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Freeland area bottlers, 19th-20th centuries
What's on this page:
- Links to information on bottles and bottle manufacturers
- Photos and information relating to Freeland bottlers
- 20th- and 21st-century Taverns, saloons, bars
- A 1964 tour of Freeland bars
- 19th-century Taverns,
saloons, bars
- A Main Street bar, late 19th- or early 20th-century
- 20th- and 21st-century Restaurants
- 19th-century Restaurants
- 19th- and 20th-century
Beer distributors
- Hotels
- Freeland address numbering, for deciphering old addresses
Links to information on bottles and bottle manufacturers
Thank you to Tod von Mechow for providing these links.
Soda & Beer Bottles of North America - This is Tod von Mechow's site and it represents an astonishing amount of work.
HutchBook.com - This site of the Hutchinson Bottle Collectors' Association also represents an astonishing amount of work. I see there that Tod von Mechow is cited as a significant contributor and that he designed and built the Hutchinson Search engine that enables people to search this vast database of information on Hutchinson bottles.
Diamond Glass Company catalogue - This catalogue from approximately 1900-1905 is posted on Tod von Mechow's site. It's an interesting historical document in its own right, and he has added value to it by doing research to identify many of the bottles that are illustrated in it. A Freeland bottle from Peter Timony's bottling works is shown on the first illustrated page, page 3.
Photos and information relating to Freeland bottlers
Most of these photos were posted on eBay over the last 10 years. I hope that the people who posted them don't mind having them resurface here. These bottles are traces of a history long past, and I hope that seeing these wonderful bottles will stimulate interest in purchasing and preserving Freeland area bottles as they show up on eBay and elsewhere for sale.
This page is a work in progress, as I plan to add whatever additional information about the bottlers and their businesses that I can find in my files. If you have information or photos that you would be willing to share here, please email me. Thank you, and I hope you'll enjoy this page.
[Note: At some point I'll put these photos into a table, but for now they're just positioned in such a way that if your browser window isn't open wide enough, the sections with more than 6 or 7 images might get jumbled onto the next line. Just make your browser window a little wider and it will fix the problem -- a temporary fix.]
A. Bakalar
Tod von Mechow reports that he has seen church records indicating that Andrew Bakalar was in Bottle Valley (?) in 1889 and in Freeland in 1892. He had a saloon / grocery in Mahanoy City from at least 1897 to 1907. He came to the U.S. in 1881 from Hungary and died on June 28, 1907. Thank you, Tod. I will add that many people who were listed in the various censuses as having come from Hungary actually came from Austria-Hungary or the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which for a time included all or part of what were later known as Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, and even parts of Poland and the Ukraine - so they weren't always Hungarian.
Peter Barna
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1896 - Barna, Peter, bottler, 32 W. Walnut, home ditto
1897 - Barna, Peter, bottler, Walnut corner Washington
Hm. Although it says W. Walnut in the 1896 directory, there is no indication of this address on the 1895 map. However, 32 E. Walnut would correspond with the 1897 location of Walnut corner Washington, and would be the site of John Duscheck's bottling works around this time. Perhaps Peter Barna had an arrangement with John Dusheck by which he used Dusheck's bottling works by contract?
John J. Boyle
This bottle comes from Tim
Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired
some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few
years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of
Schwabe street. Patrick Burke
These bottle photos come from Tim
Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired
some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few
years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of
Schwabe street. I don't know if these were Patrick Burke's or some other Burk in Freeland. In the directories Burke is not listed as a bottler, but there is a bottling works at his address on the 1895 Sanborn map, and so I am guessing that it was his. By 1912 that address was listed as a home.
