode Island
(Brown University)
Providence Dairy Company
In 1890, the Providence Dairy Company produced 20,000 pounds of oleomargarine a day.
By 1910, it’s successor was producing 11,242172 pounds annually for domestic consumption
and 1,673,632 pounds for use outside the United States. This enabled Providence, Rhode
Island, to become the oleomargarine capital of the eastern coast seaboard of the United
States.
Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, Illinois, March 20, 1891
New York Herald, New York, New York, March 20, 1891
The Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, March 20, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
The Hartford Courant, March 20, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
The Boston Post, March 21, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
New Haven, CT
New Haven Register, New Haven, Connecticut, March 21, 1891
The Boston Globe, March 23, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
John H. Fehlberg
New Haven, Connecticut
Providence, Rhode Island
John H. Fehlberg
John H. Fehlberg was born in Germany in 1847. Like fellow Narragansett Brewing
Company founder Constand A. Moeller, he emigrated to the United States and became a
resident of New Haven, Connecticut where he made his living operating a butter store.
John H. Fehlberg was married to Emma Shefsky Fehlberg. While in New Haven, they
had a daughter, Wilhelmina, who was born in 1875 and a son, Charles Albert, who was
born on August 13, 1877. The Fehlbergs moved to Rhode Island sometime after the birth
of Charles.
John H. Fehlberg
John H. Fehlberg started the Providence Dairy Company with fellow dairymen Herman
G. Possner and Augustus F. Borchandt in 1879. He served as the company’s manager.
After he invested in the Narragansett Brewing Company in 1888 with capital gained from
his company’s sales of “Butterine”, Fehlberg, unlike his partners, Possner and Borchandt,
continued to work in the dairy business while he was a brewer.
On April 1, 1891, he joined forces with the Oakdale Dairy and What Cheer Dairy to form
the Oakdale Manufacturing Company. The Oakdale Manufacturing Company was
located at 161 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island. The back of the building
faced South Water Street and the Providence River.
The New York Daily Tribune, New York, New York, October 9, 1885
The Boston Post, May 1, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
The Hartford Courant, May 2, 1891
(Newspapers.com)
THE OAKDALE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
“Rhode Island: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites”, by Gary Kulik, Julia C. Bonham, 1978
(Google Books)
“THE OAKDALE MFG CO BUTTERINE” Located at 161 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island
c. 1891 - 1900
(Public Domain / Photo Courtesy David Crowell)
Oakdale Manufacturing Co. Ten Cent Trade Token
c. 1891 - 1894
Celluloid Button “I USE Oakdale Butterine - OAKDALE MFG. CO. PROVIDENCE, R.I.”
c. 1891 - 1894
The Boston Globe, January 24, 1896
(Newspapers.com)
The Buffalo Sunday Morning News, January 26, 1896
(Newspapers.com)
The Boston Globe, September 12, 1896
(Newspapers.com)
”20th Century Official Illustrated History of the Rhode Island Central Trades and Labor Union and Unions Applied”
1901
(Google Books)
”20th Century Official Illustrated History of the Rhode Island Central Trades and Labor Union and Unions Applied”
1901
(Google Books)
John H. Fehlberg’s “Commercial Dairy Company”
“Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” 1902
(Public Domain - Google Books)
John H. Fehlberg - Taken from His Obituary
Newspaper Unknown, April 28, 1930?
The Grave of John H. Fehlberg, North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island
1930
(Find a Grave)
The Grave of John H. Fehlberg, North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island
1930
(Find a Grave)
Augustus F. Borchandt
Augustus F. Borchandt
I can’t find much on this dude

Herman G. Possner
First Treasurer and General Manager
Herman G. Possner
Herman George Possner was a native of Germany born in 1856. He emigrated to

the United States as a teenage boy in 1869.
Herman G. Possner was married to Amelia Perpente Possner who was born in
Connecticut in 1863. The couple had two children, Albert Washington Possner
(born in Providence on July 4, 1884) and Howard Edmond Possner (born in
Providence on June 20, 1887).
Herman G. Possner
John Fehlberg, Augustus F. Borchandt, and Herman G. Possner started the

