Bottles embossed with just a surname, especially those with no first or middle initial or town name, can be very tricky to accurately place. A few examples of this “Kiefer” quart milk bottle were dug in northern Indiana by Chris Jordan, a major contributor to this site.
What we do know is that the dairy was founded by George Kiefer of Bremen, Indiana. The earliest reference we have been able to trace appears in The Bremen Enquirer on December 9, 1898, which states:
“The Kiefer dairy has a handsome new milk wagon on their route through this city. The wagon was built at Brougher’s carriage shop and is very conveniently arranged.”
However, the date could be earlier. An article published by Jerry Goshert on farmers-exchange.net on December 11, 2015, states that Spring Brook Dairy of Bremen began operation in 1894, was run by three generations, and closed in 1962.
George Kiefer was born on March 10, 1853, on a farm near Bremen. He died on July 24, 1930.
The Bremen Enquirer of September 6, 1901, notes: “George Kiefer, of the Springbrook Dairy, is recovering from a severe illness of several days.” This is the earliest mention we have found of the Springbrook Dairy. At this time, we are not aware of any “Springbrook” embossed bottles from this dairy. If one exists, please consider sharing it with us so it can be documented.
Additionally, there is a metal token labeled “SPRINGBROOK DAIRY — KIEFER BROS. PROPS. — GOOD FOR 1 PINT OF MILK.” We are currently in need of a clear photograph of this token so it can be included on this page.
We’re not sure exactly when his sons took over the business under the name “Kiefer Bros.,” but it was sometime before 1911, as that is the earliest mention we’ve found in the Bremen newspapers.
An article published in The South Bend Tribune on June 28, 1992, reported that the former Kiefer Springbrook Dairy at 525 W. Dairy Street had been demolished. The article noted that the dairy closed in the mid-1960s.
The bottle shown below is definitely an early milk dating to the early 1900s. If you have any additional information on Kiefer, please share it with us.
Parties wanting ice cream for home use, picnics, socials, or any kind of gathering can be supplied on short notice with any quantity by leaving their order at George Kiefer’s dairy, one mile west of Bremen.
R. F. McDuffy, a Chicago detective, came here yesterday and summoned Yoe Kroft, a Chicago man, who had been whitewashing the barns at Kiefer Bros.’ dairy, to appear as a witness in a big damage suit in that city. The two men returned to Chicago together yesterday afternoon.
A real estate deal of some note was consummated last week in which Ollie Kiefer, sr., member of the Kiefer Bros’. Springbrook dairy farm, became the possessor of the Valentine Glossman farm on the Ridge. The farm consists of 80 acres of splendid soil. Mr. Kiefer expects to move onto the farm in the early spring.
At Kiefer Bros. dairy, a mile west of town, the mercury registered 18 below zero. At the water and light plant, usually a cold place, it was 12 below. Up town, where they were better sheltered, thermometers generally showed around 10 below.
GEORGE M. KIEFER.
George M. Kiefer, well known retired farmer and for many years a leading citizen of this community, died at his home at 321 North Center street at 5:30 this morning after a long illness from a complication of diseases incident to his advanced age. His death came only a few days after that of his brother, Edward.
George Martin Kiefer was born on a farm near Bremen March 10, 1853. He was the son of Jacob and Barbara Kiefer. He spent his entire life of more than seventy-seven years in this community and took an active interest in its civic affairs. He was united in marriage with Caroline Mohr on May 2, 1878. Four sons and one daughter were born to them. One son, William, preceded his father in death. Surviving, with the widow, are three sons, Albert and Henry F. Kiefer of Bremen and Edward Kiefer of South Bend, and one daughter, Mrs. Delbert Snyder of Bremen. He leaves also two brothers, Carl T. Kiefer of Bremen and Frank Kiefer of Berkeley, California. Three brothers and three sisters preceded him in death.
During the past twenty years Mr. Kiefer has been superintendent of the Bremen park. It was largely through his effort that the park was established, and he has always taken an active interest in its upkeep. Much of the beautiful shrubbery there now is of his planting.
Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon with a brief ceremony at the home at 1:30 o’clock and the service at St. Paul’s Lutheran church at 2:00. Mr. Kiefer was a life-long member of the church. Rev. W. T. Vogel will officiate in the funeral services. Burial will be in the Bremen cemetery.
The bottle is an early example and glows green under a blacklight.
According to the Society for Historical Archaeology and David Whitten’s Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website, the use of manganese as a glass decolorizer declined rapidly during World War I, as glassmakers adopted selenium by the late 1910s due to material shortages and because selenium did not solarize or fluoresce under ultraviolet light.