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1882-1884 - Burke, Patrick, saloon, Walnut near Pine
1884-1886 - Burke, Patrick, saloon, 51 E. Walnut
1886-1888 - Burke, Patrick, saloon, 51 E. Walnut
1895 - Burke, Patrick, wholesale wines and liquors, 51 Walnut, home ditto (with Rose Burke, dressmaker)
1896 - Burke, Patrick, wholesale liquors, 49 W. Walnut, home ditto (with Rose Burke, dressmaker)
1900-1901 - Burke, P., saloon, Walnut
Carr's Bottling Works
Carr's Bottling Works (soda) - Freeland/White Haven Highway; formerly at 818 Front St. (F. Carr, proprietor) ('52 Minamek, from Ed Merrick)
Carr's Bottling Works
Mike Digon
At this time I have absolutely no information about this bottler. I'd be grateful if anyone out there can tell me about him. The photos come from Ed Berdej and are posted with his permission. He wrote to me a few months ago to ask if I had any information about a Freeland bottler named Mike Digon. I didn't, and asked him why he was looking for him, and he sent me these photos, saying "I'm a NJ Digger, I had this bottle for some time, I have never seen another, so I've held onto it. Its a dug bottle, has a bruise on lip, some scratching, light haze, clear turning amethyst, mug base. I've tried all my bottle books and I come up empty." Ed confirmed that this old Freeland bottle was dug up in New Jersey. If anyone out there knows anything about Mike Digon and his bottling business, please let me know and I'll post the information here and share it with Ed. Thanks.
Charles Dushek
In 1893, Bradsby wrote this in his History of Luzerne County: "Charles Dushek, hotel proprietor, Freeland, was born in Bohemia, Austria, December 31, 1844. He received a military education, and at the age of sixteen years entered the Austrian army. After serving one year as a cadet, he was commissioned first lieutenant, and served fourteen years. He was in active service during the Austrian-Italian war, and the Austrian and Danish war, also in the war with Germany, and received two medals of Honor for services in the battles at Koenigsee and Koeniggratz. As a distinguished soldier few men can claim the honors of war which crown Charles Dushek’s military record. He was under fire seventeen times, and today, although apparently a young, robust man, his body bears the scars received in many a conflict. At the battle of Koenignee, Schleswig-Holstein, in 1864, he received two deep sabre gashes on the breast, and at the battle of Koeniggratz, he received two gun shot wounds, on in the side, and the other in the left foot, also one shrapnel splinter in the left leg. At the close of his long military service he was appointed postmaster, and served eight years, or until 1879, in which year he came to this country, locating in New York. He was employed as salesman for a time, and then moved to Hazleton, this county, where he was engaged as a clerk until 1882; then came to Freeland, and here clerked also about two years, at the end of which time, he embarked in his present business. Mr. Dushek’s interests are not confined to the hotel alone, for he is manager of St. Mary’s corporative store, and a director of the Citizens Bank of Freeland. He was married in 1871, to Miss Ludmilla Kavecky, and they have four children, viz.: Julius (a student at St. Francis College, Loretto, Pa.), Tilli, John and Otto. Mr. Dushek is a member of the I.O.O.F. and many other Societies. In politics, he is a Democrat."
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1884-1886 - Duscheck, Charles, restaurant, 30 S. Washington
1886-1888 - Duscheck, Charles, restaurant, 30 S. Washington
1895 - Dusheck, Charles, wholesale liquors, southwest corner Main and Washington, home ditto
1896 - Dusheck, Charles, wholesale liquor dealer, Washington corner Main
1897 - Dusheck, Charles, Wholesale wines & liquors, Main corner Washington
1900-1901 - Dusheck, Charles, liquor dealer, cor. Main and Washington
Here is his location as shown on Sanborn maps, across the street from the Cottage Hotel; the bottling works was just south of his saloon. The maps are dated, left to right, 1895, 1900, 1905 and 1912.
John Dusheck
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1895 - Dusheck, John, bottler, 32 Walnut, home Washington corner Walnut
1897 - Dusheck, John, bottling works, Washington corner North (??? - CT)
[In the 1886-1888 directory, there is a John Duscheck listed as a photographer at 67 S. Centre St.]
Here is John Dusheck's bottling works location as shown on the 1895 Sanborn map, on the southeast corner of Walnut and Washington. His bottling works doesn't show up there on subsequent maps, but is labeled as a home.
