Herrmann & John Fendrich
La Fendrich & Charles Denby
A Cigar History Museum Exclusive
© Tony Hyman, All rights reserved
Uploaded July 12, 2012
Herrmann & John Fendrich
La Fendrich & Charles Denby
A Cigar History Museum Exclusive
© Tony Hyman, All rights reserved
Uploaded July 12, 2012
The Diamond Joe Cigar Company, better known as “La Fendrich” or, more correctly, “H. Fendrich,” has its roots in 1833 when the Fendrich family comprised of mom, dad, and four sons immigrated to the United States from the Margraviate (principality) of Baden in the remains of the Holy Roman Empire (today’s Germany). The family settled in Baltimore, and soon added a fifth son, John, to the four older boys, Joseph, Charles, Francis and Herrmann.
They came to this country at a time of dynamic growth. During the 2nd quarter of the 19th Century, half the population of the country moved west across the Appalachians and Smokeys. The telegraph made long distance communication possible. Steamboats made river travel faster and more comfortable. The Erie and other canals were completed allowing efficient movement of goods from the midwest to the east coast or south to New Orleans. Railroads were being completed everywhere.
Steamboat landing on the Ohio River, Evansville, Indiana.
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In the mid-1840s the four older brothers decided to learn the tobacco and cigar business by apprenticing themselves to leaf dealers, cigar makers, and wholesalers in the Baltimore area. Why they chose this trade is not clear, but the Germanic principalities from whence they came had a history of cigar making. The ever-increasing popularity of Cuban cigars and the development of the first quality cigar tobacco in North America in the late 1830s all may also have played a role in their decision. Too, Baltimore was among the top cigar centers in the U.S. at that time.
As part of their education, the brothers drove horse-drawn wagons from town-to-town, paying close attention to the wants of their customers. This tintype is believed to portray Hermann’s last sales trip from Baltimore. [21533]
An 1860 business directory locates “Francis Fendrich & Bros.” at 21 Main St. (between 1st and 2nd) in Evansville. All five brothers are listed as part of the company, but not all were in residence. Hermann, living in a local hotel, was involved in day-to-day operation of the store; John was in Columbia, Pennsylvania, where the first Fendrich cigars were being made; Joseph still lived in Baltimore, but details are unknown, as are the residences and roles, of Charles and Francis.
The first popular brand of Fendrich cigars was FIVE BROTHERS, originally made in Pennsylvania. Production of those and other cigars was transferred to Evansville as soon as their building could be refurbished and the necessary equipment installed. It is not known how long the brand was produced.
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A new blend sold as CHARLES DENBY became a member of the basic product line in 1902, joining DIAMOND JOE and LA FENDRICH. The brand was named after the former U.S. minister to China, a personal friend.
“Denby” was the first Fendrich brand to be packed in tin “lunchboxes” as well as wooden boxes. LA FENDRICH was often sold in a slip-top tin holding 10 cigars after that size box became legal in 1910.
The new factory was called “The Diamond Joe” factory thanks to a huge mural of the Diamond Joe label painted on the top two floors. The building is here decked out for a 1909 Elks parade.
Things were going great for the booming company. Great, that is, until December 1910 when the new factory burned to the ground, destroying ten neighboring business and a private home in the process.
No employees perished, but there was a total loss of equipment and stock on hand. Some less resolute, less ambitious, men might have retired, but Herrmann’s son John was determined to rebuild, starting fresh with a new building of his own design.
Strippers -- traditionally women -- who remove the mid rib from a tobacco leaf and sort the leaves into piles of right and left hand leaves. Formerly hand work, Previously performed by hand in the stripper’s lap, machines made it easier, faster and left the leaves in better condition.
Modifications were made, most notably when machines took over cigar production during the 1920s, but the basic design and layout of the various departments served the company well for the next half century.
In the 1880’s when work was done under gas lights, a three-girl team using wooden moulds turned out 1,000 cigars a day. In the new factory, once machines were installed, four girls working one machine turned out 4,400 perfect cigars each ten-hour shift. In keeping with the times white and “colored” cigar makers worked in separate buildings. No mention was made in contemporary news stories about how other facilities were shared.
Since the 1920s, the company has advertised special boxing and banding for special events.
A Negro bellhop became the spokesman for CHARLES DENBY cigars and was seen everywhere in news paper ads, signs and store standees from counter size to larger than life-size.
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Executive VP, Daniel McCarthy presents a watch and a check to Carrie Eberlin, one of three 50 year employees.
At one time or another, H. Fendrich made the following cigar brands:
La Fendrich, Charles Denby, Diamond Joe, Little Fendrich, Smoke Dreams, Red Ruby, John Jenning, Lady Carmen, Mrs. Fiske, El Cuto, Five Brothers, Little Gun, Casa Nova, Globe-Democrat, Courier Journal, La Cubavana, Aaron Burr, Black Hawk, White Slave, Lone Jack, Plantation, Bankers Choice, Tampa Cubs, Cuterine, All the Go, Ben Davis, Big Heart, Burro,
CO-BA, Cranes Londres, El Paxo, General Movey, Craps, Cuban Buds,
Della Concha, Diamond Eye, Harvey, Durand & Kasper Co’s 1851, F.C.A., Germania Club, Governor Bagley, Hauptmann’s, Hulmanita, Havana Judge, Kilheiifers, La Memoria, The Fad, Levor’s 77, Oakford & Fahnestock’s,
Our Monogram, P. & G. Handmade, Ragland’s Extra, Royal, Royal Brand, Spanish Chief, Pasco, The Angelus, The News and others.
Red indicates boxes owned by the NCHM.