Biography
'Jacob Gimlich, born in Weisenheim, Bavaria, October 4, 1845, married Louisa Ellen, daughter of the late William Feige of Pittsfield...Soon after coming to Pittsfield with his father, Mr. Gimlich entered the Taconic woolen mill and learned designing, and was offered a good position in that department. He preferred, however, to enter into business with his brother-in-law, John White, and the two purchased a small brewery in which they began operations on a small scale, and now they are owners of a mammoth establishment two hundred feet long, operated under the corporate title of Berkshire Brewing Association with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, and a capacity of seventy thousand barrels with a gratifying yearly increase of output.'

Source: Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Page 282

According to Images of America Pittsfield, by Susan Eisley, Published 2001 Arcadia Publishing, page 64, 'The...Read MORE...

1847 Birth
Birth record found at Poland, Evangelical Church Books, 1700-2005 Evangelical Wrocław Leśna (Lubań) Births (Akta urodzeń) 1846-1880 on familysearch.org
familysearch.org

Passenger List Ship: Donau Origin: Germany Arrival: New York Arrival Date: 10 Dec 1853
Alwine Feige Child, Youngster 6 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

Amalie Feige Daughter 10 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

Auguste Feige Wife 30 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

Louise Feige Child, Youngster 6 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

Carl Feige Child, Youngster 4 M 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

F.w. Feige Weaver 29 M 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau
Gustav Froehlich Weaver 24 M 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau

Maria Froehlich Wife 24 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau
Henriette Theunas Spinster 19 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau
Rosalie Theunas Spinster 27 F 10 Dec 1853 Germany Donau
www.castlegarden.org

1855 Massachusetts Census - Pittsfield
Wm Feigau, 31, factory operative, b. Germany
Augusta Feigau, 32, b. Germany
Augusta M. Feigau, 12, b. Germany
Alverna L. Feigau, 7, b. Germany
Louisa L. Feigau, 7, b. Germany
Wm C. Feigau, 6, b. Germany


1855 Massachusetts Census

1863 Confirmation
Louise Feige - confirmed - 17-May-1863, DOB - 18-Dec-1847


The German Evangelical Lutheran church - In 1859, when the Protestant German population of Pittsfield was about 400, arrangements were made by a portion of them for devine service in their own language. These services were first held in private houses, and with occasional visits by clergymen from New York. But in April, 1859, Rev. Augustus Grotrain, a learned and able minister of Albany, accepted a call, and organized the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pittsfield. The town subsequently granted a pleasant site in the corner of First street burial-ground, where the church was erected, at a cost of $2,274.00 and which was dedicated September 14, 1865. There present pastor is Rev. John D. Hagar.

Title Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885
Compiled by Hamilton Child
Publisher Printed at the Journal Office, 1885
Page 322
ZION'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - Parish Registers

1865 Pittsfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts
William Feige, 41, b. Germany, fact. op.
Augusta Feige, 41, b. Germany
Augusta Bachmann, 21, b. Germany, fact. op.
Augustus Bachmann, 26, b. Germany, fact. op.
Louisa Feige, 17, b. Germany, fact. op.
Ellen Feige, 17, b. Germany, fact. op.
Charles Feige, 16, b. Germany, fact. op.
Henry Feige, 5, b. MA
Chalres Aulick, 24, b. Germany, weaver
1865 Massachusetts Census

1868
Feige, Louisa
ZION'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - MARRIAGES, 1860-1924

1870 Pittsfield, MA
Jacob Gimlich, 25, brewer, b. Bavaria
Louisa Gimlich, 22, keeping house, b. Prussia
David Gimlich, 1, b. MA
Libbie White, 9, b. Prussia
Elizabeth White, 54, b. Prussia
1870 U.S. Census

October 27, 1887
Mr Jacob Gimlich, of the brewing firm Gimlich and White, has moved into the new house which was built for him during the summer of 1887 by contractor John K. Strong [363 Columbus Avenue, 1990 numbering]

Building News and Real Estate Transactions from the Pittsfield Sun, 1800-1906 by Bruce N Honig, The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

1889
Gimlich, Jacob (Gimlich & White), Railroad c John, h 67 Railroad
Gimlich & White (Jacob Gimlich and John White), malsters and brewers lager and ale, Railroad, c John
Gimlich, David J., student, bds 67 Railroad
1889 Pittsfield City Directory

June 16, 1892
Living in Pittsfield, Massachusetts as Louisa E Gimlich at the time of her father's death, according to his estate records.

