January 11

The Shop has been busier than expected so far through the winter. They have some small still work to be done. Joe has received his usual orders from candy and ice cream companies this time of year. In fact, he has several new customers in the confectionery field from Washington, D. C. The Taylor Roberts Co. and the Georgetown Candy Kitchen have ordered jacket kettles for their products. The year starts off very well for the Kavanagh Company.

February 20

A cold winter’s week ends this Saturday. It’s been a very active week. A steamship repair, two fountains and their usual assortment of jacket kettles, stills and beer vessels. They have a little of everything in the Shop to work on this week. Uncle Joe is very pleased at how this winter has gone so far. The work is coming back and at a heightened pace. He has been introducing the younger Joe to many of his customers. Just today, they both visited John Wiessner at his brewery. Young Joe is doing his best to learn all he can. He is a likable character and this helps him in making new friendships and forging good business relationships.

March 25

The Shop stays busy as spring starts. Martin and Eugene are in Atlanta taking a look at a still that needs replacing. More and more, most months one of Joe’s nephews is out of state. The Shop’s area of effect is again widening. One thing that really helps Joe at this point is the railroad. The rail system in the U. S. has had its ups and downs. By now, it is much more well-established and better regulated. Fortunately, for Joe he has the means to send his workers to customers with little worry. He trusts them and it has been paying off greatly. His nephews especially Martin have been as far West as Ohio, as far South as Georgia and as far North as New York. Today, with the two nephews gone, Uncle Joe has James and most of the rest of the boys working on a beer vessel for a new customer, Wickham and Sons Brewing. They are located in Baltimore on Pratt Street. The younger Joe spends his day on the phone. Making deals and speaking to customers. He is working on an arrangement with several steamship captains. He would love to have an agreement in place that as the steamers come to dock, the repair work is sent to Kavanagh’s post haste. Within several weeks, Young Joe has this deal struck.

April 22

Once again, it’s baseball season. The Temple Cup Champion Orioles open up their season by defeating the Boston Beaneaters at Union Park. It’s their year to defend the cup, the championship. The Shop’s crew, as always, follow the team and the season closely. The boys are working on a still for Maryland Distilling on Guilford Avenue. A new one that needs to be fabricated and installed. It is local so, it should be very straightforward. Also, they have the first of the promised ship repairs. The ship is docked for three days. Just enough time to repair the stack and replace the ballast pump-chamber.

May 15

A horrific tragedy. Martin’s son, Martin Jr. dies. He is only three and the family is devastated. He became ill a few days before. It was not an uncommon occurrence at this time for children to die. Martin and Mary Rachel mourn. The family rallies round them to support and help in any way they can.

July 3

Uncle Joe’s crew is hitting it hard today. It is a Saturday the day before Independence Day. They would all love to get out of work a little early. Joe is not unsympathetic, but they have plenty to do. The boys work on stills for Monumental Distilling on O’Donnel Street and Levy Price in Montgomery County. Eugene runs these two projects, while the few remaining gents work on a small fountain order. With the impending holiday, Joe sends them home at 2 pm.

August 16

Another steamship rush repair finds its way to the Shop. This one will make for a busy hot week. In addition, they are making a beer vat for White Brewing on Bond Street. Another new local brewing customer. Joe’s list continues to grow. More customers and more contacts. Some of this facilitated by the younger Joe’s personality and his way with people. Certainly, he has been able to augment the ship repair end of the business. Uncle Joe also plans to send Eugene to Buffalo, New York for another possible still replacement next week. The business is swamped again. Uncle Joe is truly benefiting from having three nephews who are coppersmiths and one who is a “showman”. For the four brothers, they spend the day discussing the Orioles. They’ve won six in a row and moved into second place. Today they play the Bridegrooms and will thump them 14-5.

September 4

Joe’s brother James and his family come to visit on this Saturday. Joe leaves the Shop early to meet their train. The crew carries on with their usual hammering and heating, bending and curving. They knock out a small still and a set of pans for Sharp and Dohme, one of Joe’s patent medicine customers.

Young Joe and Martin oversee the business in their uncle’s absence. They will all gather on Albemarle Street this evening. A big celebration is planned. Young Joe will sing and maybe even tap-dance. It is a raucous joyous affair. Joe and Patrick are very excited to have their little brother, James, around for a week.

September 24

Sadly, James dies suddenly. He returned to Brooklyn after his visit and grew ill on the train. He is sick for several weeks, but then succumbs to tuberculosis. The family is shocked to hear this news. Joe, himself, travels to NY to bring James’ body back to Baltimore. He is interned at New Cathedral Cemetery near his mother. Patrick and Joe are the only two of their generation left. Mother, sister and now younger brother gone. They recall, once again, that trip so long ago that brought them as a family to America.

October 12

A chilly fall day is a busy day. Martin has several of the men with him at George Gunther’s Brewery for a repair. Eugene has four men with him in Buffalo for a still installation. The remaining fellows try to do the work of a full Shop. They work on a dozen different jacket kettles for commercial cookers and assorted pans, fitting and connections. The boys are all in a good mood for the Orioles have repeated as Temple Cup Champions. This year the Birds finished in second. They then beat the first place Boston Beaneaters 4 games to one. The same team they beat in the year’s first game. This season the Orioles were lead again by Willie Keeler. He puts together one of the best offensive seasons in baseball history. He hits an amazing .424 and in 564 at bats he only strikes out five times. Astounding numbers. The Kavanaghs and their crew are very happy fans. What they don’t know is that this will be the last Temple Cup Series ever.

November 15

Another week begins. Uncle Joe’s business has work backed up for a month now. A very comfortable place to be especially with winter on its way. The boys crank out their kettles, cookers and pots. They fabricate a replacement drip pan for Sharp and Dohme. Two school railings are bent and a large boiler repair job is begun. Joe’s crew hovers around 20 now. They have 18 steady, but sometimes hire a hand or two for large deliveries and installations. Joe knows he and the Shop may be on to bigger and better things. He won’t get ahead of himself though. He has seen things change quickly before. For now, he looks forward to the holidays with family and feels very little sense of dread at winter’s coming. The Shop has had its best year ever.

William McKinley is the President of the United States. The first Boston Marathon is run. The United Mine Workers Union is formed after a massive strike. “Yes, there is a Santa Claus” is written by a New York City Sun editor in response to a little girl’s letter. Oldsmobile and the Library of Congress are opened. The Klondike Gold Rush begins. Amelia Earhart and William Faulkner are born.

There are 45 states in the Union.

January 11

Joseph A. and Johanna Kavanagh’s first daughter is born. Her name is Alice. A very cold Saturday is warmed by this exciting news. The Shop has slowed up a bit. They get their usual January orders for pots for candy and ice cream companies. Still steady and still with a backlog. Just not at the level it was. It’s typical for the winter.

February 24

Eugene and Mary Ann Kavanagh have a son. He is born today and named Eugene Jr. The family is overjoyed at these two babies joining the Kavanaghs. Eugene the elder is working on a still repair for Monticello Distilling with several other men. Joe’s business is doing okay. Again, not as busy as they were, but everyone has things to do and there is a 2 week backlog of jobs. That’s good enough for Joe.

April 9

The Shop celebrates its 30^th Anniversary quietly. No big lunch or anything. I am sure Joe was aware of it. Perhaps, a toast after work with the nephews. Otherwise, it was a day centered on making some beer vessels for Globe Brewing. Some smaller parts are made, as well. A cool busy spring day at the Joseph Kavanagh Company

April 16

Another baseball season begins. The Baltimore Orioles open up at home against the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. The Shop’s crew is again hoping for a better outcome than last year. Two years in a row with the best record in the National League only to be beaten in the Temple Cup Series. Baseball is the talk of the Shop. They hammer and shape. Wielding both tools and torches to make the curves they need. The manufacture of a still heading to North Carolina is begun. Along with some cooking kettles and pans.

