The following story relates the history of three named brick yards that passed in time, one to the other, as they changed ownership and management direction. The three were Hawn & Weis Brick Company, Rochester German Brick & Tile Company, and Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company. These companies were the last to become organized within the town of Brighton and the last to operate within our community. The Rochester German Brick & Tile Company started operations within our neighbor town of Gates. The operations of "Hawn & Weis" started on property located at the Twelve Corners, in Brighton.

_______________________________________

Hawn & Weis Brick Company
1869 -1877

_____________________
1874 NYS Census: Industrial Census Brighton:
Hawn & Weis Co. / Brighton Monroe Co.
Capital Investment: Real Estate: $12,000, Tools & Machinery: $7,000
Raw Material: 700 cords Wood, Value $3,00
Product: 1,000,000 Brick, value $28,000
Motive Power: Steam, Horse Power: 25
Number of Workers: 25 adults, 12 boys under 18 yrs./age
Average Monthly Wages: Men $42, Boys $14
________________________________

Rochester German Brick & Tile Company
1877-1919

 

V. F. Whitmore, President; William Vicinus, Treasurer; S. W. Hagaman, Secretary

- Manufactures of Brick & Tile - No. 279 South St. Paul St.

"The Rochester German Brick and Tile Company was incorporated in 1877 with the above named officers and a cash capital of $22,000, and the office of the company is at No. 279 South St. Paul St. with yards and works at Brighton, comprising forty acres of land fitted up with engines and boiler house, late improved brick and tile machinery, kilns, sheds, barns and houses for the accommodation of the employee's, one hundred in number. They also have another yard on Brooks Avenue - 20 acres in extent - where fifty men are employed. Every convenience for the expedition of work is provided, and the quality of the output is best attested by the demand, to their utmost capacity from the opening to the close of each season. While prepared to manufacture high grade drain tile on a large scale, it has been found most profitable to give special attention to building bricks, of which they turn out vast quantities of the best grades, both common and pressed."

From: Book: "The Industries of The City of Rochester", page 255, published 1888, @ Rochester Public Library R-r974.789 1421

___________________

The 1887 map image below gives a great view of the appearance of Brick Factories on Monroe avenue. You can almost smell the smoke that must have beeen produced and expelled into the Brighton air along this plank road. The map has been rotated to place Monroe Ave. as horizontal.

_____________________________

The image below is an enlarged image of the above1887 map showing the details of the German Brick & Tile Company. This presents an image that shows many structures. I have to believe that some of these belonged to the Abner Buckland Brick Yard. Abner had died in 1865 leaving his son Orrin to operate the Brick Yard. The 1885 is the last listing found which describes Orrin as a brick maker. The property is adjoining the Buckland land and may have been used by both the Bucklands and the German Brick & Tile Co. Sure wish I could find a map that located the Abner Buckland Brick Yard!

____________________________________

1912 First Annual Industrial Census of New York State 1912: /from Barbara Hall @ Hagley Museum & Library
Albany, State Department of Labor, 1913 (HC107N7A3)

Chili:
Rochester German Brick & Tile Co.:
Address: Scottsville Road
Product Manufactured: Brick
Number of Workers: Male 51; Office; 1...Total; 52

Rochester:
Rochester German Brick & Tile Co.:
Address: Brooks Avenue
Product Manufactured: Brick
Number of Workers: Male 80; ...Total; 80

_______________________________________________________

Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company
1919 -1935

Note in Gates Sesquicentennial Book...
Famous Brick Yard
"Many residents of Gates will remember the brick yard, formerly located along Brooks Avenue on what is now airport property. An extensive red clay deposit in that area made it possible for the Rochester Clay, Brick & Tile Co. to make forty or fifty thousand bricks every day for a period of several years."
" Fires were started in the kiln at the beginning of the work year and because it was always warm in that building, it became a favorite stopover for tramps seeking a warm place to sleep. Steam shovels dug and loaded the clay on cars which were taken by team or trucks to the mixing plant and then to the kiln, where it was put in molds and would dry over night."
" According to Hobart Whitmore, who was superintendent of the yard from 1927 to 1935 when the buildings were torn down, about sixty men were employed there at one time."....

-------------------------------------------------------

Rochester Directory Data:
1926-1927 Advertisement for "Whitmore, Rauber & Vicinus" @ 279 South Ave.
Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company
Factories: Maplewood & Brooks Avenue
_______________
This Company was part of "Whitmore Rauber & Vicinus"

1919 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company
1923 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company/Factories: @ Maplewood & Brooks Ave.
1924 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company/Factories: @ Maplewood & Brooks Ave.
1925 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company/Factories: @ Maplewood & Brooks Ave.
1926/1927 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company/Factories: @ Maplewood & Brooks Ave.
1929/1930 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company/Factories: @ Maplewood & Brooks Ave.
1931-1932 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company
1935 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company
1936-1937 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company...... NOT LISTED
1939-1940 Rochester Clay Brick & Tile Company...... NOT LISTED

__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________

Brickyard Operation & Location:

_____________________