Jacob C  GIMLICH

Biography
Jacob Gimlich, Jr., father of David J. Gimlich, was born in Weisenheim, Bavaria, Germany, October 4, 1845. He obtained his education in the schools of Albany, New York, whither his parents removed when he was three years of age, and in addition to his other studies he acquired a knowledge of the German language. After the removal of his parents to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he found employment in a woolen mill, where he learned designing. He was offered a lucrative position in that department, but preferred to accept another opening which promised better financial results. Forming a partnership with his brother-in-law, John White, the firm of Gimlich & White purchased at an assignee's sale a small brewery which contained but little in the way of fixtures. Commencing business on a limited scale, with a kettle of seven barrels' capacity, they soon placed the enterprise upon a paying basis, and in due course of time, owing to indefatigable labor, persistence and excellent business...Read MORE...

1845 Birth
Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898
name: Jakob Gemlich
gender: Male
baptism/ christening date: 12 Oct 1845
baptism/ christening place: Weisenheim (am Berg), Bayern, Germany
birth date: 04 Oct 1845
birthplace:
death date:
name note:
race:
father's name: Jacob Gemlich
father's birthplace:
father's age:
mother's name: Anna Maria Ledig
mother's birthplace:
mother's age:
indexing project (batch) number: C96589-1
system origin: Germany-EASy
source film number: 193222
reference number: 1845 #21 P57

familysearch.org (Mormon Genealogy Records)
Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org: How to Find Your Family History on the World's Largest Free Genealogy Website

Biography
'Jacob Gimlich, born in Weisenheim, Bavaria, October 4, 1845, married Louisa Ellen, daughter of the late William Feige of Pittsfield...Soon after coming to Pittsfield with his father, Mr. Gimlich entered the Taconic woolen mill and learned designing, and was offered a good position in that department. He preferred, however, to enter into business with his brother-in-law, John White, and the two purchased a small brewery in which they began operations on a small scale, and now they are owners of a mammoth establishment two hundred feet long, operated under the corporate title of Berkshire Brewing Association with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, and a capacity of seventy thousand barrels with a gratifying yearly increase of output.'

Source: Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Page 282

1860 Guilderland, Albany, New York
Jacob Gmlich, 46, b. abt 1814, Germany
Mary L Gmlich, 44, b. abt 1816, Germany
David C Gmlich, 20, b. abt 1840, Germany
Catharine Gmlich, 17, b. abt 1843, Germany
Rachel Gmlich, 13, b. abt 1847, Germany
Jacob C Gmlich, 15, b. abt 1845, Germany
George Gmlich, 11, b. abt 1849
Christina Gmlich, 9, b. abt 1851
Julia Gmlich, 7, b. abt 1853
Mary Gmlich, 5, b. abt 1855
1860 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1865 Pittsfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts
Mary Gimlich, 50, b. Germany, widow
Jacob Gimlich, 20, b. Germany, fact. op.
Rachel Gimlich, 17, b. Germany, fact. op.
Christina Gimlich, 15, b. NY, fact. op.
George Gimlich, 16, b. Germany, fact. op.
Julia Gimilch, 12, b. NY, fact. op.
Mary Gimlich, 10, b. NY
Lottie Gimlich, 4, b. MA
1865 Massachusetts Census
Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org: How to Find Your Family History on the World's Largest Free Genealogy Website

1868 Marriage / Partner
Jacob C GIMLICH and Louisa Ellen FEIGE 17 February 1868, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

He was 22 years old.

1869 Birth of Child
David John GIMLICH was born 1 March 1869, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 23 years old.

1870 Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Jacob Gimlich, 25, brewer, b. Bavaria
Louisa Gimlich, 22, keeping house, b. Prussia
David Gimlich, 1, b. MA
Libbie White, 9, b. Prussia
Elizabeth White, 54, b. Prussia
1870 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1872 Birth of Child
Matlida "Tillie" Louise GIMLICH was born 8 May 1872, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 26 years old.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts Directories, 1873
Business Directory

Brewers
Gimlich and White, Onota

Grocers
Feige and Reinhardt, Taconic

May 26, 1875
Messr's. Gimlich and White, Brewers, are building a new stack, and otherwise getting their brewery into better working order for the summer trade. They are doing a brisk business over there, and their success is well merited.

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1875 Birth of Child
Minerva "Minnie" Katheryne GIMLICH was born 2 September 1875, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 29 years old.

1876 Birth of Child
Carrie Emma GIMLICH was born 15 November 1876, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 31 years old.

1878 Birth of Child
Mary (Marie Emilie) GIMLICH was born 6 March 1878, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 32 years old.

1878 Death of Child
Carrie Emma GIMLICH died 13 August 1878, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 32 years old.

1879 Birth of Child
Mildred Pauline Amelia GIMLICH was born 12 June 1879, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 33 years old.

September 29, 1880
[Gimlich and White are erecting a new building between Onota and John streets - details provided in article, page 214]

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1881 Birth of Child
Carolyn Emma GIMLICH was born 26 March 1881, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 35 years old.

