Henry Edmunds Watts, a Bottler of Beer in Columbia, South Carolina from 1897-1907 By Joe Brock
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here is no information during the pre-1860s on beer producers or breweries in Columbia, South Carolina. This would indicate that beer producers had to rely on kegs, pottery, or other means to distribute their product. In the early 1880s the City Directory of Columbia lists Pat Meehan as a local agent and distributor for Budweiser, but there have been no bottles found with Meehan’s name or address. When you compare bottles designed to contain beer, they are easily distinguished from soda bottles by their shape and size. The typical beer bottle from the late 1880s to the present displayed a bulge in the neck similar to a lady’s leg bitters bottle, only shorter. Beer held approximately twelve ounces, whereas the soda bottle was typically blown with a straight neck and held only six ounces. Henry Edmunds Watts is first listed in the 1895 City Directory of Columbia, as a worker in the state liquor dispensary that was located on 1209 and extended to 1213 Main Street. Henry’s residence was listed as 2025 Marion Street. F.M. Mixson was commissioner of the state dispensary. The total population of Columbia at this time was 18,405 people. Columbia was described as a “beautiful and healthful city” built on a sandy loam plain which is very porous and affords excellent drainage. The streets were a hundred feet wide and lined with beautiful shade trees and lighted by electricity. The city also had an efficient street car system that ran through the principle streets and out to the suburban village of Shandon on the east side of the city.
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Columbia was also portrayed as “a city free of epidemics which made it unnecessary to ever declare a quarantine and as a health resort, the city is unsurpassed in the South.” The projected construction of one or more winter inns for Northern tourists was intended to make the city vie with Florida for those seeking an escape from the colder climate. From 1897 to 1898, Henry is listed as a clerk at the state dispensary and still resided at the same 2025 Marion Street address. By 1899, the City Directory continues to list him as a clerk at the state dispensary but his residence changed to 3d on Main Street, beyond the city limits. From 1901 to 1903, Henry was promoted as a dispenser at the State Dispensary Number 1 on 1314 Main Street in Columbia and maintained his residence on North Main Street. He also was married to Jessie B. at this time. By 1904 through 1905 the State Dispensary became the County Dispensary No. 1 and he maintained his position as a dispenser. However, his residency changed to 1037 Elmwood Ave. By 1906, Henry took over the Louis L. Bultman wholesale beer dispensary and bottling works located on 1117 Blanding Street (see The Story of L.L. Bultman Bottler, Columbia, South Carolina in the August 2020 issue of AB&GC). He resigned his position as a dispenser at the County Dispensary No. 1 and his residence also changed to1107 Elmwood Ave. Burr D. Hughes, whose residence was at Edgewood, became the manager of the bottling works. Henry employed Jacob
Capers, Henry Morgan, and Joseph Sumter as workers at the bottling works but their addresses were not listed in the directory. From 1907 to 1908 he is no longer a beer dispensary nor engaged in a bottling works. He is now listed as Henry E. Watts proprietor of the Palace Ice Cream Parlor located on 1204 Main Street but still maintains his residency at 1107 Elmwood Ave. By 1910, Henry went into a joint business with his former manager, Burr D. Hughes of the bottling works, as proprietors of the Eagle Grocery Company, located on 1400 Whaley in Columbia. Henry and Jessie continued to maintain their residence at 1107 Elmwood Ave, while Burr Hughes moved to 710 Main Street. The following year the business failed and was not listed in the 1911 directory. Henry then became employed as a health inspector until 1912, then later that year, he became a dispenser at County Dispensary No 7 located at 930 Gervais. By 1913, Henry changed vocations again, and became the manager of the County Beer Bottling Works located at 1117 Blanding with 1598 as the listed phone number. He and his wife continued to live at their longtime 1107 Elmwood Ave residence. He changed his employment again in 1914 to become the dispenser at the County Dispensary No 11 located at 1126 College, and remained there through 1915. After 1915, neither he nor his wife Jessie is listed in the 1916 or any other subsequent city directories.