Julius Dusheck
I have little information about Julius Dusheck at present. In the city directories he is listed this way:
1895 - Dusheck, Julius, laborer, home southwest corner Main and Washington
1896 - Dusheck, Julius, clerk, home corner Main and Washington
1897 - Dusheck, Julius, clerk, home corner Main and Washington
I'm assuming that this is Charles and Ludmilla's son. The center of the bottle mark has a deer's head, reversed from the one on Charles Dusheck's bottle mark. Although I don't see him listed anywhere as a bottler, it's plausible to think that he could have gotten involved in the family business and at some point made his own bottle mark. That Main and Washington address was the location of Charles Dusheck's saloon, home and bottling works.
John C. Fox, Fox Bottling Works
The top row shows two bottles from John C. Fox's own bottling works. The second row shows bottles from the Yannes & Fox bottling works, and the rightmost one comes from Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
From Carolyn Moering and David Fox, relatives of John C. Fox, I learned that he was a brother of Julius Fox the baker, and he owned Fox Bottling works on Park Street. The bottling operation was run in a little garage in the back of their homestead. One of the drinks he bottled there was birch beer soda.
The business is listed in the 1928-1929 city directory this way: Fox Bottling Works, bottler of carbonated beverages, 25 Park.
Here is what I am guessing was the location of Fox Bottling Works, as shown on the 1923 Sanborn map, with no houses on Park St. yet.
At some point he teamed up with bottler George Yannes, as shown in the bottle mark of the clear bottle in these photos. Their bottling works was on Washington St., just below South St. George Yannes was a son of John Yannes (Yannes Opera House) and was married to Catherine Fox. In 1918 George worked as a driver for the Freeland Brewing Company, but by the time the 1921-1922 Freeland directory was published, he was listed as one of the partners of Yannes & Fox, Bottlers, at 458 Washington street. That location at the southwest corner of Washington and South streets had been in the family for some time. John Yannes moved his bottling business there in 1901 after his opera house, saloon and bottling premises became Krell’s Hall. After John died in 1915, his son John had the bottling license transferred to him and he continued the bottling business at 458 Washington street for a few years (at least 1915-1916). And that is where George Yannes and Fred Fox went into business together as bottlers sometime between 1918 and 1921. By the time of the 1928-1929 Freeland directory, John C. Fox was bottling at 25 Park street, and George A. Yannes was listed as a bottler with the Standard Bottling Works, 525 Fern street. Previously in the 1921-1922 directory, Andrew Zelenak’s saloon was listed at that address. He was also a bottler.
Thank you to Bob Yannes for some of this information about his grandfather George, and to Carolyn Moering.
Freeland Bottling Works
In the 1897 city directory, there's this listing:
Freeland Bottling Works, Peter Timony prop., Centre corner Carbon
Hm. So I was about to move this section to the Peter Timony section, and then I looked at the bottle mark again. At its center those are not the initials PT that show up in Timony's bottle marks. Instead this one has the initials JL, or LJ. -- ??? -- I have no idea whose initials those would be. Here's a map from 1895 showing a Freeland Bottling Works located behind Peter Timony's saloon, but whether that is THIS Freeland Bottling Works, I don't know. Can anyone out there help?
Freeland Brewery
The photo at far right here comes from Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
Freeland Brewery
A few Sanborn map images show the Freeland Brewery at Fern and South streets (left to right, 1900, 1905, 1912, 1923):
Goodman
Another mystery. I'd assume that this was made elsewhere, except it does say Freeland, Pa. on it. Does this name ring any bells?
John Houston
I know nothing about this bottler, and would welcome information.
George Hudak and Standard Bottling Works
In the second row of bottle photos here, the leftmost bottle comes from Charlie Rudewick. The other three come from Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1921-1922 - Hudack, George B., bottler, also of soft drinks, 406 Washington
1928-1929 - Hudack Bottling Works, bottler, 406 Washington; also Standard Bottling Works, 525 Fern
Ed Merrick reports that the 1940 Federal Census has this: 406 Washington St. (John Hudak) bottler, beverage
company (age 35 in 1940 Census).
