tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842291092692051858.post8820730390203547011..comments2024-03-10T16:18:44.220-07:00Comments on Western Bottle News: Rick Simihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08482738207230371864noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842291092692051858.post-59579061336443312892020-03-16T16:15:23.405-07:002020-03-16T16:15:23.405-07:00Max reminded me that there was a soda works in Yan...Max reminded me that there was a soda works in Yankee Jim’s. It was not unusual for many of the gold rush towns to have soda works and even use bottles. What is unusual is for them to have embossed bottles. We know of only a few of the early gold rush towns that have embossed bottles, and most are documented. One exception may be that of J. Monier, which has not yet been regionally documented.<br />William Lindsey Coffin began the works in Yankee Jim’s no earlier than 1856 along with his brother, John. William and family came from Nantucket, Massachusetts, in late 1855 or 1856, for the second time. William was a painter in Nantucket, probably working in the shipping industry. I have found no name for his soda works at Yankee Jim’s. Coffin was in Yankee Jims at least until 1866 but I could not attribute an occupation for him at that time. By 1870 he was living in nearby Bath, with occupation as a painter. <br />By about 1875 Coffin had moved to Washoe County, Nevada, where he continued his occupation as a painter. He died in Reno on March 11, 1895.<br />What is not known is if the Golden Gate soda bottles were produced for Coffin’s factory. Max’s theory may be the answer, just as is the possibility that the bottles were produced for use of the steamer Golden Gate. We simply don’t know, and until concrete evidence is provided we must proceed with conjecture.<br />Eric McGuirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13180656958989600662noreply@blogger.com