1862 to 1877.
PRELUDE:
Farmers experimented using Cuban seed to grow cigar-grade tobacco in both Maryland and Connecticut before the Revolutionary War. After the War, the new U.S. Government supported the expansion of population, agriculture and tobacco. As cigar tobacco culture succeeded, small, often one-man, factories followed, able to relocate thanks to ever-expanding new roads, railroads and canals. Aided in no small part by the fact that an entire cigar factory could be in one carry-on bag, with room to spare. And if it got lost, it could be replaced for three dollars or less.
If a cluster of factories developed, they were soon supported by box makers, wholesalers and distributors. If cigar rollers didn’t set up shop fast enough, towns would advertise in cigar-country newspapers asking a cigar maker (factory) to take up residence. By the Civil War, the variety and volume of good cigar leaf was increasing in NY, PA, OH, CT, MA, MD, and IL. The small FL crop was usually used locally. The outlook was justifiably good and production grew in all locations during the next half century.
The estimates of how many domestic cigar factories were operating before the Civil War vary, but a conservative estimate made in 1860 says there were at least 1,478 cigar factories and 8,000 people employed nationwide; 9% of them women. The number 5,000 has also been put forth as more accurate. What does 1860 matter?
1860-1870 is the decade the American Cigar Industry was “born” when in 1863 the Federal Government began making the ground rules for cigar makers: quantities of tobacco, type of boxes, number of cigars in packages, notices, warnings, taxes and tax stamps, signs, moving tobacco, selling tobacco, licenses, employee bonds...the rules of the game-business. Alert readers may have noticed the absence of rules governing quality, selling to children, or truth in advertising.
It’s that “anything goes advertising” that makes this industry so fascinating.
The 1870s see the development of the label printing industries, the use of tin for cigar boxes, and one major improvement in box design.
========= ========== ============ ========== =========
1860 US annual cigar consumption rises to 26 per person.
1860 Machinery for making cigars advertised in popular art magazine. Have ad
1860's Some reports claim the wooden cigar mold that revolutionized the industry was invented in EnglandBritish cigar makers widely adopt the cigar mould. Some reports say it was invented there.
1860's Difficulty in identifying a cigar once out of the box, British cigar makers began pasting various shapes and colors of stickers called 'tickets' on cigars. Customer complaints about damaged wrapper led to the adoption of 'rings' called ‘bands’ today.
1860 Francis Asbury starts NYC business making fancy glass cigar boxes and signs. Have ad
1860 As much cigar leaf grown in Ohio (almost 5 million pounds) as in Pennsylvania and New England.
1860 Cincinnati was 4th leading cigar producing city, behind Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore.
1860 Rohde & Co. established as cigar maker at 55 West Canal, Cincinnati. Still operating in 1930 at 114 East 2nd. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
1860 In Chicago, on the edge of the wild west, more than 224 cigar factories are in operation.
1860 Gromanes & Ullrich established in Chicago as importers of Havana cigars and tobacco and dealers in clear Havanas and domestic cigars.
1860 John G. Root establishes factory in Reamstown, PA. Later makes JOHN BROWN cigars with the slogan “As his soul goes marching on.”
1860 Lewis Osterweis & Sons founded in New Haven, CT. Lasts until 1954.
1860 Theobald & Oppenheimer founded in Philadelphia.
1860 Pedro Murias creates LA MERIDIANA in Havana.
1860 Schmidt & Storm (forerunner of Straiton & Storm 1863) founded in NYC. The for their brand
CUCKOO claims 1861.
1860 Bottomly & Co. begin cigar manufacture in Halifax, England.
1860 Wages for carpenters and masons was 65¢ a day; a day was sunrise to sunset.
1860 The TOBACCO TRADE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION established in London “for the relief of aged and necessitous members of the trade, their widows and orphans.” Ad in Cigar & Tobacco World
1860 The U.S. imports 300,000,000 cigars from the city of Bremen. Bremen imported 42,000 pounds of low grade tobacco from the U.S.
1863 US Government requires tax stamp on every bundle or box of cigars and issues blank stamps to be filled in by tax inspectors. See
Dating boxes for pictures of all tax stamp issues.
1863 US Government collects $476,589 in cigar taxes to help the war cause.
1863 US Dept. Agriculture sponsors successful experimental plantings of cigar tobacco in Illinois.
1863 Home delivery of mail begins with 450 carriers, many of whom are Civil War vets.
1863 Cigar industry makes life miserable for tax inspectors. Taxes collected on 200,000,000 cigars.
1863 Straiton & Storm, one of nation’s most important cigar companies, founded, introduces ROB'T BURNS and eventually OWL., Numerous examples of S & S boxes, pictures of factories
1863 Samuel Davis, Canada’s largest and most prolific cigar factory, founded in Montreal. Various boxes: FRONTIER, MUNGOES, CABLE, etc.