The 1923 Sanborn map at left shows his location on Washington St., while the one at right shows the location of 525 Fern St. (see also below about Andrew Zelenak):
[When my parents were first married they rented an apartment from him at the Washington St. address, where he had a saloon on the 1st floor and apartments above.]
Mati Kobelka
I don't have a clear photo of this bottle. According to the person who was selling this bottle on eBay, the bottle mark says:
Mati KobelkaIn city directories, I found these listings (checking only the directories I have copies of):
Conts
Bottler
12 ozs.
Freeland, Pa.
Registered.
1895 - Kobelka, Matthew, laborer, home Ridge
1921-1922 - Kobelka, Mati, bottler, home 947 Ridge
1928-1929 - Kobelka, Mathew (Anastasia), varieties, 940 North St., home ditto
That Ridge St. address can be seen as a home on the 1923 Sanborn map:
Harry Lazoric
I don't have bottle photos from his bottling works at present. In 1895 and 1900 this bottling works was listed as being run by Harry Lazoric. In 1896, the city directory puts Michael Potochney's bottling works at this Ridge St. address and Harry Lazoric at 33 W. Walnut, and by 1905 the Ridge St. location had become S. Yori's bottling works (see further below under Potochney and Yori).
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1895 - Lazarek, Harry, bottler, Ridge, home ditto
1896 - Lozorek, Harry, bottler, 33 w Walnut
1897 - Lazorak, Harry, saloon, Washington corner Walnut, home ditto
1900-1901 - Lazonik, Harry, saloon, Ridge
Here is his location as shown on the 1895 and 1900 Sanborn maps, on Ridge between Front and Main streets. On the 1900 map you can see his location relative to St. Mary's church and two other churches of the time. The site that he was to the east of would later be the site of St. Anthony's church.
George Malenky
In the city directories (checking only the directories I have copies of) he is listed this way:
1895 - Malinki, George E., saloon, 43 Fern, home ditto
1896 - Malenky, George, saloon, 43 Fern, home ditto
I *think* that the older numbering system would have put him more or less across the street from what would later be St. Anthony's church. Although this 1912 map is later than when he was at this address, it shows old house numbers.
John Miko
In the city directories (checking only the directories I have copies of) he is listed this way:
1921-1922 - Miko, John V., grocer, 356 Washington, home ditto
1928-1929 - Miko, John (Mary), grocer, 356 Washington, home ditto
There's a business with a cold storage shed in back shown on the 1923 Sanborn map that could be his store. By 1923 Sanborn was no longer putting names or types of businesses on the building images, just S for a business or D for a dwelling.
Anthony Padulla
I have little information about Anthony Padulla at present, nor any bottle photos. In the city directories (checking only the directories I have copies of) he is listed this way:
1884-1886 - Padulla, Anthony, bottler, 26 E. Front rear
1886-1888 - Padulla, Anthony, bottler, Washington corner Walnut
This suggests that he had his bottling works at one site and then moved to another. I don't have maps from the 1880s. Here at left, however is the location of 26 E. Front St. as shown on the 1895 Sanborn map, although by that time there is no bottling works shown on the map. However, Padulla's would have been behind or at the rear side of the site that by 1895 is the Freeland Opera House, owned by John Yannes, another bottler. Then, at right, here is the Washington corner Walnut location as shown in the 1895 map; by 1895 it is the location of two other bottlers, John Dusheck (SE corner) and possibly Alex Shollack (NW corner).
