"About the year 1865, Charles T. Doxey and William Craycraft built a brewery on the lot now occupied by Matthias Colchen's saloon and residence on West Eighth street, long known by the old-timers of Anderson as the Craycraft property.

They operated this establishment for about one year, when in the month of May, 1860, it took fire in the night and was destroyed and never rebuilt. This was Anderson's first brewery, and although small it was a pioneer in its line. It was soon followed by the- now extensive place owned by T. M. Norton which was in its primitive stage a small affair as compared with its present capacity." - Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana - 1897

"Thomas M. Norton was a man noted for his good citizenship. He was a member of the first board of workers, trustees, in Anderson, serving on the board ten years. He was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and was an active member and liberal supporter of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He had gone back to his native land in 1896 on a pleasure tour, and soon after his return to this country turned over his business affairs to his sons and lived practically retired for more than
ten years.
"Thomas M. Norton married at Piqua, Ohio, in 1861, Miss Catherine McCarthy. They had four children: Mrs. J. C. Kreuch,
Mrs. M. J. Crowley, Martin C. and William J., all residents of Anderson." - Indiana and Indianans: A History of Aboriginal and Territorial Indiana and the Century of Statehood, Jacob P Dunn - 1919.

"The president of the Norton Brewing Company is Martin C. Norton; William J. Norton is secretary and treasurer; and Mrs. J. C. Kreuch is vice president. William J. Norton was born at Anderson April 9, 1869, and grew up in that city, attending the public schools and one year in high school. At the age of sixteen he started working for his father in the brewery, and has been in practically every department, acquiring both the technical and business training. The Norton Brewing Company is widely known all over Central Indiana for its high products, the " Gold Band" and "Special Brew" of bottled beers, besides the Norton draft beers. A modern brewing plant was constructed in 1910, and from seventy-five to eighty people find employment in the business." - Indiana and Indianans: A History of Aboriginal and Territorial Indiana and the Century of Statehood, Jacob P Dunn - 1919.

"A liquor plot in which it is alleged that beer made In Anderson was marketed In Cincinnati, Hamilton and others In Ohio through a series of agencies is believed to have been uncovered by Federal officers under the direction of Bert Morgan, Indiana prohibition officer, here early today.

Prohibition Enforcement Officer Morgan, a squad of six of his operatives, Sheriff Daniels and the local police surrounded the Norton brewing plant here last night. About 1 o'clock this morning the officers watched two large auto trucks loaded with barrels at the loading platform of the Norton brewery, which is located in the heart of Anderson and is adjacent to the jail.

After the trucks had been loaded, Morgan and Federal officers accosted the drivers, placing them under arrest. The driver of the two trucks gave their names as William Schramm, agent for Indianapolis Brewing Company at Hamilton, Ohio and Frank Houser.

The officers confiscated forty half barrels and nine barrels of beer which were found on the trucks. The beer, which Federal officers say is believed to test 5 per cent, was confiscated by the officers as evidence and placed under lock and key In the basement of the county jail here." - Indianapolis Star, June 18, 1923

U. S. DRY OFFICERS TAKE INVENTORY OF BREWERY

"ANDERSON. Ind. State Prohibition Officers George Winkler and Seth Ward of Indianapolis and William Ray arrived here this afternoon and started taking an Inventory of the property of the Norton Brewery. Following completion of the Inventory a return will be made to United States Commissioner Howard S. Young. The Inventory marks seizure of the brewery by United States authorities. The Federal officers state that a warrant has been sworn out for the arrest of William Norton, owner of the Brewery" - Indianapolis Star, June 26, 1923

"At Seeleyville, a mining town eight miles away in Vigo County, there are nineteen saloons, much of whose trade comes from the people of Clay County. The residents of this county also go to Terre Haute, and many are taken off the trolley cars in a state of intoxication. It is doubtless for the reason that saloons are within such a short distance from Brazil that "blind tigers" and "boot-legging" do not exist to any extent in Brazil." The Yearbook of the United States Brewers' Association, 1910

"As of 1899, John Wagner was president of the company, Charles C. Thieme was vice president, J. Henry Thieme was secretary and treasurer, Theodore Wagner was superintendent, and Frederick P. Thieme was a brewer. After the death of John Wagner, senior, in 1904, his son, also named John Wagner, became president of the brewing company. When the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce was established in October, 1913, John Wagner, was elected president." - Ben Ross

LBI closed in 1953 and the buildings were torn down in 1960 in favor of the now Harrison Street bridge.

Much more information can be found at Ben Ross's pages.

A 5-story addition was built in 1894, shown here about 1900 in a picture from the Herman Berry collection.