May 22

Martin has three men with him on the North Carolina installation. The rest are spread around the Shop working on a large boiler job for E. J. Codd. This one will take some time. Multiple boilers with a variety of bearings, fittings and parts to be produced. The younger Joe is fielding calls and taking notes. He passes these on to his uncle for pricing. Uncle Joe is teaching his pricing system to his nephew, Joe. He explains the step by step approach to quoting. Cost of material, cost of labor, time of labor and the availability of the material are all factors in it. It won’t take long for the younger Joe to be able to bid on his own. He is a fast learner.

July 2

A hot sweltering day is worked through by the Kavanagh Crew. Today most of the men work on a steamship repair while Martin and Eugene are in Cumberland. They are taking some measurements and discussing a still replacement job. Uncle Joe spends some time with James today. He has him working on a pitcher. As stated before, making a copper pitcher on your own is one of the final basic tests of a coppersmith at the Shop. James is coming along fine if not as fast as his older brothers.

August 1

On this Saturday, the Kavanagh boys celebrate Young Joe’s 30^th birthday. The Shop is closed at noon and the brothers head to Union Park. They pick up their youngest brother, Frank, from Albemarle Street. The five brothers attend a baseball game together for the first time. All of them are fans of the Birds. They cheer and root on the Orioles to victory. They defeat the Washington Senators 7-0. They saw a good game. After this win, they are in second place. 1 ½ games behind the Cincinnati Reds.

September 15

Both of the Joe’s and Martin have a lunch meeting at the Shop. Uncle Joe is very pleased with the way his younger namesake has adapted to his new job. Martin concurs. Martin and Joe have always been fairly close as they are the two eldest brothers. They discuss the status of the Shop and the two younger brothers. Eugene is growing as a smith every day. James is doing well, but not quite at the same pace. However, James has a gift for tracings (drawings). He has a mathematical mind and is adept at reading any basic drawings given to them by customers. They begin making a plan for how to best use their crew. A way to maximize what they can get out of the business. James will continue his training, but with more of an emphasis on drawings and the engineering end of their work. Eugene will be schooled further in still-making. Martin assures his uncle that Eugene is ready to visit distilleries alone and take all the necessary measurements. With Martin’s guidance, Eugene should be able to run a crew for installations very soon. The Shop boys are plugging away on a still for Horsey Distilling. The fellows are in a fine mood because the Orioles are again in first place. They have basically locked up winning the N. L. again. What will happen in the Temple Cup is the primary topic of discussion.

October 1

Martin has a second son. His wife, Mary Rachel, gives birth to Vincent Patrick. Three new Kavanagh babies this year. The family is ecstatic.

October 10

The Orioles defeat the Cleveland Spiders in the Temple Cup winning 4 games to none. There is much rejoicing at the Shop. It’s a Saturday and very little gets done. Several crew members are rather hungover. They were celebrating yesterday’s clinching victory. Uncle Joe is not one to put up with lollygagging during work hours. He makes an exception today. He smiles to see his 4 nephews rehash the series over and over. The Spiders were shut out in the final game, 5- 0. Finally, Orioles’ fans get the retribution they have wanted. The team steamrolled into first place by September and didn’t look back. Their offense this year led by Hughie Jennings who batted a very healthy .401. This time it was different. This time they won it all.

November 11

Joe’s company is heading toward another successful year. They are not quite back where they were before the last economic downturn. They are definitely moving forward though and in the right direction. This day is spent fabricating a fountain, several beer vats and a very fancy brass rail. The Shop still has a 2 week backlog. Joe wants more, but this will work. They just need to maintain this level. The younger Joe has been making some cold calls. Spreading the word of his uncle’s company. This Joe is definitely a talker and a natural salesman. He has even sent letters out of state to folks he knows from his minstrel days. Anything he can do to bring work to the Shop, he will do. Martin has to shoo him out of the building late this evening. Their uncle is already gone and Martin tells Joe it’s late and he should head home. Before leaving and locking up, Martin fills a few bottles with their rye.

December 31

Joe bids the year goodbye with a silent toast before bed. He lives alone again on High Street, but he knows he is not alone. His family is with him. They work with him now. Four nephews and he can’t wait for little Frank to join them. It shouldn’t be long. Joe has a great deal of satisfaction and he has had some success with his business. Nothing compares to this feeling of having these boys with him. It’s a special bond when working with family. The level of trust and shared labor. It brings them all closer. Joe loves it. The boys seem to do so, as well. The younger Joe has settled into his position at the Shop. He still sings at work and elsewhere. Once again, serenading the Lombard Street bridge on Christmas Eve. He will always miss his touring, but he’s content. He finally feels he is where he should be. Sure, his wife had Joe offer him a job and she did get what she wanted. That’s how it worked out, but what really happened is the Shop called him home.

President Grover Cleveland does not seek re-election. William McKinley defeats William Jennings Bryan to become the 25^th President. The state of New York restricts alcohol sales on Sundays to hotels only. Henry Ford’s company builds its first vehicle, the Quadricycle. John Phillip Sousa writes “ Stars and Stripes Forever”. George Burns, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ira Gershwin are born.

In January, Utah is admitted to the Union becoming the 45^th state.

January 5

Joe’s sister Katherine Brady joins him at his house on High Street. She’s a widow and, sadly, both her children have passed away. She is his only sister and younger than he, but her health is not good. He is very happy to welcome her to his home. It took some convincing on his part. With the help of his nephews, he moves her in on this Saturday.

January 8

The Shop is fairly busy. The winter has been better than last year. As happened last January, they have several ice cream and candy making customers who need repairs and some new parts. Orders from Vincent Vaccaro, Canover Ice Cream and the Darby Candy Co. are for new jacket kettles. A good start again to the year. Joe divvies the work between his crew. Joe’s confident he might have a better year. Confident, but cautious.

February 6

George Herman “Babe” Ruth is born in Baltimore. Pigtown to be more specific. He will become possibly the most well-known Baltimorean in the world.

March 5

Joe receives a call from Monumental Distillery. They are inquiring about a large 70 gallon still. These are big and a challenge to install. Joe dispatches Martin to take some drawings or tracings(as they called them) of the building. Meanwhile, the crew stays occupied by more cookers and a boiler job from Codd. The usual brass bearings, gaskets and fittings. A stiffener is curved from a steel bar to support the tank of the boiler. Joe’s phone rings a few times every day. It certainly is a convenience though Joe will weary of answering it.

March 9

The Primrose Quartet takes a Saturday train to New York City. They have some gigs to play in the big city. A St. Paddy’s Day event. Several more in the NE that will keep Joe and his friends on the road for a month. Johanna is none too pleased. She has told her husband, Joe, that this cannot go on much longer. She’s running her parents’ boarding house and caring for two small boys. Also, her mom and dad are considering selling the boarding house. They would like to move to a smaller home. James, Johanna’s Dad, would like to consider retirement in a few years. Joe listens, but is skeptical of his in-laws ever selling their rooming house. He and his pals leave. Promising to return in early April.

April 11

The Shop’s phone keeps ringing. Joe is starting to despise this device which interrupts his day. He loves the work. I am sure, but is unaccustomed to these distractions. One call is long distance from Atlanta. Meyer and Company. They inquire about 2- 40 gallon stills custom designed for their building.

Joe speaks to Martin. Martin will take the train tomorrow and be back by Monday. The crew are working on their assorted cooking kettles and pots. As well as some small parts for a carbonating system. The boys are busy which makes Uncle Joe happy.

