Seegers, Mehrkens & Wetter / St. Louis Bottlers

J.B. Seegers & Company. (1870-1894)

John B. Seegers starts up a soda bottling business in 1870 and it is located 1510 Clark Avenue. John has two partners that include William Mehrkens & Henry Williams. John Seegers and William Mehrkens were both born in Prussia and I am not sure of the heritage of Henry Williams. John is 49, William is 25 and Henry is 28 in 1870.

John Seegers is also a partner with Frederick W. Osterholt and they have a saloon located at 1400 Clark Avenue. Frederick was also born in Prussia and in 1870 is 45 years old.

William Mehrkens leaves J.B. Seegers & Co. in 1873, Henry Williams will stay a partner until his death in 1878. Henry dies a young man at only 35 year of age. Henry’s wife Magdalena is listed as partner for only one year in 1879.
John’s partner in the saloon business Fred W. Osterholt dies in 1887 at the age of 62. Fred’s wife Catherine is listed in 1891 & 1892 as a saloon owner. After 1892 no more listings for the saloon.

John B. Seegers dies in 1890 at the age of 68. Fred and Catherine’s son Frederick B Osterholt is listed as owner of J.B. Seegers Soda Water Company until 1894 when the operation is put up for sale.

William Mehrkens. (1873-1892)

William Mehrkens finds a new partner in Herman Wetter and the new soda water manufacturers are called Wetter & Mehrkens and in 1873 they are located at 1550 S. 7th Street. Herman was born in Switzerland and is 35 years old and William is now 27. This partnership will not last long as William and Herman go their separate ways in 1875. William goes solo and stays at 1550 S. 7th street until 1891 when the operation moves to 1827 S. 8th Street. William dies in 1896 at the age of 50. His wife Bertha and two sons William and Edward will run the bottling operation until 1898. No listings after 1898.

FYI The address of 1550 S. 7th was previously occupied by J. Von Gerichten Bottling Works from 1869-1872 and occupied by the Meyer Meinhardt Soda Water Company from 1891-1896.

Herman Wetter (1875-1902)

We back up a little bit as I find that in 1872 Herman is working for Buff & Kuhl another soda operation that had a long tenure in St. Louis. After separating from William in 1874, Herman teems up with Henry Geismann in 1875 (Wetter & Geisman) and in 1876 with Henry Gausman (Wetter & Gausman), honestly it has to be the same guy. I believe the directories misspelled Henry’s name; in which year I am not sure. The bottling operation is located on Vine Street at the Southeast corner of 2nd. Well that didn’t last long as Herman goes solo in 1877. Vine street changes names in 1883 to Koeln and the soda factory will be at 128 Koeln in South St. Louis until 1902. After 1902 no more listing. Herman dies in 1906 at the age of 68.