"At about 1 a.m. lightning struck Emdee's Brewery." - Tippecanoe County Historical Association - July 27, 1851.

"During the summers of 1878 through 1882 temperance people, mostly women, had protested in vain against licensed beer and gambling stands at the Tippecanoe County Agricultural Association's annual fairs. Now they petitioned against the same practices for 1883, but were turned back on grounds the $1,000 licenses brought money and people to the fairs while the women "did not contribute to the industries of the county and therefore should have no voice in the matter." - Tippecanoe County Historical Association

"Partners Stephen J. Hannagan and Patrick L. Fitzgerald had tried a short-lived brewing operation about 1900, producing "Pride Of the State" beer." - Tippecanoe County Historical Association

"Marion Brewing association has made announcement that it will retire from business at the end of this month. This is the first brewery of any considerable size to quit business in Indiana since the anti-liquor agitation started several years ago.

The Marion brewery is a big one and for years it turned out a great output of beer. Its owners were among the leaders in the brewing business in Indiana, and in the state associations organized by Indiana brewers from time to time. They were leaders and took a prominent part in every brewery activity or movement. They were also powerful in local politics at Marion, because there were more than a hundred saloons in Grant county a few years ago, and nearly all of them sold Marion beer.

For many years, however, there existed a strong prohibition sentiment in which for years cast more prohibition votes than any other county. There has never been any cessation of activity on' the part of the temperance people of Grant county. Not only the prohibitionists, but the Woman's Christian Temperance union has been strong there. Grant county temperance people were leaders in the fight for the enactment of the county option law and did as much as any other county in the state to bring it about and they have fought to retain the old liquor laws and to prevent their repeal by the democrats, so when the county option law was passed and the temperance people had a chance to make the fight they brought on a local option election and made Grant county dry. The matter was fought through the courts and the drys won, and the usefulness of the brewery at Marion was over. The saloons of Grant county went out of business and the brewery lost its trade.

Later, when the county option law, was repealed and city and township option, was substituted, the temperance people of Grant county did not lose heart, but they went at it and succeeded In making Marion and all the rest of the county dry again. This was the straw that broke the back of the (brewery and) it had to quit.

The brewery has announced that it will turn over to the revenue officers whatever beer is on hand at the close of the month. In some of the counties of the state, breweries closed or greatly curtailed their output when the county option law was in force, but this is the first time that a brewery of considerable size has found it necessary to quit business under the fire of the temperance people.

The Anti-Saloon league is in rather a quiescent stage, judging from the little noise that has been made for some time past in liquor circles by that organization. It is said that some of the members cannot see much to be gained by any special activity at this time, or while the democrats are so firmly entrenched in power in Indiana, for the democratic legislation on the liquor proposition has been such as to leave little for the anti-saloon people to hope for from them. But the Anti-Saloon league is going ahead in its own quiet way. keeping its lines well drawn and standing ready to make a fight at any when the occasion calls for it. Persons who have the idea because the league is quiet it is riot in a healthy condition have another think coming." - Fort Wayne News, June 26, 1913

"The first brewery in Richmond was commenced by Ezra Boswell about the time the town was incorporated (It was actually started in 1817 - ed). Of the quality of the beer we have now no opportunity of forming a judgment, but it is said that some of the Councilmen of that day—who, of course, served their fellow-citizens gratuitously—one day sent to Ezra for some of his brewing, and we presume, they quaffed it until they were satisfied, but, like all men in place, they, by this simple act, subjected themselves to the tongue of slander. By the citizens, who took it upon themselves to watch over the pecuniary interests of the place, a rumor was set afloat that the Councilmen were drinking beer at the expense of the corporation.

"The price of beer, sold at taverns, was in that day fixed by the court at 12½ cents a quart, while the same authority rated whiskey, per half-pint, at 12½ cents, the same quantity of common brandy, at 18¾ cents, and cognac, rum, and wine were to be sold at 37½ cents by the half pint. The care of the Court in this particular is further evinced by their allowing George Hunt, clerk, a certain sum for the purchase of whisky, during the sale of lots in Salisbury." - Reminiscences of the History of Richmond, John Plummer, 1857.