April 18

It’s Opening Day in Baltimore. There are high hopes for the team this year. They finished in first place last year, but lost to the Giants(2nd place team) in the Temple Cup. A travesty to many an Orioles fan. This year will be different is the rallying cry. The Kavanagh crew spend part of their day predicting how the club will do and how they will finish. Martin has returned from Atlanta with his etchings and Joe has quoted a price to fabricate and install the 2 stills. The owners of Meyer’s assure Joe that he will receive an order within days. Joe will have to plan a group trip for the installation. Martin will take the lead with several others along to assist. Alas, the Orioles lose to the Phillies on opening day, but drub them 23-4 in the next game.

May 22

Things have really picked up for the Joseph Kavanagh Company. The phone keeps ringing to Joe’s chagrin. He’s thrilled for the upturn in jobs, but hates that ringing. Joe has a small makeshift office in the very front of the Shop. A desk, some files and the phone. Joe still prefers the Shop to his office. Today Martin has two boys with him at Mount Brewery on Pratt Street. They have a beer vat on the cart to deliver and install. The rest of the men are working on three stills. Two for Meyers in Atlanta and one for Wight Distillery in Cockeysville.

May 30

The Primrose Quartet has been offered a spot on a Canadian Tour this summer. Some of Joe’s old music cronies who he used to travel and sing with. He takes the offer as do his three friends. He’s anxious, but concerned about Johanna’s reaction. The tour would run from June to August. Her response is predictable. She is vehemently opposed. She encourages him to find a “real” job that is local. She makes it clear to him that since they married she has made more money at the boarding house then he has singing and selling insurance. He needs to stay and work. Also, help with the boys. Joe is already committed and he has no intention of changing his mind.

June 1

The Primrose Quartet take a train to Boston. Johanna does not see them off.

June 10

Martin takes a train to Atlanta with Eugene and two helpers. The stills were freighted there last week. They will spend the better part of this week installing said stills. At the same time, Joe and the remaining crew have an emergency steamship repair. The usual. A ballast pump-chamber and a new stack. They jump right on it and knock it out. Joe is building up a backlog again. His confidence is growing that they are headed in the right direction.

June 22

Johanna is told by her parents, James and Mary Long, that they have a buyer for the boarding house. They are going to sell, but will stake her some money to find a place. She is worried, but quickly turns that into happiness for her parents. They can buy a smaller house and James may be able to retire sooner rather than later. He is a simple laborer. Not an easy job for an older gentleman. Johanna searches for a small home for her and her boys.

July 16

Joe’s sister Katherine dies. She has been dizzy and very confused lately. Signs of dementia. Dr. Dausch has visited her several times with no improvement. She has a sudden stroke on this Tuesday. The Kavanaghs mourn her especially her brothers. Patrick and Joe discuss that trip from Ireland so long ago when they were all children. The third brother, James, will return to Baltimore from NY for the funeral.

July 31

Joe’s workers are very busy. Joe has decided to return to the six day work week. He has nearly a month of a backlog now. The calls and orders are coming in from far and wide now. Another trip for Martin is planned. This time to Cleveland, Ohio to visit a distillery. The rest of the crew are making beer vessels for George Bauernschmidt’s Brewery on Belair Road and some commercial pots. A long hot day. The boys discuss the Birds, of course. They are in third place behind the Cleveland Spiders and the Pittsburgh Pirates. A close race so far.

August 10

The Bank Street boarding house is sold. The Longs move to Conkling Street. Johanna is able to move with her boys into 324 S. Eden Street. She uses the money from her parents for a down payment. She asked Uncle Joe for help, as well. Not money, but some assistance with the move. Joe and the nephews help relocate Johanna to Eden Street. She then asks Uncle Joe for a true favor. She asks him to offer the younger Joe a job. He’s no coppersmith, but he needs a local job to keep him here. Uncle Joe will consider it. Johanna’s husband has been sending letters and has called her several times. She implored him to return, but he is dead set against leaving the tour early. She neglects to inform him that she is moving.

August 11

After mass, Joe spends the afternoon alone on High Street. He gives great thought to his namesake the singing Joe. He has dinner on Albemarle with Patrick and his family. After the meal, he sits with Patrick sipping a glass of rye. Joe asks his brother for his thoughts on this. Patrick, of course, would love it if his number 2 son would get off the road. He’s 29 now. He needs to give up foolish things and grow up. Joe listens to his brother. He will make the offer of a job, but does not know how his nephew will react. If he takes it, at the very least he can answer the damn phone.

August 28

The middle of a long busy week for the Shop. A municipal fountain is being made by Eugene and James while the rest work on some beer vessels and stills. The orders have begun to pile up. The phone rings just after lunch. Joe curses it and rushes into the office from the Shop. It’s his nephew, Joe, He is back in Baltimore, but can’t find his wife. She’s not on Bank Street and neither are her parents. His last several phone calls went unanswered. Where is she is his question for his uncle. Joe gives him the new address. Uncle Joe tells Joe where Jo lives. (Sorry, I really couldn’t help myself, but to include that sentence). He also asks his nephew to come visit him at the Shop tomorrow. He needs to speak to him about something. Young Joe agrees and makes his way to Eden Street. He finds his wife and sons in the small row house. His small boys greet him while his wife displays a high level of indifference. After the boys are asleep, they have a long discussion. Jo does most of the talking. She again reiterates that he is not making enough money singing, traveling and even selling insurance. The boarding house is gone and she can not take another job. And, she is pregnant. She tells him to go see his uncle. Joe sleeps uneasily on the couch that night.

August 29

Young Joe visits his uncle’s Shop in the late morning. Uncle Joe speaks frankly to his nephew. Man to Man or Joe to Joe, as it were. He is not angry, but he makes it clear that the younger Joe must find work here. He must do what’s right for his family. He offers him a job. General Manager and Public Relations. Uncle Joe would pay him to answer the phone, speak to customers and help with the business end of things. This part has never been Uncle Joe’s forte. He had George Smith at the beginning. Since then, he’s done all this himself with some help from Martin. The older Joe would like the younger to handle promotion of the business, as well. They are growing again and work seems plentiful. Uncle Joe envisions Martin running the Shop while Joe runs the office. Joe’s big personality and his connections on the East Coast could benefit the Shop. He makes his nephew an offer he can hardly refuse. The other Joe pauses, enjoying for several more seconds his crazy, fun musical touring life, then he accepts. He knows it is for the best. He also knows it is what Johanna wants. Joseph A. Kavanagh becomes the fourth nephew and fifth Kavanagh to work at the Shop. He will start the following Monday.

September 2

Joseph A. arrives at the Shop for his first day of work at 9:45 am. His uncle curtly informs him that we start at 8 here.(Variations of this phrase are uttered at the Shop for generations.) His uncle immediately takes Joe into the Shop. He begins showing him what they do and how they do it. He then takes him into the office and proceeds to run through their customers. He gives his nephew a long list of businesses and their owners and managers. He needs Joe to learn this list and get comfortable with it. Joe is a bit shell-shocked, but is trying to adapt. He will learn all he can as fast as possible. Uncle Joe leaves him in the office to get acclimated.

September 30

The Orioles win the Pennant. Finishing in first again. They will square off against the second place Cleveland Spiders for the Temple Cup. The crew is excited. They hope it won’t be the same as last year. They are split up today. Uncle Joe and James are working on a 10 gallon patent medicine still. Martin has a crew at Orient Distilling while Eugene has some men with him at Globe Brewing. Repairs at both places. The few other employees are making pans and prepping for the next project. Young Joe is not thrilled with his new job. He does like dealing with people and his personality is one that lends itself to this sort of thing. He is engaging and interesting to speak with and that adds a level of trust to the relationship. He is learning names and companies very quickly. Plus, there is a certain cache to being Joe Kavanagh at the Joseph Kavanagh Company. (Believe me. I know.) All things being equal, he’d rather be singing, but this isn’t too bad.