Business Directory of Berkshire County, Massachusetts 1884-85 by Hamilton Child
Gimlich & White brewery, located on Railroad and Onata streets, is the largest in Western Massachusetts. In 1877 the business was started in a small way, with capacity for brewing 500 barrels per year. This business has since steadily increased, so that in 1880 they built the present large five-story brick building, 40x80 feet, which is surrounded by the necessary buildings for ice, storage, etc., having the capacity for brewing 16,000 barrels per year, giving employment to sixteen men. Mr. Gimlich represented this district in the legislature in 1883-84.

Business Directory of Berkshire County, Massachusetts 1884-85 by Hamilton Child
Pittsfield

Gimlich, Jacob, (Gimlich & White)representative of the 6th Berkshire dist, h Onota

Gimlich & White (Jacob G. and John W.) brewers and maltsters, manufs. of ales and lager, Onota

October 27, 1887
Mr Jacob Gimlich, of the brewing firm Gimlich and White, has moved into the new house which was built for him during the summer of 1887 by contractor John K. Strong [363 Columbus Avenue, 1990 numbering]

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1888 Birth of Child
Clifford Edwin GIMLICH was born 28 May 1888, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 42 years old.

1889 Pittsfield City Directory, Page 70
Gimlich, Jacob (Gimlich & White), Railroad c John, h 67 Railroad
Gimlich & White (Jacob Gimlich and John White), malsters and brewers lager and ale, Railroad, c John
Gimlich, David J., student, bds 67 Railroad
1889 Pittsfield City Directory
The History of Pittsfield

1890
Gimlich, Jacob
REGISTER OF VOTERS OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - 1890 WARD 6 REGISTER - Berkshire Genealogist, Volume 10, Number 1 - Winter 1989

July 3, 1890
Jacob Gimlich has built a neat cottage near Hodecker's Pavilion at Pontoosuc Lake, and parties will no doubt pass many pleasant days there this summer.

July 3, 1890

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

September 4, 1890
The foundation for the new Gimlich and White brew house is nearly completed.

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1890 Birth of Child
Jacob Arthur GIMLICH was born 17 January 1890, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 44 years old.

May 7, 1891
Jcaob Gimlich, member of building committee of German Lutheran Church. They are building a new church on the present church site.

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

October 20, 1892
Gimlich and White are to tear down their old wooden brewery and erect on its site, a 2-story brick structure, 63 by 102 feet.

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1892 Marriage of Child
Matlida "Tillie" Louise GIMLICH married 8 September 1892, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville) to Karl (Karil) Oscar CYRUS

August 1, 1895
Jacob Gimlich is to build a handsome cottage on a lot bought from the Colt estate on Onota Street. [77 Onota Street]

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1895 Marriage of Child
David John GIMLICH married 18 September 1895, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville) to Mary Barker WILCOX

1897
Gimlich, Jacob
PITTSFIELD'S WELL-TO-DO CITIZENS OF 1897 - Berkshire Genealogist, Volume 14, Number 3 - Summer 1993

1899 Marriage of Child
Minerva "Minnie" Katheryne GIMLICH married 27 April 1899, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville) to George Hoxsie BENNETT

1899 Death of Child
Clifford Edwin GIMLICH died 2 October 1899, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 54 years old.

1900 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Jacob Gimlich, b. Oct 1856 in Germany, age 53, brewer
Louise Gimlich, b. Dec 1847 in Germany, age 52, year of immigration 1849, mother of 9 children (7 still living)
Maria S. Gimlich, daughter, b. May 1878 in MA, age 22
Mildred Gimlich, daughter, b. June 1880 in MA, age 19
Carolyn Gimlich, daughter, b. Mar 1881 in MA, age 18, artist
Arthur Gimlich, son, b. Jan 1890 in MA, age 10, at school

Also living in Pittsfield (on Onata St.) is their son, David Gimlich, age 31, b. Mar 1869 in MA. David is a brewer. He lives with his wife, Mary, age 27, and a servant, Margaret Sullivan, age 20
1900 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1902 Death of Child
Jacob Arthur GIMLICH died 21 March 1902, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)

Jacob C was 56 years old.

1904 Marriage of Child
Mary (Marie Emilie) GIMLICH married 19 October 1904, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville) to George Ernest HUMPHREY

1909 Marriage of Child
Mildred Pauline Amelia GIMLICH married 18 September 1909, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville) to Asa Lloyd BRIGGS

1910 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Jacob Gimlich, age 64, brewer
Louisa E. Gimlich, age 62, mother of 9 children (6 living)
Marie S. Humphrey, daughter, age 32, widowed
Caroline E. Gimlich, daughter, age 29
1910 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1912
Died Jan. 21, 1912, age 66 yrs. 3 mos. 17 dys. (363 Columbus Av.).
PITTSFIELD DEATHS 1886 - 1941
The History of Pittsfield

1912
Gimlich, Jacob
ZION'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PITTSFIELD, MASS. DEATHS, 1860-1923

Obituary
DEATH OF JACOB GIMLICH
Well-Known Citizen Passes Away After Illness With Uremic Poisoning

'Jacob Gimlich, 66, died at midnight Saturday at his home, 363 Columbus avenue after an illness of several days from uremic poisoning. He had not been in good health for the last few years, but had been able to be about until very recently. Mr Gimlich was a public-spirited citizen and took an active interest in anything that would promote the growth or welfare of the city.'

