Farmington
Marion County
Hygeia Manufacturing Co.
1914—1924
The Hygeia Manufacturing Company was founded in 1914, when, as the story goes per the newspaper, A.V. Lynch arrived in Farmington and realized its need for an ice plant (“A.V. Lynch,” 1922). Among ice, it also manufactured soft drinks, ice cream, and—curiously—cement blocks. The company incorporated in 1916 with the express purpose of producing non-intoxicating beverages (“Charter,” 1916). The incorporators were A.V. Lynch, Pietro Negri, Vito Delligatti, V.J. Ferriso, and Joseph Sergi. A little over a year later, in mid-1917, the company dissolved (“Special Notices,” 1917), but continued after its dissolution (“A.V. Lynch,” 1922). Evidently, Lynch was a true driving force in the development of Farmington, building twelve houses and leading the charge to install a water system in town.
This company appears last in the 1923 Beverage Blue Book, not reappearing in 1925, leading me to believe it closed around 1924.
Hygeia Manufacturing Co., A.V. Lynch, Farmington soda bottle. Aqua green glass, ABM crown top.
Vaughan Beverage Corp.
1936—1949
Per West Virginia Secretary of State records, the Vaughan Beverage Corporation was incorporated from 1936 to 1949 (WV Sec. State, n.d.). Evidently, the namesake of the company was the primary incorporator, Orville Vaughan. In 1949, it became the Canada Dry Bottling Company of Wheeling. I cannot find any information about its operation in Farmington, unfortunately.
As for the last example of the Vaughan’s bottle—the one referencing a bottle shortage—I can only assume this bottle was used during World War II. There were some shortages on glass due to priorities placed on its military uses and other products switching to glass products to alleviate metal shortages. This is interestingly the only bottle I have seen referencing a bottle shortage.
Vaughan Beverage Corp., Pam-Pam, Farmington ACL soda bottle. Green and white painted label, ribbed mold. Front.
Reverse.
Vaughan Beverage Corp., Vaughan's, Wheeling and Farmington ACL soda bottle. Red and white painted label. No contents on reverse. Front.
Reverse.
Vaughan Beverage Corp., Vaughan's, Wheeling and Farmington ACL soda bottle. Red and white painted label. Contents line on reverse. Front.
Reverse.
Vaughan Beverage Corp., Vaughan's, Wheeling and Farmington ACL soda bottle. Red and white painted label. Bottle shortage graphic on reverse. Front.
Bottle shortage blurb on reverse.
References
A.V. Lynch owner of Hygeia Mfg. Co. (1922, June 10). The Fairmont West Virginian, 34.
Charter. (1916, April 9). The Clarksburg Sunday Telegram, 3.
Special notices. (1917, July 2). The Fairmont West Virginian, 7.
West Virginia Secretary of State. (n.d.). Business entity details: Vaughan Beverage Corp. https://apps.wv.gov/SOS/BusinessEntitySearch/Details.aspx?Id=L3dZi1Vz6dq8EI+gMr+B4w==&Search=e7ILSCVqF2s76Ahhb06fCg%3d%3d&Page=0