October 14

The Shop is a quiet, but busy building. Quiet because once again the Orioles have lost the Temple Cup. The Cleveland Spiders beat them 4 games to one. At least, we got a victory this time. The workers are spread through the Shop working on a variety of items. Distilling and brewing equipment as always, but also some industrial bearings, fixtures and fittings. These will be used in a large boiler system. The crew is somber, but they are making money. Far more important than the Orioles. Well, maybe not far but certainly more important. The boys get over it and are in better spirits by the end of the month.

November 27

Joe’s crew are wrapping up a few things before Thanksgiving. The next day. A few jobs to get out the door. A still to install at Melvale and a handful of cookers needed for the approaching holiday. The boys work well as a unit. Young Joe seems to be adjusting to his new job. There’s a certain excitement in quoting a job and then receiving it. His personality and charm, you might say, have helped him form some relationships with a few customers already. He has taken to singing at the Shop on occasion. A little levity in the middle of the day or some entertainment. Uncle Joe was a bit surprised at first, but the crew seem to get a kick out of it so he’s fine with it too. At the end of the day, Martin asks Uncle Joe if he may fill a few bottles with their homemade rye. He tells Joe it’s for a few of his friends in the distilling industry. For the holiday, to keep us in their minds. It’s not the first time someone has filled a bottle or two to take home. Uncle Joe and the rest leave for the night. Martin fills four bottles.

December 24

Per tradition, Young Joe sings on the Lombard Street Bridge. The other members of the Primrose Quartet are there too. They sing together before their friends and family. “Oh Holy Night” and several other tunes. The Kavanaghs will have a very fine holiday with great hopes for a New Year. Both Young Joe and Eugene will be fathers again early next year. And, Johanna is happy to have her husband at home and working. In fact, the whole family is rather happy about that too. They do love his singing though.

Grover Cleveland is the President of the United States. Volleyball is invented by William C. Morgan. George Selden receives a U. S. patent for the automobile. The first public golf course opens. Van Cortlandt in NY. Buster Keaton, Gracie Allen and Jack Dempsey are born.

There are still 44 states in the Union.

January 7

Eugene Kavanagh weds Mary Ann Gribbin. The Kavanaghs gather and celebrate as another branch begins on their family tree.

January 8

It’s been a slow winter work wise, but the jobs never ran out. They do not have the backlog they enjoyed for the last two winters. Yet, they kept busy. Their standard jobs have rolled in and Joe had the boys make some stock items to fill in the time. They are well stocked on copper kettles and pans. They also have 2- 10 gallon stills ready for sale. One of those made almost entirely by Uncle Joe and Eugene. Joe teaching him all he can about the Column Still. The careful hammering and shaping of the copper to achieve the good even curves that are necessary for efficiency. Eugene is learning a lot. He is a very receptive apprentice and is becoming a talented coppersmith.

February 21

Four very large cooking pots and a 40 gallon still destined for Ohio are being made by Joe’s crew today. A nice bit of work to end the winter. Joe will be glad to see spring arrive. The winter, though not horrible, has been a good days/ bad days kind of season.

March 6

The Shop has its first telephone installed. An innovation that Joe probably still marvels at. It certainly will make it easier to communicate with customers. Assuming they have phones too. Most of the crew are working on pots and vats while Martin and three fellows do some repairs at Orient Distilling.

March 13

Mary Rachel Kavanagh gives birth to a boy. Martin J. Kavanagh Jr. Martin Sr. is particularly proud as this is their first son.

May 14

Steamship work is the order of the day at the Shop. Some small brass parts to be made, a small railing for the Bridge and a pump-chamber for the ballast tank. Another good job for Joe. The ship is docked for one week. The boys work hard and the items are finished on schedule.

April 7

Young Joe takes a train to NY. He has been invited to perform at a few small shows with his old troupe. Johanna tells Joe that these trips of his make it tougher for her. She has the two boys to raise and a boarding house to run. She encourages him to find steady work in Baltimore. He listens while nodding a lot and saying nothing. He is not nearly ready to give up on his musical aspirations.

June 4

James is finished school and will become a full-time Shop employee. The crew welcomes the youngster back especially his brothers. Joe will set to training James himself. He has had a taste of the Shop for two summers. He is more than ready to go to the next level. James jumps right into things by assisting Joe in making some custom pans for a commercial kitchen.

June 8

The Orioles have won 6 in a row including a 14 – 2 victory over the Louisville Colonels the previous day. The Shop’s workers are very excited about Baltimore’s baseball team this year. They seem hungry and very talented this year. Joe’s nephews, in particular, are huge fans and they follow the team every day. Joe receives an order for a 40 gallon still for Monticello Distilling. One of their oldest and best customers.

June 9

Joe makes a point of having his three nephews, Martin, Eugene and James, come into the Shop on this Saturday. He wants his nephews with him on this Monticello Still. So the Kavanagh boys tackle this one as a team. Joe loves every minute of it. He holds court explaining the Column Still system. His nephews are working together to get this job started. The younger two learning from their uncle and Martin, as well.

July 5

Young Joe sings at the MD Penitentiary. Reverend L. F. Zinkhan of the Prisoners’ Aid Society organized the event. Performers of a wide range were invited to attend. Singers and comedic actors primarily. Some members of Hinrich’s Opera Company were involved. Joe sang several solos and told a few jokes and funny stories. It was just a bit of entertainment for the incarcerated. A break from their normal life. The prisoners responded with much applause for each performance especially the humorous bits.

August 13

The dog days of summer are always tough at the Shop. The temperature is overwhelming when coupled with the heat of a torch in hand. The older employees have grown accustomed to it. The younger gents such as James are still adjusting. The heat will take a lot out of you, but it is the job. Today several beer vats are made for George Gunther’s Brewery. The vats are made by curving copper sheets then hammering them into a bowl shape. Two men use smithing hammers from the outside while another holds a wooden mallet on the inside to protect the vat from damage. They move in unison from one area of the vessel to another. It’s a slow process, but one that the Kavanaghs have gotten pretty good at pretty fast.

August 23

Young Joe has organized a group of his friends and fellow singers into a group. The Primrose Quartet is formed. Barrett, Diets, Gibbons and Kavanagh are the members. Joe and his band mates plan a trip to Philadelphia. Joe has some contacts at venues in Philly. They will play 8 shows in 2 weeks. A brief trip, but not bad for their inaugural tour. Johanna reluctantly agrees after informing Joe, once again, that it is getting more difficult for her to care for two small children while working at her mother’s boarding house.

September 10

The Orioles have won 16 in a row and will stretch the streak to 18 before losing. The crew of the Shop are excited following this team. They have an amazing offense. McGraw is back again adding base stealing to his game. He will swipe 78 this season. A young upstart name Willie Keeler hits a robust .371 and in 600 at bats he only strikes out 6 times. The team is stacked. The Kavanagh boys are ready to root this team on to a championship. The days do go by faster when a distraction such as baseball comes into conversation. The men talk about the players and the games. The work gets done. It seems almost effortless when you have other things to think about.

September 22

Eugene and Mary Ann welcome a daughter, Dorothy. Another baby in the family. That makes two this year. The Kavanaghs are happy, as always, to see their clan grow larger. Many back slaps and congratulatory handshakes are given to Eugene by his fellow workers. The Shop boys are not all Kavanaghs. They are all pretty close though. The older chaps enjoy seeing Eugene grow up and into fatherhood.

October 17

There is no joy in the Shop for the Orioles have lost the Temple Cup. The New York Giants are declared champions after sweeping the Birds 4 games to none. It does not matter that the Orioles won more games in the regular season. The Shop crew is not a happy crew. It’s only a game though and they muddle through it all. The employees spend most of the day working on a beer vat for Globe Brewing, the associated fixtures and valves, the usual commercial cookers and a brass decorative hotel handrail.