Pal./Paul Perun
Tod von Mechow reports that according to the 1910 Federal census Paul Perun had a saloon at 68 Center Street, and that he came to the U.S. from Hungary in 1886. Thank you, Tod. According to Findagrave.com Perun was born in Slovakia in 1869 and died in 1938. He's listed there as an inn keeper. I've seen him listed in the newspapers as an applicant for a wholesale liquor license in 1914, location given as the corner of Fern and Main Streets. One of the sources I saw listed him at 604 Fern Street. If that's correct, he would have been in the building shown above, photographed at Fern and Main Streets in 2018 or 2019. That building later held a Rushalk store. Bottle at far right thanks to Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
Michael Potochney
In city directories, Michael Potochney is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1895 - Potochny, M. , saloon, 133 Centre, home ditto
1896 - Potochy, Michael, bottler, home 22 S. Ridge
1897 - Potochney, Mike, bottler, 20 N Ridge
1900-1901 - Potochney, Mike, bottling works, Ridge
Here is his location as shown on the 1900 and 1905 Sanborn maps, on Ridge between Front and Main streets. Although on the 1900 map the bottling works is labeled Harry Lazoric, and on the 1905 map it's labeled Stephen Yori, Mike Potochney also had his bottling works here for at least 5 years, according to city directories.
Great-granddaughter Lorraine Potochney-Kobold reported finding evidence that he was in business for awhile with an Alexander Potochney, relationship as yet undetermined.
Mike Remak
In the 1921-1922 city directory, he is listed this way: Remak, Michael, saloon, 709 Main
The photo at left comes
from Nancy Penn, showing the view from Mike Remak's bar at
709 Main St. (Ed Merrick commented: The view in this photo is from the
inside of Remak's, through one of two bay windows, which flanked the
front door. The
building to the left is, or would become, Gene Boyle's Cafe, on
the corner of
Main at Washington Street. The house to the right had been converted
into a pharmacy when
last I visited Freeland, and the upstairs had been converted into an
apartment, which my aunt Irene (Remak) Corazza rented until her death
in 2002. The bay windows housed window seats, which could be closed off
with
folding doors. The bar itself was of dark, carved wood, and the ceiling
was a classic
tin tile pattern. Before TVs became widespread, my grandmother would
allow the patrons to
crowd into the living room, just beyond the bar, to watched the
heavyweight fights
of the 1940s, such as the Joe Louis and Billy Conn battles, but, as
soon as
the fights were over, they had to clear out and go back to their
Stegmaier. Judging from the car on the street, I would say the photo
dates to the
1930s.) The photo at right comes from Ed Merrick, who wrote: "The photo at right shows my uncle, John Remak, in March 1966 behind the bar of his cafe on Main Street." When you click on this photo you'll see that this copy was repaired digitally by Jay Cawley - thank you, Jay!
Here is Mike Remak's saloon location as shown on the 1923 Sanborn map, around the time when he was listed in the 1921-1922 directory. I am assuming that his bottling was done at the same location, although I don't know that. Perhaps it's equally possible that he could have made arrangements to use another bottler's operation to do his bottling. His grandson Ed Merrick wrote this: "I know my grandfather was a distributor, but I didn't know he did any bottling. He delivered originally with a wagon pulled by two horses."
S & S Bottling Co.
In the 1940 city directory S&S is listed at rear 412 Wasington St.
Alex Shollack
In city directories, he is listed only in 1895 (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1895 - Sholck, Alex, bottler, 33 Walnut, home ditto
Note that this is an address attributed to Harry Lazoric's bottling works in the 1897 city directory.
I don't know whether there's a connection, but in 1895 we also have this listing: Schollock, George, saloon, 156 Washington
Here is what I am guessing was Alex Shollack's location on the 1895 Sanborn map, on the northwest corner of Walnut and Washington, cattycorner from John Dusheck's bottling works. Although this 33 Walnut St. location doesn't say bottling works, the map does show a saloon there.
