Clinton Bottling Works Augusta Ga.

Clinton Bottling Works

Augusta Ga.

Henry E. Clinton, Augusta, Georgia

Olive Yellow Soda Water Pony

Provenance: Mike Newman Collection

Henry E. Clinton was born on April 29, 1839, in Gibson, Pennsylvania, the son of Uriah and Caroline Clinton. Henry was born to be a soda bottler since he grew up with a father who was making a living manufacturing soda water. In the 1850s, Uriah Clinton joined his brother Ira Dewitt Clinton in a soda water business in Woodbridge, Pennsylvania. Two dark green bottles were produced and embossed ‘U & I. D. CLINTON’ in an iron pontil and smooth base. Another is an error bottle embossed, ‘U. & J. D. CLINTON, WOODBRIDGE, CONN.’ and ‘PREMIUM SODA WATER.’

The 1860 United States Federal Census shows Henry living at home and working as a laborer. He was probably working at his father’s soda water business. The 1870 census shows Henry was 31 years old and living in Seymore, Connecticut, listed as delivering goods, grocer, and soda manufacturer. He had also accumulated some wealth, $6,000 in real estate and $6,000 in personal property.

Henry then married Mary E. Roberts of Southbury, Connecticut, and their union produced twins Louis Henry Clinton and Louise May Clinton. In the middle of the 1870s, the Clintons moved from Seymour, Conn. to Augusta, Georgia and Henry established Clinton Bottling Works at 1348 Broad Street. He made lemon sours, ginger ale, pear cider, and sarsaparilla. The firm produced a couple of Hutchinsons and three pony or squat styles.

Henry Clinton died at the young age of 46 on July 18, 1885. Louis Clinton carried on his father’s soda business until 1908, when he retired and established the Clinton Transfer Company. Family legend says Louis Clinton was offered Augusta’s first Coca-Cola franchise but turned it down because he did not think Coca-Cola tasted as good as their drinks.

Clinton Bottling Works in Augusta, Georgia, produced seven types of bottles:

Type 1: CLINTON’S BOTTLING (arched) WORKS / AUGUSTA / GA. (all in round plate), Pony form, 7-¼”, rounded tapered collar, smooth base, aqua. Earliest of the Clinton bottles.

Type 2: CLINTON BOTTLING (arched) / WORKS / AGUSTA. / GA., Augusta is incorrectly spelled Agusta. Pony form, 7-¼”, rounded tapered collar, smooth base, aqua.

Type 3 (Museum primary example): CLINTON BOTTLING (arched) / WORKS / AUGUSTA / GA. The “W” in works is below the “C” in “CLINTON.” Pony form, 6-7/8″, rounded tapered collar, smooth base, light amber, dark amber, honey amber, rootbeer amber, olive-yellow, aqua.

Type 4: CLINTON BOTTLING (arched) / WORKS / AUGUSTA / GA. Pony form, 7-¼”, rounded tapered collar, smooth base (plain), aqua. It is attributed to Lyndeborough, based on excavated fragments at the glass factory.

Type 5: CLINTON BOTTLING (arched) / WORKS / AUGUSTA / GA. The bottom of the “W” in “WORKS’ is in line with the “C” in “CLINTON.” Pony form, rounded tapered collar, smooth base, citron, amber.

Type 6: CLINTON BOTTLING (arched) / WORKS / AUGUSTA / GA. (all in round plate) Details are still being determined. It has indents around the base: pony form, rounded tapered collar, smooth base, aqua, marble stopper.

Primary Image: Clinton Bottling Works Augusta Georgia soda water bottle imaged on location by Alan DeMaison, FOHBC Virtual Museum Midwest Studio.

Research: David Kyle Rakes, Belleview, Florida

Support: Reference to Early Georgia Sodas, The Bottles & Proprietors, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah & Valdosta by David Kyle Rakes and Ferdinand Meyer V, September 2021.

Support: Reference to Soda & Beer Bottles of North America, Tod von Mechow

Support: Reference to The American Pontiled Soda Database Project, Tod von Mechow

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