November 5

Joe and his workers enjoy a comfortable Indian summer day at the Shop. Cool, but not cold yet. They heat and hammer as they do every day. Today’s challenge is a large copper fountain. Two circles concentric to each other. In addition, the everyday jacket kettles and pots are made. The Shop’s work has leveled off. They are a bit busier than the start of the year. Who knows what the winter will bring, but the worst seems to be behind them now.

December 24

Joe’s Primrose Quartet sings on the Lombard Street Bridge. He encourages his friends to sing with him and they are happy to join in his tradition. They sing “O Holy Night” and several other Christmas songs. A small crowd of family and friends enjoys the performance. The chill air broken by their melodic voices and the tolling of church bells makes the holiday evening more festive. Johanna holds her sons’ hands as her husband sings. She loves to hear him sing, but his touring may be taking things to a tipping point between them. Regardless, a Merry Christmas is had by all.

Grover Cleveland is the President of the United States. Labor unrest due to the depression leads to Coxey’s Army marching on Washington in the first large scale American protest march. Also, there are May Day riots and the Pullman Strike. For the first time, Coca-Cola is sold in bottles. Norman Rockwell, Jack Benny and e e cummings are born.

There are still 44 states in the Union

January 23

Confectionery kettles fill the Shop this week. Several candy and ice cream manufacturers have ordered repairs and replacements. Old pots lay about the Shop to be fixed and replicated. Perhaps, January is the month to work on your facility at least in the ice cream industry. This is all in addition to their usual jobs. The year has started off well for Joe and company.

March 8

Martin and four men are in South Carolina installing a still. The rest of the crew bend copper tubes for a circular fountain, but for Joe and Eugene. Joe is instructing his nephew on how to make a copper pitcher. The pitcher is a symbolic level of achievement. In a way, you are a full coppersmith when you are able to shape one by yourself. Eugene is quite skilled. Joe is proud of him. He knows he is close.

March 14

Young Joe takes a train to Boston. Several St. Paddy’s Day shows. He will return in one week.

April 25

A 40 gallon still is being installed today at Melvale Distillery on Cold Spring Lane. Joe has the remaining workers split across several brass jobs and the usual assorted kettles. A warm comfortable Spring day at the Shop

May 5

The Stock Exchange crashes in New York setting off a panic. The economy will take a hit. Joe has been through this before. He decides to cut out working on Saturday immediately. He is in a much better spot financially then in 1873. He is more established and has had a few good years in a row. Still, Joe proceeds cautiously.

May 28

Young Joe enjoys a pleasant Sunday with his wife, Johanna and son, Leo. He informs his wife that he will be heading up North for a few weeks this Summer. Shows to be played in New York and Massachusetts. Johanna tells him that she is pregnant with baby # 2. He is excited. He promises to make the trip as brief as possible. She is still running the boarding house with her mother.

June 2

The Shop has felt the slowdown, but not as severely as many other companies. Joe continues to work five full days. He wants to keep his crew intact. He even gains another helper this week when James finishes school for the year. Joe is glad to have another nephew to teach further. So far, Joe is able to retain all of his employees.

June 17

The talk of the Shop today is baseball. The up and coming Baltimore Orioles hammered the Reds the day before 19-7. Led by youngster, John McGraw, the team looks to improve on its first National League season. They do, but finish in 8^th place. McGraw bats .321 with a lofty .454 on-base-percentage though.

July 1

Young Joe the singer rejoins his troupe in NY. Independence Day shows and a few more over several weeks. He is expected back in a month. Johanna will hold him to that.

August 8

The Shop has stayed steady, if not busy. Joe’s business has so far fared well through the economic downturn. The volume is down, but it is at least consistent. The number of customers and the variety of work Joe can do for them has helped him maintain a reasonable level of jobs.

September 4

James returns to school for one more year. Joe can certainly spare him and another year of education is a good idea. James has a fairly mathematical mind. It seems wise to try to cultivate that further. He will return next summer. Full time.

October 9

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine opens. Accepting both men and women.

October 19

Martin has a crew at Wiessner’s Brewing today. Repairing some seams in beer vats. The work has slowed a bit more. Joe does what he has done before. He has some men working on items to stock. Jacket kettles of different sizes, pots, pans, and small still parts. They will sell. Joe knows it. He is prepared for the worst. The Winter might be tough, but he will ride it out and, again, hope for a better Spring.

November 8

Edward Martin Kavanagh is born to Joe and Johanna. Their second son. They will call him Eddie. He will become one of the finest coppersmiths the Shop has ever had and will work there for over 50 years. He was my grandfather.

Grover Cleveland begins the second of his non-consecutive terms as President. The first motion picture studio is opened by Thomas Edison in West Orange, NY. The first commemorative US postage stamps are issued. “America the Beautiful” is written by Katherine Lee Bates. The Stanley Cup is awarded for the first time. Going to Montreal HC. The first American gasoline-powered car is driven by Charles and Frank Duryea. The National Sculpture Society and the American Council on Alcohol Problems are founded.

There are 44 states in the Union.

February 8

Two 70 gallon continuous stills are being built in the Shop today. A Monday. These are big units. All smaller jobs have been finished in order to focus entirely on these two stills. Both for Horsey Distilling. One in PA and one down the road on Pratt Street. They are priced together. Joe knows if he works the job properly he can make a good profit on the local unit especially the install. Eighteen men working hard. The Shop is certainly very busy for February. It’s hardly even cold. Every ten feet someone is brandishing a torch. Through this winter, the volume of work hasn’t skipped a beat from last year.

April 12

It is a busy day full of chatter and conversation at the Shop. There is work to do, of course. A typical mixed bag of a work day. Some cooking vessels, carbonating apparatus and a pump chamber. The crew is far more interested in the fact that it is Opening Day. The Baltimore Orioles baseball season starts today. The old American Association folded at the end of the last season. The Orioles have joined the more established National League. Opening Day always brings a sense of hope to every Spring. A clean slate. In this case, a new league. The crew is excited, but will be disappointed as the Orioles limp through their inaugural N.L. season. They lose today 13-3 to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms.

April 22

Johanna Long Kavanagh gives birth to Leo M. Kavanagh. This family just keeps getting bigger. Joe has stayed in Baltimore through the winter. Selling insurance door to door and even selling tea. He has waited until the baby was born until returning to the road. Joe and Jo are happy young parents.

June 6

James D. Kavanagh becomes the fourth member of the family to work at the Shop. Like Eugene before him, he will work this summer. A beginning apprentice. He’s starts out pushing a broom and cleaning. Soon, he begins the basics. Joe teaches him. The timing is right. Eugene has learned enough to move forward on his own. A skilled apprentice coppersmith. He can develop his skills on his own more or less. Just some occasional direction from Joe or Martin. James has the usual reaction of a rookie at the Shop. A mix of shock and curiosity. He takes his first steps to learning the family trade.

June 18

Mary Kavanagh is born to Martin and Mary Rachel. Their fourth daughter. A Saturday to end the week that is suddenly exciting at the new birth. Two more Kavanagh babies this year. The family is grateful and hopeful.

July 20

The Shop is a hot box today. Torches running all day in the summer swelter. Martin and several boys are at Weissner Brewing. Repairing some leaky seams. The rest are cooking in the heat of 708 E. Lombard Street. Large pots and kettles. Orange-hot copper sheets that are turned and curved to their targeted shape. A tough July day. Not for Young Joe Kavanagh. The new father. He spends the day at Union Park watching the Orioles shellac the Pirates 20-7. A rare victory in a tough season. Joe goes primarily to visit his friend, Connie Mack. The victory and score are a bonus.