Providence Dairy Company in 1879.
When the “Original Six” investors started the Narragansett Brewing Company in
1888, Possner served the brewery as its first Treasurer and General Manager. He
would be credited with Narragansett’s tremendous success, growth, and prosperity
during its first 16 years of operation.
Herman G. Possner resigned his position from the brewery in 1906. He returned to
the business of making oleomargarine with his sons, Albert and Howard, when he
formed the Narragansett Dairy Company located at 500 South Main Street.
Herman G. Possner
According to the City of Cranston website, Herman G. Possner was the president
of the Sure - Lock Paper Clip Company but I have yet to see any primary
documentation to corroborate this.
Residing on Narragansett Bay he served as the first Commodore for the

Edgewood Yacht Club from 1902 - 1905.
The Pawtucket Times, September 23, 1905
Possner’s Castle, 1332 Narragansett Boulevard, Edgewood, Cranston, Rhode Island
Designed by Thomas J. Gould, Built for Herman G. Possner in 1901. Postcard c. 1910. Demolished, June 27, 1990
(Google Books)
“The Western Brewer and Journal of the Barley Malt and Hop Trades”
1906
(Google Books)
“American Brewers Review”
1906
(Google Books)
The Pawtucket Times, March 16, 1906
“Cold Storage and Ice Trade Journal”
Volume 15 1906
(Google Books)
“Industrial Refrigeration”
1911
(Google Books)
“Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”
January Session 1913
(Google Books)
Herman G. Possner
Herman George Possner passed away in South Kingston, Rhode Island, on

October 31, 1937. At the time of his death, he was 81 years old. His wife, Amelia
Perpente Possner, passed away in South Kingston, Rhode Island on July 24, 1935 at
the age of 72.
The couple is interred at Pocassett Cemetery in Cranston, Rhode Island.

The Grave of Herman George Possner, Cranston, Rhode Island
1937
(Find a Grave)
The Grave of Herman George Possner, Cranston, Rhode Island
1937
(Find a Grave)
Miscellaneous
Pawtucket Times, April 28, 1910
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book” - Deutsche Gesellschaft (German Society) Club of Rhode Island
1899
(Google Books)
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book” - Deutsche Gesellschaft (German Society) Club of Rhode Island
1899
(Google Books)
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book” - Rhode Island Yacht Club
1899
(Google Books)
“The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book” - Rhode Island Yacht Club
1899
(Google Books)
Acknowledgements
The following individuals, websites, and organizations are greatly acknowledged
for providing the information presented in this document:
Steve Berquist
The Boston Globe
The Boston Public Library
Brown University
Find a Grave Website
Google Books
Google Maps
Historic New England
The Little Rhody Bottle Club Website
Newspapers.com
Taylor McBurney and His Website “Rhode Island Soda Bottle Histories”
Providence Public Library
Edward J. and Gregory S. Theberge
The Jacob Wirth Restaurant Website

Narragansett - The Original Six

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Narragansett - The Original Six

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Narragansett Brewing Company

Cranston, Rhode Island

In 1868, Jacob Wirth established a wholesale and bottling company at 60 Eliot

When the Narragansett Brewing Company of “Providence”, Rhode Island, was

Constand a.k.a. “Constant” A. Moeller was born in Baden, Saxony, Germany on

Constand A. Moeller’s saloon was located at 86 Crown Street, New Haven,

Name: Constantine Miller Saloon Keeper

1880 Census - New Haven

In the New Haven, Connecticut, Directory of 1880, C.F. Moeller is listed as a

Crown Street and Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Crown Street and Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Constand A. Moeller was an investor in the Continental Automobile Company of

Augusta D. Moeller passed away from myelitis on July 9, 1894. Constand A.

I can’t find much on this dude

Herman George Possner was a native of Germany born in 1856. He emigrated to

John Fehlberg, Augustus F. Borchandt, and Herman G. Possner started the

Residing on Narragansett Bay he served as the first Commodore for the

Herman George Possner passed away in South Kingston, Rhode Island, on

The couple is interred at Pocassett Cemetery in Cranston, Rhode Island.

You might also like