Taylorsville Canning Factory

Bernard Taylor Brock and his daughter Gertrude resided in Germantown, presumably with Bernard’s wife, though references to her are scarce. Bernard operated a grocery store on Front St in Center City. Starting around 1901 they spent their summers in Taylorsville living in the the Delaware House.

Taylorsville Canning Factory

In 1902 Bernard proposed the opening of a tomato canning factory in Taylorsville. A meeting was held on March 22nd, 1902 for interested growers. This article from the August 9th, 1902 Newtown Enterprise gives good info on the opening of the factory, its general operations, and the impact on the community. The factory was situated on the canal, behind the house whey they summered and was originally a planing mill and sash factory.

August 9, 1902 Newtown Enterprise

The canning factory’s first season was from September to October, 1902. Each subsequent summer they advertised for help in the Enterprise, and the factory opened for similar spans of time over the next two years.

"SM" on the 1891 Atlas

Something occurred financially in 1904 that led to Bernard initiating bankruptcy proceedings and ultimately losing the canning factory, which never operated again. The factory seems to have only been open and operational for less than 6 months total over 3 years, though the business of growing and harvesting tomatoes wasn’t limited to those months.

After the factory closed, the father daughter duo continued to spend time boarding at the Delaware House for the next 8 years, while continuing to reside in Germantown. They were also noted as staying at the Temperance House and the Taylor Mansion House during various visits.

Store of J. E. Howell, later Bernard Brock

In 1908 Bernard Brock and Willis Hydes took over John E. Howell’s mercantile business, located next to the Mahlon Taylor mansion house. Howell resigned as postmaster at the same time, and Bernard took over the position. Bernard’s daughter Gertrude married William Gladstone Hydes, the son of his new business partner.

Bernard served as postmaster of Taylorsville until 1912, when he sold the store back to Howell and removed to Germantown. I’m not sure where he lived in Germantown, but I saw their house referred to as “The Colonial” multiple times, sounds cool. There was a public sale of his goods in March of that year at his residence in Taylorsville. 

After that the mentions of their visits drop off significantly then there’s nothing at all for a decade until Bernard died February 12th, 1936 at his home in Germantown from pneumonia. Oddly, I don’t believe I saw a single mention of his wife until his obituary said that she had died “a few years ago” and didn’t even mention her name. The obit also incorrectly said that the factory and his residency as postmaster were in Brownsburg.

I would absolutely love to get my hands on a label from the factory.

In the meantime, here's a label from the Newtown Canning Company with a good story behind it.

Newtown Brand Tomatoes fire-singed label.