114. CAPTAIN JOHN CLIBBON BRAIN (1840-1906) AGE 66
Manufacturing Ice
1872 - Columbus Ice Company / Petersburg Ice Manufacturing Company / Muhl Patent Ice Machine
So on to the next venture! What is the one thing that the South truly needs? ICE!
So on to the next venture! What is the one thing that the South truly needs? ICE!
(Transcription from The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, April 5, 1872, Page 1.)
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John C. Brain, W. L. Salisbury, W. R. Brown, H. S. Estes, and A. V. Boatrice have been elected directors of the Columbus Ice Company.--Columbus Sun.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 18, 2017.
For a man whose hair was unsilvered with gray just two months earlier when he was speaking in Nashville, he is now described as having "premature gray hairs."
(Transcription from The Raleigh Sentinel, Raleigh, North Carolina, Thursday, October 24, 1872, Page 3.)
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Items from Charlotte Observer.
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Capt. John C. Brain, late of the Confederate Navy, has been on a visit Charlotte. He was much persecuted by U.S. government at one time. His hard case excited the sympathies of the whole country, and he lay in prison in Brooklyn for two years before he finally regain[e]d his liberty. He bears honorable scars upon his person; and the suffering and hardships he endured in the cause of the State are visible in his broken health, and premature gray hairs.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, February 15, 2017.
(Transcription from The Daily State Journal, Alexandria, Virginia, Saturday, November 23, 1872. The same story ran in The Raleigh Weekly News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Thursday, November 28, 1872, Page 1 and The Raleigh News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Tuesday, November 26, 1872, Page 2.)
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The Petersburg ice manufacturing company was organized Friday. Capt. John C. Brain was elected President, Dr. J. Herbert Claiborne, Vice-President, Joseph Van Holt Nash, Secretary and Treasurer. A full Board of Directors was chosen. A charter for the company will be applied for at once.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 18, 2017.
(Transcription from The Progress-Index, Petersburg, Virginia, Saturday, December 7, 1872, Page 3.)
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OUR RICHMOND LETTER.
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The Petersburg Ice Manufacturing Company—...
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[SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE INDEX.]
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Richmond, Dec. 6, 1872.
The charter of the Petersburg Ice Manufacturing Company was received for record at the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to-day. The corporators and directors are John C. Brain, J. V. H. Nash, W. R. Mallory, John W. Goodwyn, Thos. R. Dunn, Drury A. Hinton, Geo. S. Bernard, J. Herbert Claiborne and H. Stratton. The officers for the 1st year are John C. Brain, President; J. Herbert Claiborne, Vice-President; and J. V. H. Nash, Secretary and Treasurer. The capital stock of the company is not to be less than $15,000 nor more than $40,000, in shares of $100 each; the principal office to be located in Petersburg; and the purpose of the company is to manufacture ice by artificial process and sell it to the people of Petersburg, &c.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 18, 2017.
(Transcription from the Savannah Morning News, Savannah, Georgia, Wednesday, January 1, 1873, Page 3.)
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Hotel Arrivals.
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Pulaski House.—...Capt. John [C] Brain and wife,...
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at savnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 14, 2017.
(Transcription from The Raleigh News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Tuesday, January 7, 1873, Page 3. The Raleigh Weekly News, Raleigh, North Carolina picked up the story and ran it Thursday, January 9, 1873, Page 1.)
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Virginia News.
The Petersburg Ice Manufacturing Company has "busted" up.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, February 13, 2017.
(Transcription from The Raleigh News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Friday, January 24, 1873, Page 3.)
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VIRGINIA.
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The Petersburg Ice Manufacturing Company has collapsed.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, February 13, 2017.
(Transcription from The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 11, 1873, Page 3.)
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Our Ice Company.—We understand from Capt. Brain that about $4,000 of the $7,000 needed to put the Ice Machine in operation, has been subscribed. We would urge the necessity of our citizens subscribing at once, as it takes about two months and a half to build and erect the Machine. All know what a luxury a cheap and constant supply of Ice is during the hot months. Capt. Brain informs us that if all our business men will take two shares of stock, he can close his books this week. Remember the advantages are 20 per cent, dividend, and Ice delivered at your door for two years at 1 cent per pound. For the information of the public, we give a letter from Mr. John King, a prominent banker of Columbus, Ga.:
Columbus, Ga., December 16th, 1872.
Messrs. John Herber & Carborn,
Petersburg, Va.:
Gentlemen—Yours of the 10th instant, came to hand and contents noted. Last summer a company was organized here for the purpose of manufacturing ice; they made a contract with John C. Brain for one of Muhl's machines; it was built here by the Columbus Iron Works Co., was completed and turned over to the company in October last. The machine is undoubtedly a success, and those at the head of the company say that it does more than the contractors claimed for it. The power used is steam, and the cost of manufacturing about 1/4 cent, with water power. Doubtless the cost of manufacturing could be reduced one-half. The machine is simple and easily managed, with but little about it to get out of order. The company here selected this machine as being the best and cheapest in existence, and are much pleased with it. I do not think there is any doubt about the success of it over all other machines. The company here was organized by the efforts of Capt. Brain, for the purpose of introducing the Muhl Machine, and is composed of some of our best men. After the company was organized the contract was made with Brain, who, at that time, represented Muhl. The contract was completed and carried out in every respect by Capt. Brain to the satisfaction of all who had any thing to do with it. The machine gives satisfaction and is all they claim for it.
Yours truly,
JOHN KING.
