J. F. Hash & Sons
J. F. Hash & Sons is obviously one of the earliest bottlers in Appalachia mainly based upon the fact that so far this company was the only one that produced a Hutchinson bottle, and there hasn't been a crown closure bottle yet discovered. Information on this bottler is scarce; however, I did find him listed in the 1910 federal census records as a merchant in a General Store. He did not appear in the 1900 records. I originally thought that he was one of the two bottlers that appear on the February 1908 Sanborn map. I feel that was in error as it turns out that there are two period source proven bottlers in Appalachia at that time which would account for both of these bottling plants.
It may still be possible that the Cumberland Bottling Works did purchase J. F. Hash's bottling equipment which might explain why a company that started in 1907 has a Hutchinson corking machine in their inventory when they sell later in 1908. It might also explain why no one seems to have ever seen a Cumberland Bottling Works bottle as far as I know, as they may have been using the J. F. Hash Hutchinson bottles.