P. M. Sweeney
In city directories, he is listed as folllows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1895 - Sweeney, Patrick, bottler, home 142 S. Washington
1896 - Sweeney, P. M., bottler, Adams corner Carbon; also Sweeney, Patrick, bottler, home 142 S. Washington
1897 - Sweeney, P. M., bottler, Adams corner Carbon
Here is what I am guessing may have been his location on the corner of Adams and Carbon, but using the 1900 Sanborn map, as the 1895 map doesn't show any part of Adams St. except for the Freeland Lumber Yard. There's still a saloon there in 1900, but I don't know whose. Bottle at far right thanks to Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
Peter Timony
In city directories, he is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1884-1886 - Timmony, Peter, saloon, Centre below South
1886-1888 - Timmoney, Peter, saloon, 165 S. Centre
1895 - Timony, Peter, saloon, 165 Centre, home ditto; also Freeland Bottling Works, 165 Centre
1896 - Timony, Peter Sr., bottler, Carbon corner Centre, home ditto; also James Timony, bottler, home Carbon and Centre; also Freeland Bottling Works, Peter Timony prop, near 165 S. Centre
1897 - Freeland Bottling Works, Peter Timony prop., Centre corner Carbon
1900-1901 - Timony, Peter, bottling works
The map from 1895 at left shows Freeland Bottling Works located behind Peter Timony's saloon, while the one from 1900 shows tenements where the bottling works was, and another bottling works a few buildings north on Washington - might that be the relocated Freeland Bottling Works? Just a guess.
Peter Timony
Peter Timony
John Yannes/Jannas
The rightmost bottle above comes from Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
More bottles shown below.
John Yannes was born in the Tyrolean alps, emigrated to the U.S. decades later, and moved to Freeland sometime around 1879. He was listed in the 1882-1884 and 1884-1886 Freeland directories as a bottler located at the southwest corner of Front and Washington streets. He was NOT listed in the 1886-1888 directory, likely because of the disastrous fire that was accidentally started in a neighbor’s barn, destroying his building and a number of other buildings on that block in mid-September 1886. He had a new 3-story brick building erected there on that corner in 1887-1888 (see postcard at right) that would become his opera house, hotel and saloon, with a bottling business in the back. The 1895 directory says that Peter Yannes (John’s brother) was bottling there.
Sometime between late 1899 and early 1901 the opera house building was sold to [William?] Krell, and had its grand opening as Krell’s Hall later in 1901. Yannes moved his saloon business two blocks south to “the old Berner property” at the southwest corner of Washington and South streets. I'm not sure whether the bottling business was also moved to that address.
In city directories, John Yannes is listed as follows (checking only the directories I have copies of):
1882-1884 - John Yannes, bottler, Front corner Washington
1884-1886 - Yannes, John, 26 E. Front
1895 - Yannes, John, hotel and Freeland Opera House, sw corner of Front and Washington, home ditto
1896 - Yannes, John Sr., saloon, Front corner Washington, home ditto; Yannes Opera House, same
1897 - Yannes Opera House, John Yannes mgr., Washington corner Front; Yannes, John, hotel, Washington corner Front
1900-1901 - Yennes, John, saloon, corner Washington and Front
Thank you to Gary and Bernie Yannes for some of this information.
John Yannes/Jannas
John Yannes/Jannas
Stephen Yori
Oddly, Stephen Yori is not listed in the city directories that I checked, but his bottling works is clearly labeled on the 1905 Sanborn map, at what was formerly the location of Harry Lazoric's bottling works. In 1905 it has become S. Yori's bottling works in the rear building, and a saloon in the front building at 22 S. Ridge. In 1912 it's still marked as a saloon and bottling works, but that map does not supply proprietors' names. On the 1923 map it's labeled as a home. Both maps below show his location relative to the churches and other named buildings on Fern Street to the west. Interestingly, in the 1896, 1897 and 1900-1901 city directories, the bottler listed at 22 S. Ridge St. is Michael Potochney.
The photo below comes courtesy of John Zubach and shows Steve Yori leaning on the wheel of a beer wagon. It was published in the November 1967 issue of the PennySaver, and had this caption: "The beer wagon is gone - and so is the Freeland Brewery, which made the barrels of beer on the wagon. But the buildings shown here are still on Centre St., and occupied by going businesses. The livery with the horse blankets hanging out the second floor windows is Schaub Bros. The other building is now Jerry's Shoe Shop. The only man identified on the picture is Steve Yori, deceased, uncle to Paul Yori, Freeland Beer Distributor, now celebrating his business's 25 Anniversary. Steve is leaning on the rear wheel." Was this Stephen Yori the bottler? And wow, what a wonderfully long time for the Yori family to have been involved in beer distributorship, bottling, saloons in Freeland. Below right is an ashtray advertising their business in more modern times.