The ice made by this machine is guaranteed to be perfectly pure, and equal to the best Northern ice.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
(Transcription from The Daily Journal, Wilmington, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 11, 1873, Page 1. This also ran in the Wilmington Journal, Wilmington, North Carolina, Friday, February 14, 1873, Page 2.)
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Capt. John C. Brain, late of the C. S. Navy (better known as the last prisoner of the war), is in this city, says the Charlotte Observer, organizing an Ice Company for the purpose of manufacturing from 5,000 to 7,000 pounds of ice daily. The cost of the works complete will be about $15,000. Capt. Brain makes the following proposal to our citizens: If they will subscribe to $7,000 stock, in shares of $100 each, he will at once commence the erection of the works, and will deliver ice to each stockholder in quantities of not over 20 pounds per day, at 1 cent per pound; he also guarantees to each stockholder an annual dividend of 20 per cent, per annum. $1,500 has been subscribed by three of our citizens. If every person will subscribe to the stock of this Company all will indulge in the luxury of cheap ice this coming summer. Capt. Brain will call on our citizens in person.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
(Transcription from The Southern Home, Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday, February 17, 1873, Page 3.)
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Ice Factory.—We are glad to learn that Capt. Brain has stock enough taken to start his Factory.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
(Transcription from The Raleigh News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Friday, February 21, 1873, Page 3.)
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The Charlotte Ice Company has been organized by electing the following Directors: J H McAden, J H Carson, Dr C J Fox, R Barringer, S P Smith, Capt J C Brain, James Sims.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, February 11, 2017.
(Transcription from The Charlotte Democrat, Charlotte, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 25, 1873, Page 3.)
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The Ice Company.—For the purpose of insuring an abundant supply of ice in hot weather, several of the citizens of Charlotte entered into an agreement and subscribed over $7,000 for erecting an ice-making Machine. Dr. C J Fox, Dr. J H McAden, Gen. Rufus Barringer, James Sims, Sam'l P Smith and Capt. J C Brain were elected Directors. Dr. Fox was elected President of the Company and authorized to contract with Capt. Brain for erecting the necessary machinery and works for making ice.
The Directors, not being disposed, under certain circumstances, to buy an ice-making machine from Capt. Brain, or engage his services, the matter has been postponed for the present.
We suggest that instead of starting a machine for ice, the stockholders increase their stock so as to start a Cotton Factory in Charlotte. We are willing to increase our subscription for that purpose.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
With a few lectures thrown in here and there.
(Transcription from the Daily Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, North Carolina, Saturday, June 7, 1873, Page 2.)
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New Advertisements
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CAPT. JOHN C. BRAIN.
(Late of the Confederate States Navy)
will deliver a lecture on the subject of his
EXPLOITS DURING THE LATE WAR,
AT MILLER'S HALL,
Saturday, June 7th, at 8 P. M.
Subjects: Seizure steamer Chesapeake in New York, Dec. 5, 1873—Seizure of the U S Mail Steamship Roanoke off the Island of Cuba, Sept. 29, 1864—the last Confederate naval Expedition, which left Richmond, Feb. 27, 1865—Capture of the Schooner St. Marys, off the Pantuxen [sic] river, Chesapeake Bay, April 1st, 1865, together with many romantic incidents.
Admission...................................................................................................... 50 cents
N B—Seats will be reserved for ladies.
june 7 1t
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
(Transcription from the Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, North Carolina, Thursday, June 12, 1873, page 3.)
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Personal.—We had the pleasure of meeting in our office a few days since Capt. John Brain, late of the Confederate Navy. The Capt. did heroic service in the cause of the south during the late unpleasantness, having received several honorable wounds from which he is yet disabled. He is passing through the country lecturing as a means of support for his family. He deserves well of our people and it is hoped they will turn out in large numbers every where to hear his interesting story.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
And then, back to the ice business.
(Transcription from the Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, North Carolina, Friday, June 13, 1873, Page 1.)
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Capt. Brain.—We were pleased to meet in our sanctum yesterday evening Capt. Jno. C. Brain, who was one of the most distinguished officers in the late C. S. Navy. Capt. Brain, is visiting our city in the interest of the "Muhl Patent Ice Machine," of which he is the manufacturer and the sole proprietor of the patent for the States of Virginia and North Carolina. By the use of this machine, which has proven itself a success, ice can be delivered in the city at one cent a pound, to say nothing of the advantage of keeping the money at home. We wish the Captain success in his enterprise.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, January 22, 2017.
(Transcription from The Raleigh News, Raleigh, North Carolina, Sunday, June 15, 1873, Page 1. This and a similar ad ran for a number of days in the area, including in The Raleigh Sentinel, Raleigh, North Caroline, Tuesday, July 1, 1873, Page 4.)
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I C E! I C E! I C E!
At One Cent Per Pound, Delivered,
I am prepared to offer the Muhl Patent ICE MACHINE, with a capacity of from 5,000 to 20,000 pounds per day, including the exclusive right to use and manufacture ice under the patents granted to Andrew Muhl by the U.S. Patent Office. Ice can be manufactured with this machine at a cost of not over 25 cent per 100 pounds. The prices of machines range from $14,000 to $26,000.
I also offer for sale the right to manufacture and use the machine for his city and county.
For drawings, plans and specifications, apply for a few days to
CAPT. JOHN C. BRAIN,
je15-tf Yarbrough House.
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NOTE: The above transcription was made from an online image of the original newspaper article at Newspapers.com. Errors were corrected minimally, and only to facilitate readability.
Transcribed by Jo Roth, February 13, 2017.