"The first brewery in Richmond went into operation sometime between 1816 and 1818. Ezra Boswell, who came to Richmond in 1816, was the proprietor. Young's History of Wayne County has the following to say about Boswell and the brewery:

"His shop from which he supplied the citizens of the town and country with beer and cakes was on Front street (Fort Wayne avenue) north of Main. It was much frequented by the citizens and the country people who came to town on business, beer then being deemed a wholesale beverage. Boswell was a respectable man, and a member of the first Board of Trustees of the town, elected after its incorporation" - Palladium Item & Sun Telegram, City Edition, Nov 15, 1945

(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

"Two Englishmen, direct from London, began the establishment of a brewery in 1827, which the Public Ledger predicted would be successful. The editor also thought that 'the wholesome beverage should take the place of the burning whisky which is now so common.' This brewery was at the old Cushman distillery." - History of Wayne County, Indiana, 1884

FOR SALE
THAT well-known TAVERN STAND, In the Town of Richmond, lately the occupation of Wm. H. Vaughan. A bargain will be given, and possession at any time that will suit the purchaser. Ephraim Lacey - Richmond Public Ledger, 1828.

"The Lorenz Brewery was one of the first and largest industries of Crawfordsville. It is said that the beer cellar dug in 1864 still extends back under Market Street today. . . Henry Lorenz was born on June 9, 1827 in Germany. . . In 1853, Lorenz purchased an old brewery located on the triangular-shaped property encased by Lafayette Avenue at Market Street and Grant Avenue (northeast corner), which was a the time the western boundary of the town. . .

"The brewery's beer was brewed for 24 hours, then run into the huge hogsheads that were stored in the cellar under Market Street. From the hogsheads, the beer was drawn into 40 and 80-gallon kegs, then delivered to their retailers." - Crawfordsville, Athens of Indiana, 2003

"The first brewery, it is said by early residents, was located and operated on the north side of the town of Bowling Green, on the site on which was afterward erected the first steam flouring-mill. At a later day, the Stucki brewery was established on the river bank, on the west side, just below the bridge, which was in operation during the Civil war and for a period of many years thereafter. At some time in the sixties, Joe Lenhart bought the tract of land on Birch creek on which the Gibbons mill had been located and operated at a much earlier day, and started a brewery on the same ground, which he continued to run for several years after the war. This rural plant afforded the farmers of the Birch creek agricultural community and its borders the opportunity to lay in a supply of lubricant for energizing the operations of the harvest field, of which some of them, at least, took advantage. There was also a brewery on the National road, west of Williamstown, operated by John Bauer, who moved it to Harmony, about the year 1870, where it was planted and operated for several years on the south side of the town." - History of Clay County

"Joseph Miller, brewer, Covington, one of the self-made and enterprising business men of Covington, is a native of Wurtemburg, Germany. In 1854, when twenty-one years of age, he emigrated to the United States. He spent a short time in Connecticut, and then came west, and stopped in Montezuma, Parke county, Indiana, for about six months. In 1855 he came to Covington, where he has since lived. He began in Covington by working in a hotel for about four years. He then returned to Germany, and brought his father and mother to this country,— some of his brothers and sisters coming also,— so that there were six of them in all. He came direct to Covington, and for the next four years he was engaged in the cooper's trade; then in the saloon business for about two years; then, in 1865, in the manufacture of beer. He had, however, spent but two years in the latter when his brewery burned, he losing everything, and being left with an unpaid debt of $3,000. Still determined to succeed, he began again in a small way, and by economy and careful management he gradually recovered, paid off the debt, and is now running an establishment with a capacity of 20,000 barrels of beer per annum. In addition to building up the brewing establishment, he has, in company with his brother, erected a fine business block, and the present year (1880) will have completed one of the finest residence buildings in the city." - History of Fountain County

"Rev. Frank A. Roell, pastor of the church of the Immaculate Conception, at Aurora, Dearborn county, Ind., is one of nine sons born to Henry and Catherine (Schacherer) Roell. The father was born in Bavaria, Germany, came to the United States in 1854, first located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and for several years was engaged in the brewery business; he next moved to Oldenburg, Ind., following the same business until 1867. He then disposed of his brewery, and located at Morris, Ind., where he conducts a hardware store and at the same time is connected with the Morris Cooperage Manufacturing company."  - History of the Catholic church in Indiana by Charles Blanchard, 1898

"A brewer was started very early by Edward Mason. - Memoirs of Wayne County and the City of Richmond, 1912.

"A brewery, started there in 1825, was abandoned on account of the hostility of the inhabitants towards it. In the year 1828, William Way started another, but it soon succumbed to the pressure of public opinion. In 1829 four saloons were present in Fountain City; in 1830, a temperance society was organized to resist their influence ; a debate was opened on the question between the liquor men and the anti-liquor men; it occurred in public from 2 o'clock p. m. until after midnight. The temperance debaters were Dr. H. H. Way, Able Lomax, and Willis Davis. The representatives of the whiskey faction were John Huff, E. Lee, and Joseph Lomax. The debate is said to have been won by the anti-liquor men. This locality succeeded in getting rid of its saloons and is now free from their baneful influence.  - Memoirs of Wayne County and the City of Richmond, 1912.