Joseph Liebmann
Joseph Liebmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Aufhausen, Germany |
| Died | March 26, 1913 (aged 81) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Brewer, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Leading S. Liebmann Brewery (later Rheingold Breweries) |
Joseph Liebmann (December 20, 1831 – March 26, 1913) was a brewer of German origin who became an American entrepreneur and led the S. Liebmann Brewery, which was later known as Rheingold Breweries, located in Brooklyn, New York. The brewery’s leading product, Rheingold Extra Dry, gained significant popularity in New York City from the 1940s through the 1960s.
Biography
Joseph was born in 1831 in Aufhausen to Jewish parents Dara (née Selz) and Samuel Liebmann. Prior to emigrating to the United States during the 1850s, his family managed both an inn and a brewery in Ludwigsburg. Joseph was the first to arrive in America in 1850 to prepare a residence; the family eventually settled in Williamsburg, Brooklyn by 1854. They initially rented the Maasche Brewery before constructing their own facility, the S. Liebmann Brewery, in Bushwick.
In 1868, Joseph partnered with his brother-in-law David Obermeyer to establish the Obermeyer and Liebmann Havana Brewery, which was incorporated into the family enterprise in 1924. Following their father’s passing in 1872, Joseph and his brothers Henry and Charles officially formed S. Liebmann's Sons Brewing Company. The trio alternated leadership annually: Joseph was responsible for financial management, Henry directed brewing operations, and Charles oversaw general business affairs. The brothers retired in 1903, entrusting company leadership to their descendants.
Joseph also played a role in industry-related activities, including participation on the brewery exhibition committee at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. Outside of brewing, he held the position of President at Bushwick Savings Bank for nearly three decades, served as managing director of Kings County Trust Company, and was active on the Brooklyn Board of Education from 1882 to 1885.
He passed away at his residence in Manhattan on March 26, 1913.
Personal life
On January 4, 1910, Joseph married Rosa Königsberger (January 11, 1862 – January 12, 1866). They were parents to four children:
- Adolph Liebmann (born January 12, 1866)
- David Liebmann (born October 24, 1863)
- Ida Liebmann (born June 24, 1871)
- Sadie Liebmann (December 25, 1868 – May 20, 1939), who married Samuel Simon Steiner; their daughter Elinor S. Gimbel (1896–1983) wed Louis S. Gimbel, Jr., a descendant of Adam Gimbel