August 13

Baltimore’s Afro-American newspaper is first published by John H. Murphy Sr.

August 20

Young Joe takes a train to NY. A month of shows with his troupe. He still has such a love of performance. He’s excited to get back on the road, but knows how much he will miss Johanna and baby Leo.

September 5

James returns to school having passed his freshman year at the Shop with flying colors. He has his first taste of smithing. Joe enjoyed every minute of it. As with Eugene, teaching his nephews his trade is something he relishes. The Shop itself is still busy. Small boiler parts for Codd, a patent medicine still and a large fountain are the order of the day. Joe fields inquiries and orders every day now. Things couldn’t get much better.

October 11

A very long Tuesday ends just before midnight. An emergency steamship repair has kept the crew at it for 15 hours. A new stack is fabricated. New brass gauges and fixtures. The Shop days are rarely short and easy. This one is a test of endurance. Of course, an opportunity to make a profit, as well. Joe’s crew makes some extra money too. A long day certainly, but absolutely a successful one.

November 2

The Shop is full of work. Today a Peanut Kettle is fabricated. Some preliminary work for a small 10 gallon still and a set of copper pans are made. Young Joe heads to Philadelphia for a week. A short stint of shows as a backing vocalist and piano accompaniment. Johanna stays home with the baby. She cleans and cooks at the Bank Street boarding house. Also, taking care of her mother.

December 6

Sheppard Asylum for the mentally ill is founded in Baltimore. Later to become the Sheppard-Pratt Hospital.

December 31

1892 ends as the most successful year in the history of the company. Joe has established himself as not only one of the finest coppersmiths in the country, but a leading expert in the manufacturing of distilling equipment. He maintains a high level of satisfaction with customers in the food service industry. He has taken his first steps into the brewery equipment business. He has established a business that brings security to his family. His nephews in particular. The future of the Kavanaghs looks very bright.

Benjamin Harrison is defeated by Grover Cleveland in the Presidential Election. The first basketball game is played in a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is declared a national holiday. Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother are murdered. Chicago’s elevated train system is opened to the public. General Electric, the Sierra Club and Vogue Magazine are created.

There are 44 states in the Union.

January 15

The winter has been mild so far and the work has been plentiful. Today, several beer vats are being fabricated for Brehm’s Brewing along with a 40 gallon still for Sherwood Distilling. Martin leads several boys on the still while Joe has the rest of the crew working on the beer vats. It is a beautiful sunny Thursday for January. Joe walks home at the end of the day, recounting the years that have passed since he opened his Shop. He can hardly believe how far they have come.

March 17

The Shop crew spends a day working on several pump-chambers. One for a steamship and one for a large boiler. They have a backlog of work of at least one month. Joe is astonished at the amount of jobs he has on the books. He feels very successful and secure for the first time since this Shop started. In the evening a raucous St. Patrick’s Day party is thrown on Albemarle Street. They celebrate their heritage, but also the impending wedding of Young Joe and Johanna. They gather at Patrick and Katherine’s home. They eat, drink and sing many songs led by Young Joe Kavanagh. Music and laughter fill the small row home. A celebration of family and good fortune. Young Joe is heading back to Boston for a few weeks. Several musical shows to do. He’s still living his musical dream though his marriage may change that.

April 9

Joe’s business is 25 years old today. He has grown from a two-man operation with his partner, George Smith, to a 15 man crew. He was a new tradesman trying to make it work in a small stall. Now, he has an established business with a good reputation in a great building. For this anniversary, Joe throws a small party at the Shop. Family, friends and employees have lunch together. Joe walks a few folks who are not familiar with his place through the building. Telling stories of jobs he’s done and items they have made. His pride shows, but he knows enough not to get caught up in that. Twenty-five years is no small amount of time. Certainly, worth a nice lunch.

May 31

Joseph Anthony Kavanagh marries Johanna Long at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. The family rejoices and shares in their happiness. Joe will continue his touring and his insurance sales, but will return to Baltimore as frequently as possible. Johanna will continue running her mother’s boarding house. A complicated arrangement, but one that they hope will work. Joe and Jo are my great-grandparents.

June 1

Eugene Kavanagh returns to work. He is finished with his schooling and ready to work full-time. Joe is excited to have him back. As much as Joe loves smithing, he finds particular pleasure in teaching his trade to others. Teaching his nephews is even sweeter for him. The Shop is full of copper kettles and vessels being hammered and shaped. More cookers are primarily today’s job. A steady stream of orders are flowing into the business. Joe’s confidence continues to grow as there seems to be no end to the work to be done.

August 14

Young Joe is in Philadelphia performing at a small theater with his troupe on a Friday night. He’s singing and appearing in some comedic skits. After the show, Joe is sitting at the bar sipping a glass of rye. In a chance encounter, he strikes up a conversation with one of the patrons. This man thanks him for a fine show and congratulates him on his singing talent. Joe is gracious. Thanking the man. He is a baseball player. He plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates who are in town playing a series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe is suddenly more interested. Besides music, Joe is a great fan of baseball. They drink and have a long chat about the game. The player invites Joe to be his guest at the park for Saturday’s game. The player is a catcher though he plays some first base occasionally. His name is Connie Mack.

September 5

The work week ends on a warm Fall Saturday. The crew finishing another still that will be installed at Orient Distilling next week. Joe’s reputation continues to grow in the distilling and now brewing industries. Joe decides to augment that a bit. He will place a large ad in several publications. Strike while the iron is hot is the old adage. He thinks that advertising might just spread the word further. Below is an early 1890s ad for Joe’s Shop.

September 11

Young Joe returns to the city. Johanna is happy to see him. They live in the boarding house she operates. He tells her stories of his trip, his tour and meeting Mr. Mack. She listens quietly then trumps his tales completely. She’s pregnant and due in the Spring.

November 12

Martin and Mary Rachel have a third daughter. She is named Loretta. Another baby with yet another on the way. The Kavanagh family just keeps growing.

November 20

Joe’s ads may be paying off. He has received three more orders for large stills. Two in Georgia and one in Ohio. Despite winter’s approach, Joe asks Martin to hire two more men. With Eugene working full-time, this brings the crew up to 18. Some days, 708 E. Lombard seems tiny with so many workers. Many days, however, several of the employees are out of the Shop. On sight. Installations and repairs take some of Joe’s boys out of the building regularly. Martin, in particular, seems to enjoy the trips out of state. Martin’s behavior sometimes gives Joe pause, but he can’t deny he’s a good worker and very good at schmoozing customers. That was never Joe’s forte.

December 24

Christmas Eve. Young Joe and several of his friends meet on the Lombard Street bridge after mass. Joe begins a holiday tradition that he keeps going for years. He and his pals sing “O Holy Night” while the neighboring church bells ring. A merry Christmas is had by the Kavanaghs. The golden age of the Shop is upon them. They don’t know it yet, but that is what is happening.

Benjamin Harrison is the President. The Wrigley Company is founded in Chicago. In New York, Tchaikovsky conducts the first public performance at the Music Hall later called Carnegie Hall. The escalator is invented by Jesse Reno. Thomas Edison demonstrates his kinetosope for the first time. Cole Porter, Fanny Brice and Henry Miller are born. Herman Melville dies.

There are 44 states in the Union.

January 2

A new year begins with the Shop full of a variety of distillery work. Repair and replacement of parts and stills. The winter has had little effect on the volume of work so far. During the holidays, Joe has spoken to his brother, Patrick. They discuss Patrick’s son, Eugene, working at the Shop. He’s still in school, but he will start working over the summer. Patrick is happy that his brother is offering to teach and train his son. Joe will be glad to have another Kavanagh to work alongside him. This idea of working at the Shop for the summer while in high school becomes Shop tradition.

