Haffen Brewing Company

Haffen Brewery, later J&M Haffen Brewing Company, and incorporaterd as Haffen Brewing Company in 1900,[1] operated in Bronx, New York from 1856 until 1917. Owned by Matthias Haffen, (1814 - 1891),[1] who came to the United States From Bavaria in 1831, it was a "landmark" on old Melrose Avenue between 151st Street and 152nd Street.[2][3] The Haffen Building, a seven-story Beaux-Arts architecture style office building by architect Michael J. Garvin was built for him in 1901 to 1902. [1] He married Catherine (Hays) Haffen (1823-1888), an emigrant from Limerick, Ireland, in 1840. They had six children. [4]

Matthias's German-Irish sons included John Haffen (1847-1910), two term Bronx Borough President Louis M. Haffen and Henry (1852-1932), who served on the New York Board of Aldermen. John Haffen took over the brewery and was involved in banking, including as a founding of Dollar Savings Bank.[1] He was also involved in a funding deal for Wakefield Park, in return for a beer concession, but blue laws kept the park and its planned Sunday Iriash athletic events from happening.[5][4]

The third generation of Haffen's in the Bronx included John Matthias Haffen (born in 1872), a bank executive and president of The Bronx Board of Trade.[1]

The brewery business was sold to Jacob Ruppert, Sr. (1842–1915) in 1914 for $700,000. Ruppert died soon after and left the business to Jacob Ruppert, Jr. The plan was to close the brewery down and develop the property; it was in a rapidly growing area known as The Hub, Bronx.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 John M. Haffen The Bronx and its people A History 1609-1927 Board of Editors: James L. Wells, Louis F. Haffen Josiah A. Briggs. Historian: Benedict Fitspatrick Publisher: The Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc. New York 1927
  2. Bill Twomey South Bronx pages 77, 78 Picturing America
  3. Lloyd Ultan [The Bronx in the innocent years, 1890-1925] Harper & Row, 1985 - History - 164 pages
  4. 4.0 4.1 [2010 NYCLPC Landmark Designation Report
  5. http://www.uicany.org/United_Irish_Counties/History.html United Irish Catholic Athletic Union website
  6. COL. RUPPERT BUYS HAFFEN BREWERY January 20, 1914 New York Times