Andrew Zelenak
Andrew Zelenak
The second row of Andrew Zelenak bottle photos shown here came to me from his granddaughter, Katy Zelenak Miller. The bottle photo at far right of row 1 is thanks to Tim Matushoneck, who wrote: I acquired some old Freeland bottles from a friend whose grandfather died a few years ago. He used to dig through the old Freeland dump at the end of Schwabe street.
Looking at the bottle mark in the first two photos in row one of the Zelenak bottle photos, above, it might say G. Zelenak, but the only person I find listed anywhere is Andrew. In city directories, Andrew Zelenak is listed this way:
1921-1922 - Zelenak, Andrew, saloon, 525 Fern, home ditto
This would later be the address of Bottling Works, and some years after that would be the location of George Grega's saloon and home when I was growing up in Freeland.
These earlier Sanborn maps show that there were more than one saloon in that neighborhood at the turn of the previous century. They also show how the building numbering systems changed several times before settling into the one that is in place now. The rightmost map, below, was made around the same time that Zenenak was listed in the 1921-1922 directory.
Even though Andrew Zelenak was not located here when the first 3 maps, below, were made, I'm showing them because they're so interesting. As you see in the first one for 1900 (far left), Main Street stopped at the alley between Fern and Ridge streets. The saloon at what would become the corner of Fern and Main after the street was extended westward had a windmill in front of it! Just down the street a bit were a grocery store and another saloon. By the time the 1905 map was made, Main St. was extended and you can see that the corner saloon was now connected to another building that had a bottling works on the first floor and a stable in the basement, with a wagon house connected at the rear of the building. The grocery down the street was now a home, but the saloon next to that was still there. By the time of the 1912 map, the corner saloon has a dance hall connected to it (formerly a bottling works). The saloon that I believe would eventually be taken over by Andrew Zelenak was still down the street. And by the time of the 1923 map (far right), the corner saloon is labeled as a home, and the house and saloon down the street seem to have switched places with each other, 525 Fern being labeled as a house with the saloon next door. One of those 2 buildings would have been occupied by Zelenak in the early 1920s.
Michael Zemany, Sr.
In 1893, Bradsby wrote this in his History of Luzerne County: "Michael Zemany, general merchant, Freeland, may well be classed in the front rank of the progressive citizens of his town. He was born in Kucsin, Saros Co., Hungary, June 11, 1849, and learned the carpenter’s trade which he followed in his native land until he reached the age of twenty-one, when he came to this country and settled in Pennsylvania. He followed mining in various parts of the Upper Lehigh district of the anthracite regions for two years, at the end of which time he established a clothing store in Mahanoy City. Here he remained until 1876, when he removed to Upper Lehigh and worked at his trade until 1880. He then removed to Freeland, where he opened a saloon, and a year later also engaged in the bottling business and operated a general store. Each branch of his business has constantly increased since, until he is well-nigh at the head in each department. Mr. Zemany was married in 1870 to Miss Anna Koscelnik, which union has been blessed with eight children, viz.: Andrew, John, Anna, Michael, Jr., Charles, George, Mary, and William. Mr. Zemany is a member of the Verhovay Aid Association; and the Saints Peter and Paul Aid Association. In politics he is a very active Republican."
I would add that Mr. Zemany was also a founder of Saints Peter and Paul Slovak Lutheran Church, recently closed.
In city directories, Michael Zemany is listed this way:
1884-1886 - Zemany, Michael, hotel &c, 21 E. Main
1886-1888 - Zemany, Michael, hotel &c, 21 E. Main
1895 - Zemmy, Michael, bottler, 28 Main, home ditto
1896 - Zemany, Michael, wholesale beer, home 15 E. Main
1897 - Zemany, M, Sr., 17 E Main