1863 Henry Jacobs & Co. of Montreal honors Civil Warrior STONEWALL JACKSON by naming a cigar brand after him. The brand becomes one of Canada’s biggest sellers for more than half a century.
1863 F.X. Smith, founded in McSherrystown, PA (still operating 2010). photo.
1863 The John C. Groub Co. establishes family wholesale grocery business in Seymour, Indiana, maker of Belle Brand products and seller of BILTRITE cigars. Family business for 60 years. Letterhead
1864 US Government issues five colorful new tax stamps based on a cigar’s retail selling price. Cigarettes added to the tax laws, but not important enough to print special stamps for.
1864 Canadian Government requires tax stamps on cigar boxes, issuing square, strip and diamond shaped excise and customs stamps. See Dating Canadian Boxes for more detail.
1864 Cigar industry continues to make life miserable for tax inspectors.
1864 US tax officials admit cigar tax laws are confusing and cannot be interpreted or enforced as written. Have official admission in letter.
1864± Invention of the steam press made color label lithography economical for the first time. Cubans first to adopt it. See exhibit of early labels produced on first steam presses <
here>.
1864 D.S. Erb begins making cigars in Boyertown, PA, during the Civil War. All cigars were "goods sold to jobbers only." 5,000 EL PLANTADOR sold for $265 in 1893 (5.3¢ each means they probably retailed for 2/15¢). Expands successfully and lasts 75+ years, still operating in 1930s. Have billheads depicting two versions of his factory.
1864 Cigar holder patented that had a removable sponge to add flavoring to cigars.
1864 Thomas Calvert forms important label lithographic establishment in Detroit. Made 2000 impressions per 10 hour day on hand presses.
1864 Cigar Maker’s National Union of the United States founded, the “first constructive, efficient, American trade union.” The first President of the Union, Andrew Zeitler of Albany, NY,, was later killed in Civil War action. Numerous artifacts.
1864 Patent granted to W.E. Gedge, England, which he assigned to Neath Tin Plate Decorating Co., which described a method of direct printing on tin. Direct printing was difficult because of registration problems.
1864 John C. Herman & Co. begins making cigars in Harrisburg, PA. Still in business in 1930, operating multiple factories.
1864 Jaime Partagas shot and killed on his plantation. Son José failed in attempted to run business. Sold out to José Bances after a few decades. Date of shooting variously reported as 1868.
1864 First crop of tobacco grown in Sumatra. Made big impact in U.S. after 1876 Centennial.
1864 An Ohio tobacco planter developed a strain called “white burley” with cream colored midrib and pale green leaves. It rapidly replaced Red Burley, from which it was developed, in fine-cut chewing tobacco and for plug. It later becomes exceedingly important in the cigarette industry.
1864 Cigar and snuff factory established in Valkenswaard, Netherlands, by the three van Best Brothers, sons of Jan van Best who inherited the sum of 24,000 guilders in 1845.
1864 Weenen Cohen & Co. begin making cigars on Commercial Road in London, England.
1864 TOBACCO LEAF magazine founded. Important trade journal lasts for a century. Various copies.
1865 US Government completely reforms cigar tax laws, requires all cigars to be packed in boxes of 25, 50, 100, 250 or 500 and issues new denominational stamps for a brief time picturing recently assassinated President Lincoln and printed funeral black (except the yellow-green 500).
1865 HOYO de MONTERREY cigars are introduced by Jose Gener, long time Vuelta Abajo grower.
1865 MONTE CRISTO cigars begin production in Havana.
1865 Bethesda Cigar Co. established in Bethesda, Ohio. Made BLACK BALL cigars for 40+ years.
1865 John B. Adt goes into business in Baltimore as maker of ADT tobacco preparation machinery of every type for the manufacture of cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff: dryers, coolers, cutters, separators, rollers, combs, packers, etc.
1865 Virginia leads other states by replacing the hogshead inspection system of tobacco marketing with the loose-leaf auction system for selling cigarette, snuff, and chewing tobaccos. It doesn’t become universal in the United States until 1939.
1865 First cigarette factory opens in the U.S. in New York City. Staffed primarily by immigrants from Poland, Greece and Turkey, they made Russian style “Turkish” cigarettes for other immigrants. Each roller could make about 3,000 long “clumsy” smokes a day, a total of about 20,000,000 this year.
1865 Estimates say that half the cigars produced in America were made and sold by tax evaders. That closely parallels the situation in Cuba.