January 22

The Maverick, America’s first steel tanker ship, is built at the Columbian Iron Works in Baltimore.

February 1

Young Joe returns triumphantly to Baltimore on this Saturday. The family is thrilled at his return. He regales them all on stories of his tour of Europe. Tales of folks he met and the places he’s seen. Long stories of his performing “before the crowned heads of Europe” and others. These tales are passed down through the generations. The Kavanaghs have an impromptu party. It is a joyful event full of music and glad times. Young Joe will be staying until the Spring. His plan is to return North at that point. He will rejoin his troupe in Boston or New York once the weather is warmer.

March 3

Joe’s crew is pounding out the work. Stills, beer vats and jacket kettles are manufactured and sent to customers. Joe is proud of his team. His crew works hard for him and the work won’t stop rolling into the building. He’s on the cusp of a new level of success whether he knows it or not.

March 8

Most of the Kavanaghs spend a Saturday evening at St. Patrick’s Church. The parish has organized a night of music for the neighborhood. No one has to twist Young Joe’s arm to get him to sing. Always one to put himself forward, he sings with several acquaintances and performs several solos. His deep baritone fills the church and he receives a hearty round of applause. As he exits the stage, he sees a beautiful young girl. After the music stops, folks gather for some refreshments. Young Joe moves through the crowd of handshakes and greetings searching for this girl. Finally, he finds her. He smiles and introduces himself. He tells her to just call him Joe. She laughs and says you can do the same. Her name is Johanna Long.

Johanna Long is the daughter of James Long and Mary Mahoney Long. Both from Ireland. They emigrated then met and married here. James is already deceased. Mary and Johanna run a boarding house on Bank Street. They reside there and have four rooms to rent.

March 15

Young Joe visits Mary and Johanna Long. He would like to begin courting Johanna. Mary approves and Joe will accompany Johanna and Mary to mass on the next day. Joe delays his return to performing up North.

May 12

A week begins for the Shop. This time a range of jobs to be done. A steamship stack, cookers, beer vessels and some boiler work. Joe quietly watches his crew in action. Martin is again in Western Maryland prepping for another still. Joe is anxiously awaiting Eugene to finish the school year. He looks forward to another nephew becoming an apprentice.

May 30

Young Joe Kavanagh escorts Johanna Long to dinner. She turns 18 today. Joe is very taken with her. She finds him at the very least entertaining. His stage experience has added to his charm and humor. Not to mention advancing his singing skills and confidence. He will be returning to his troupe the following week. After walking her home, he assures Johanna that he will return soon to see her.

June 9

Eugene Kavanagh becomes the 3^rd Kavanagh to work at the Shop. Not quite 16, he is nervous. Joe will train Eugene himself. This will take time as it has with all his apprentices. Still, Joe is excited. Eugene starts things off as most Kavanagh boys will for generations. He cleans. He sweeps. Before long he will be instructed in handling and heating copper. The family business gets more family in it.

July 7

Another week of work begins at the Shop. A hot day even for June. At the same time, some of the younger Kavanaghs and their friends are enjoying a day at a local swimming hole, the Union Dock. Tragedy occurs. Vincent De Paul Kavanagh gets caught in the tide. He goes under and drowns. A month shy of his 10^th birthday, Vincent dies. The family is heartbroken. This is the second of Patrick and Katherine Kavangh’s sons to pass away. The boy is buried at St. Vincent De Paul’s Cemetery. The family, again, rallies together and rests on their faith. A child’s death is the most difficult to grieve. It’s an incomplete life. A life interrupted and ended so abruptly.

August 16

A very hot humid work week ends on this Saturday. The family is moving forward, but struggling. The Shop is humming along with jobs. Eugene seems to be taking a liking to working at the Shop. Joe is now teaching him what he needs to know. How to anneal copper. Softening it so it can be bent. How to curve and angle copper sheet and block. He’s just a beginner, but clearly has some skill working with his hands. Young Joe is back in Baltimore. He returned for his little brother’s funeral and has lingered primarily because of Johanna. He is still selling insurance policies when he can as a side gig. In the next month, he will hit the road again.

September 1

Eugene Kavanagh returns to St. Patrick’s school. He learned a great deal during his first summer at the Shop. Joe was quite pleased at his quick progress. The crew are working on several rather large beer vessels and another fancy brass railing for one of the hotels in town. Joe takes some time today to speak to Martin about the business and what lies ahead for them. Joe trusts Martin more and more. Joe envisions a future with Martin running the Shop and his younger brothers working with him.

November 18

The Shop is focused today on a 40 gallon still that will be shipped to Pennsylvania. This one, due to the structure of the distillery must be disassembled then reassembled inside the facility. A more complicated unit, but not inordinately. The layout of the building is something that must be accounted for in any still construction. Joe always finds a way to fit what the customer needs into their facility. Again, his skill and ingenuity are on display. The unit is manufactured and sent off on its way.

December 25

Christmas is a merry one despite the sad passing of Vincent. The family is glad to be together. It’s particularly joyous as Young Joe has returned and promptly proposed marriage to Johanna Long. He has told her he’s traveled the world just to find her here in Baltimore. She accepts as they seem to be very much in love. Uncle Joe is happy for his namesake. He still wishes he would have come to work for him, but he understands that despite the name being the same, they are not the same Joe.

Benjamin Harrison is the President of the United States. Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is published. The National American Woman Suffrage Association and the Daughters of the American Revolution are both founded. Army beats Navy 24-0 in the first Army/Navy game. Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks are established. Robert Ripley, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Groucho Marx are born.

In July, Idaho and Wyoming become the 43^rd and 44^th states respectively.

January 7

A cold Monday at the Shop. Plenty of work. Stills being manufactured and kettles being made. Joe has decided that he will try to get into the brewery market. Beer vats or vessels are made of copper. Usually, these are purchased or built on site by the brewery. As was the same with distillers, they have their own personnel on hand for these things. It might be a hard sell. But just as he did with the distillers, Joe must convince the brewers he can do a good job for them. Joe sets his mind to learning all he can about beer brewing. He goes to the library and speaks to folks he knows. He is confident he can make some inroads into the brewing industry.

March 22

The Shop’s crew works hard on this Friday. Another still install is underway. This one for Sherwood Distilling, a long time customer. Martin oversees this project while the rest of the crew work on assorted small parts for some patent medicine stills. Joe has decided to build his own beer vat. He has a still in the Shop. A beer vessel seems like the next step. He can make it with the same exacting standards as his still. He can use it as a display for potential customers as he did with his first still. The Kavanaghs have received a letter from Young Joe. He’s on a spring tour of the Midwest with his musical troupe. The big news is that in August, Young Joe will head to Europe. The troupe has been booked for a series of shows and performances across the ocean. The family is excited and happy for Young Joe. This could be a big break. At the very least, it will be an adventure for the singer.

May 7

Johns Hopkins Hospital is dedicated in Baltimore.

May 8

Joe has completed his “display” beer vat. He is happy with the result. Martin is in North Carolina taking some measurements for a possible still job. The younger gents are split between a variety of jobs. Some boiler work for Codd, some soda water equipment and the usual cookers that they make. He knows he is very fortunate to have a good hard-working team of men. He watches them work. He has trained most of them himself. A good group of coppersmiths and helpers indeed.

May 14

Joe visits J. F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing in East Baltimore. They have been brewing beer since 1863 though their building was just rebuilt and rehabbed a little over a year ago. Joe introduces himself to John Wiessner. He offers his services. Joe tells him of his own vat at the Shop. Encourages him to visit and take a look at their quality. Fortunately, Mr. Wiessner knows who Joe is. He has a high reputation as a smith especially in the distilling industry. They have a long discussion about the brewery’s needs and Joe’s capabilities. Mr. Wiessner assures Joe he will give the offer some thought. Joe leaves with some confidence that this meeting will likely be his “foot-in-the-door” in the beer business.