'He was born in Weisenheim, Bavaria, Ger., October 4, 1845, and was the son of Jacob and Mary Greib Gimlich. When three years of age his father came to this country and located in Albany, where he established a fruit business. After receiving his education in the public schools of Albany, Jacob Gimlich came to Pittsfield in 1860 and became an apprentice designer at the Taconic woolen mill. For eight years he continued at the designing business, when, with John White, he formed a partnership, under the name of Gimlich &...Read MORE...

1912 Death
21 January 1912
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA

He died at the age of 66.

Tuesday, October 13, 1942 - Looking Backward - 50 Years Ago
Old wooden building used as brewery for many years by Gimlich & White and located in rear of newer brick brewery, torn down.
Visit Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)


The Berkshire Evening Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
October 13, 1942

1946 - 25 years ago
Berkshire Brewing Association votes to brew beer no longer, but turn to soft drinks because of prohibition. Officers President David J Gimlich, vice president and secretary John A. White, treasurer George H White, directors, George H White, John A White, Karl O Cyrus, D J Gimlich. John White and Jacob Gimlich bought the plant of Michael Benson (1868). The daily output was then six barrels. The business grew to a capacity of 75,000 barrels a year. Sixty hands were employed and the product was sent to many states, including the Carolinas. The brewery, the only one within a radius of 60 miles, was a thriving industry and made its owners rich.

The Berkshire Evening Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Tuesday, February 5, 1946

Thursday, January 29, 1948 - Looking Backward - 50 Years Ago
Gimlich & White are storing immense quantities of ice from Silver Lake. Twenty teams are drawing the cakes and 40 men are cutting and stacking.
Visit Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)


The Berkshire Evening Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
January 29, 1948

1976 - Berkshire Brewing Association
PROHIBITION, probably the greatest do-good fiasco in history, had a sad impact on a flourishing Pittsfield industry. That was the Berkshire Brewing Association which had a big, spread-out plant at the corner of Columbus Avenue and North John Street. When Prohibition went into effect in 1919, the brewery employed more than 100 men, and averaged 325 barrels of beer a day.

Besides the 100 employees, the firm used 10 trucks and 25 horses, before auto trucks came along, and its products were sold throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, eastern New York State and south to
the Carolinas. Between 1910 and 1920, the firm paid the federal government some $1 million in taxes. Special brews were, Lenox Half Stock Ale, Greylock Ale, Mannheimer Lager and India Pale Ale.

In 1866, the firm was founded by Jacob Gimlich and John White, but not until 1868 did the plant go into operation. In 1892, the second generation of owners took over, David Gimlich and George White. They...Read MORE...



The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
January 5, 1976

2002 - A THIRST FOR COLLECTING FATHER, SON CREATE BREWING MUSEUM
[THIRD Edition]

Lisa Kocian, Globe Staff Correspondent.
Chances are, the McMurtery house is the only one in Plainville with a museum in the basement.

Hugh G. and Hugh R. McMurtery, father and son, built from scratch a room in the elder McMurtery's home, modeled after a vintage saloon, solely for the purpose of displaying their 1,200 pieces of Massachusetts brewery history spanning two centuries.

Working part-time on the project, the private bar-museum took them three years to build. It includes a sleek mahogany bar, stools, circular booth in the middle of the room, and a collection of antique posters, cans, bottles, and other items they refer to as 'breweriana,' most of which, they say, cannot be found anywhere outside this collection.

Why would two people spend 26 years acquiring such an arcane assortment of stuff? The answer is the same as it is for probably most collectors: 'the thrill of the hunt, the next big find,' according to the younger McMurtery, 39, who has...Read MORE...



Boston Globe
Boston, Massachusetts
October 6, 2002

2011 - Day 155: Jacob Gimlich - By Brian Sullivan, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Jacob Gimlich was born in Weisenheim, Bavaria, in the year 1845. Ah, now it makes sense.

Gimlich came to Pittsfield as a young teen in 1860 and was nothing more than a hard- working ' toiler' through much of his early life.

Maybe that's where he learned to appreciate a well- earned glass of beer at the end of a hard day.

Having lived a life of self- denial during his early years, Gimlich did a nice turnaround and, with silent partner John White, put together the Berkshire Brewing Co., which remained successful right up to the beginning of Prohibition.

The brewery, which was built in 1890, was the only one of its kind for miles around and pumped out 75,000 barrels of beer annually.

Being around all that beer didn't compromise Gimlich's business sense. He was ' importantly' connected with helping to organize The Berkshire Loan & Trust Co., City Savings Bank and the Musgrove Knitting Co.

In 1884 through 1885, he represented Pittsfield in the state Legislature. Gimlich...Read MORE...



The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Saturday June 4, 2011