New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971
Cayuga Estate papers 1799-1905 box 390
familysearch.org

1900 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, MA
Jacob Gimlich, b. Oct 1856 in Germany, age 53, brewer
Louise Gimlich, b. Dec 1847 in Germany, age 52, year of immigration 1849, mother of 9 children (7 still living)
Maria S. Gimlich, daughter, b. May 1878 in MA, age 22
Mildred Gimlich, daughter, b. June 1880 in MA, age 19
Carolyn Gimlich, daughter, b. Mar 1881 in MA, age 18, artist
Arthur Gimlich, son, b. Jan 1890 in MA, age 10, at school

Also living in Pittsfield (on Onata St.) is their son, David Gimlich, age 31, b. Mar 1869 in MA. David is a brewer. He lives with his wife, Mary, age 27, and a servant, Margaret Sullivan, age 20
1900 U.S. Census

1910 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, MA
Jacob Gimlich, age 64, brewer
Louisa E. Gimlich, age 62, mother of 9 children (6 living)
Marie S. Humphrey, daughter, age 32, widowed
Caroline E. Gimlich, daughter, age 29
1910 U.S. Census

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1914
Name: Louise E Gimlich
Gender: F (Female)
Residence Year: 1914
Street Address: 363 Columbus av
Residence Place: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Spouse:
Jacob Gimlich
Publication Title: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1914
ancestry.com

1920 Columbus Ave., Pittsfield, MA
Louise Gimlich, age 72, widowed
Carolin Gimlich, daughter, age 38
Marie Humphrey, daughter, age 41, widowed
Ernestine Humphrey, granddaughter, age 12
1920 U.S. Census

1921 - Death Records of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 1860-1995
Death record found at the Berkshire Anthenaeum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts - mentions her children

1921
Died Dec. 19, 1921, age 74 yrs. 2 dys. (363 Columbus Av., Pittsfield, MA)
www.rootsweb.com /~maberksh/towns/ pittsfield/pitt_deaths/

1921
Gimlich, Jacob (Mrs.), d. 19 Dec 1921, age 74, reference B-415
ZION'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PITTSFIELD, MASS. DEATHS, 1860-1923

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1921
Name: Louise E Gimlich
Gender: F (Female)
Residence Year: 1921
Street Address: 363 Columbus av
Residence Place: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Spouse:
Jacob Gimlich
Publication Title: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1921
ancestry.com

Tuesday, February 5, 1946 - 25 years ago
Berkshire Brewing Association votes to brew beer no longer, but turn to soft drinks because of prohibition. Officers President David J Gimlich, vice president and secretary John A. White, treasurer George H White, directors, George H White, John A White, Karl O Cyrus, D J Gimlich. John White and Jacob Gimlich bought the plant of Michael Benson (1868). The daily output was then six barrels. The business grew to a capacity of 75,000 barrels a year. Sixty hands were employed and the product was sent to many states, including the Carolinas. The brewery, the only one within a radius of 60 miles, was a thriving industry and made its owners rich.
Visit Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA (Coltsville)


The Berkshire Evening Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
February 5, 1946

1959 - Looking Back - 50 Years Ago
In the parlor of the palatial home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Gimlich on Columbus Avenue, the Rev. W. L. Genzmer united in marriage Miss Mildred Pauline Gimlich and Asa Lloyd Briggs, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leverett Briggs of Ashaway, R. I.

The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Friday, September 18, 1959

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - Condemned property burns
Benning W. De La Mater
Wednesday, September 13 PITTSFIELD - A blaze that drew dozens of firefighters and nearly 100 spectators to an abandoned house on Columbus Avenue burned into the night yesterday.

Officials say foul play may be to blame.

Calls of a fully involved structure fire at 363 Columbus Ave. flooded into the city's dispatch center shortly after 9:30 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, they entered the rickety-looking home believing that children may have been inside, said Chief James Sullivan.

'We've had reports lately that children have been playing inside,' he said. 'When they didn't find anyone, they got out quick.'

A condemned sign -- a red box with a white 'X' drawn through the middle -- was marked on the front, alerting rescue workers that the interior of the house lacked staircases and was a risk to collapse.

Firefighters doused the roof of the home with thick streams of water from at least six different positions around the home. One firefighter aimed ...Read MORE...


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The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
September 13, 2006

Thursday, September 14, 2006 - Officials: Fire set on purpose
Benning W. De La Mater
Thursday, September 14 PITTSFIELD -- Fire investigators determined the fire that scorched a condemned house at 363 Columbus Ave. Tuesday night was an act of arson.

'We found more than one point of origin,' said Pittsfield Deputy Chief Mark Cancilla. 'It looks to have been intentionally set.'

Investigators were on scene yesterday and learned from combing through the slumped wreckage that flames were started in both a first-floor wall and in an area on the second floor. Cancilla said fire investigators also believe foul play is to blame because utilities have been shut off for years.

Arriving at the blaze shortly after 9:30 p.m., firefighters ran into the house, even though a hazard placard -- a red box with a white 'X' drawn through the middle -- was posted above the front door.

Cancilla said both witnesses and police reported seeing people milling in and around the gargantuan house of late. Some neighbors suspected that a homeless woman was living...Read MORE...


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The Berkshire Eagle
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
September 14, 2006