June 12

The Shop is visited by John Wiessner. He and Joe speak as they examine Joe’s display beer vessel. Mr. Wiessner orders two. Joe shakes his hand and thanks him. The Shop’s foray into the beer brewing business begins. The workers are making a pump chamber for a steamship and a handful of smaller jobs. Everyone is busy as Joe likes it. He’s very happy to receive the beer vessel order. The distilling work is great and his bread and butter. However, there are still a limited number of distilleries. That’s why he’s increased his area of customers. He still needed local work. The breweries could very well be the answer to this. Joe is so anxious to get started. He gets to work immediately.

August 2

A letter from Young Joe confirms he is off to Europe. He’ll sing, dance and play the piano. His troupe will be doing a long tour. Several months at least depending on their reception. He promises to visit Baltimore upon his return to America. He will have stories to tell and new songs to sing.

September 16

Joe adds a second brewery to his list of customers. Brehm’s Brewery has ordered two beer vats and some associated valves and fittings. The Shop’s crew is also building a 40 gallon still for shipment to Virginia along with its standard fare of kettles and pots. Bending and shaping copper is still at the core of what they do. Not so different than when Joe stated long ago.

November 30

A long busy week comes to an end. Pump chambers, cooking vessels and some ornate brass work is the order of the day. A brief pause in the nearly constant alcohol production industry work that fills the Shop. Joe knows this respite will be short. He has maintenance and service contracts with several local distilleries. Both Wiessner and Brehm’s Brewing have promised more work, as well. Joe’s plan for brewery work has succeeded. He knows it can get bigger. He knows the more variety of work he can do the better it is for the Shop. He knows that more success is within his grasp.

Benjamin Harrison is the President of the United States. The Pemberton Medicine Company is incorporated in Atlanta. This company will become the Coca-Cola Co. The Wall Street Journal’s first issue is published. The first jukebox is put into operation in San Francisco’s Palais Royale Saloon.

With the admission of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington, there are now 42 states in the Union.

January 17

Joe’s Shop is very busy. It has been a good and fairly mild winter so far. The work is plentiful as Joe’s reputation in the distilling industry is growing. Today Martin is near Cumberland visiting a potential customer. The crew in the Shop are busily making two stills and some miscellaneous parts. Joe is happy as he is truly tasting some success now. His hard work and sacrifice have begun to pay off for the business.

March 11

The Great Blizzard of 1888 hits the east coast. Baltimore is buried in over a foot of snow. The City grinds to a halt for a few days. The Shop is closed. MD gets off easy though as the NE is covered in much deeper snow. Some areas as much as 58 inches. Over 400 people die in the storm.

April 9

The 22^nd Anniversary of the Shop arrives with another order for a still in Georgia. Joe has hired two more employees to bring his crew to 15 including himself and Martin. They work in several groups on stills and a large fountain today. If Joe notices the date, he does not make any mention of it to his crew. It’s a day like any other as far as work goes. If there is work, it’s a good day. That is all.

May 19

Joe spends a quiet Saturday evening reading. He’s reading through a book sent his way from his brother, James. A very recent publication called “Half-century’s progress of the city of Baltimore : the city’s leading manufacturers and merchants.” It is published in NY. That’s how James came to hear of it. Joe is stunned to find himself mentioned. They speak glowingly of his skills, his experience and the Shop itself. It must have been a great affirmation of his success, of his abilities, of his trade. His proudest moment may have been when he handed this publication to his mother, Alice. Opened to page 216 and there is a short write-up about Joe and the Shop. She beams at her son as she reads and re-reads the pages over and over.

July 7

Joe and his mother, Alice, move to High Street. Joe’s success has afforded him the opportunity to live in a slightly bigger house in a better neighborhood. Alice is hesitant at first, but Joe convinces her that it’s still close enough to the rest of the family. Alice agrees and they relocate. Alice is very proud of her son and grateful for his care of her.

August 13

Another hot week begins this Monday. The Shop is humming along. More stills to be made and more jacket kettles for cooking. In addition, a steamship is due to dock this week. Repairs have already been arranged. This year is well on its way to being the best in the history of the company.

October 22

Joe assigns jobs to his employees on this Monday. They set to work. Martin is in Pennsylvania supervising an installation of a 40 gallon still. The rest of the boys are split between another 40 gallon unit and a very large brass rail. This rail is relatively straight forward, but for it’s overall length. Nearly 200 foot of rail to be worked. Joe watches and thinks. He is thrilled at the expansion in area of customers. Now reaching slightly north and farther south. Still, he wants to protect the business. To be assured of local work as well as out of state jobs. He must temper his excitement with enough reason to be cautious. To not get too big too fast. This has killed many a business.

November 6

Voters north and west of Baltimore City agree to annexation. The City is expanding. More land and more people make Baltimore a bigger metropolis. This is very much the age of cities. More modern and bigger they will become.

November 29

Joe returns to High Street to find his mother still in bed. This is very out of character. He tries to rouse her, but she is gone. Very suddenly, Alice Kavanagh has died. Joe is overwhelmed with sadness. He quickly informs his family. They gather as one to comfort each other. Alice was truly a matriarch in every sense. Certainly in the Irish sense. She lead this family from poverty and starvation in Ireland to the New World. To a New Hope. She sailed the seas with 4 children. No guarantees were given. There were no assurances of arrival much less happiness. She found a home for these children. Baltimore. She supported and raised them. She guided the family alone for a very long time. She lived to see her children have children. She lived to see them thrive in America. She even lived to see one of her sons work on the Statue of Liberty. That same son has established a successful business. Something the family can use as support both financially and otherwise. I think of her reading the article in the book about Joe’s success. Pride for sure, but also satisfaction. Satisfaction that her life’s work, her family, would be fine and continue on after her. Her courage and steadfast dedication to her children is inspiring. She never blinked. She never wavered. The family came first, always. 130 years after Alice’s death, her descendants number well over 100. She is buried in New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore. Many Kavanaghs will join her over the next five generations.

December 12

More work continues to roll in to the Shop. When they have no stills to work on, there seems to be several that need servicing. The distilling alcohol industry is being very good to the Joseph Kavanagh Company. They continue to make cooking vessels and other copper and brass items. Joe encourages Martin and his crew to take on all work of a copper nature. Joe is trying to protect himself in case of an economic downturn. He is confident and comfortable with the winter coming. They have work and contracts to carry them through. Joe ponders about other markets and customers he can tap into. He spends his evening alone giving thought to the future.

December 19

Martin and his wife, Mary Rachel, welcome their second child. She is named Alice. The Kavanagh Clan continues to grow. The family is buoyed by this girl’s birth. After the elder Alice’s death, a new Alice is born.

December 26

The day after Christmas finds the Shop a busy place. Joe calls Martin aside to speak to him. They discuss the fine year business-wise they have had. They speak of the jobs they have and where they want the company to go. They talk Shop basically. That is what we call it. Joe is perusing the newspaper as they speak. Finally, Joe invites Martin out for a drink after work. Martin is very receptive. Joe rarely goes out for such things. He tells his uncle, “Sure, let’s go have a glass of rye.”

Joe tosses down the paper opened to an ad for a brewery and replies, “No, let’s go get a beer.”

Benjamin Harrison defeats Incumbent Grover Cleveland to win the Presidency despite Cleveland winning the popular vote. The National Geographic Society is founded. The International Council of Women is formed by Susan B. Anthony and others. “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Thayer is published. Knute Rockne, T. S. Eliot and Harpo Marx are born.

There remain 38 states in the Union, but several territories are on the cusp of statehood.