QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

In other words ... Harry Cohen became a soft drink manufacture sometime between September 26, 1918 and December 13, 1923 September 26, 1918 = Barber Supply December 13, 1923 = Soft Drink Manufacturer

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

Here's Harry's WWI draft registration cards dated June 5, 1917 and show his occupation as "Barber Supply"

 

[CreekWalker]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

Great research , keep it coming! When I find one, I'll want to know all about it! Thanks.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

I made an interesting but confusing discovery ... On Harry Cohen's 1913 and 1923 naturalization documents it says he immigrated to the United States on a ship called the Utopia which departed from Rotterdam, Holland in 1902-1903. (The 1913 document says 1903 but the 1923 document says 1902). But regardless of the exact year he immigrated, the most confusing part of all is that the Utopia sank in Gibraltar bay in 1891. I searched for other ships by that name but could not find a single one, and I don't think it was a custom then or now to name a ship after one that sank and lost about 500 of the 800+ passengers. As far as I know they did not do that with the Titanic that sank in 1912 or the Lusitania that sank in 1915. So I don't know what to make of it unless someone made a huge mistake or else just pulled the name Utopia out of a hat for some unknown reason. Here's a link to the 1891 Utopia sinking, and is the only illustration I could find of the ship, a picture of which is attached below ... http://gibraltar-intro.blogspot.com/2013/02/1891-utopia-hand-inside-sea-bream-juan.html [Attachments] 1. 1913 Cohen document showing "Utopia"2. 1923 Cohen document showing "Utopia"3. Illustration of Utopia ship from link Hmmm, is it just me or does the Utopia look a little bit like Popeye's schooner?

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

Just for the fun of it ...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

~ Cohen Update ~ Long story short ... 1. As it turns out, there was another ship called the "Utopia" In fact, it was operated by Anchor Lines, which was the same shipping line that built the original Utopia that sank in 1891. The newspaper snippet below is just one of several references I have seen for it. So I guess they did name other ships after those that sank. Who knew? 2. As for Morris Cohen (Harry's younger brother) he also immigrated to the United States in 1903, but came over on a different Anchor Lines ship called the "Ethiopia" He also came over at a slightly different time. Harry arrived in New York on or about March 30, 1903, whereas Morris arrived in New York on or about March 25, 1903. But why the came over on different ships at different times, we will likely never know. 3. As it turns out, there was another, older brother named Louis who immigrated to the U.S. in 1899 and apparently where Harry and Morris stayed for a time. It was Louis who had the Barber Supply that Harry worked for in 1917. 4. When Morris initially filed for naturalization in 1911, his occupation is shown as "Suspender Maker" 5. I have some more research do on Morris and am currently having a problem narrowing down exactly when he hooked up with Harry in the soft drink business, but its starting to look as if it was in the late 1930s or early 1940s, with 1942 being the earliest reference I have found so far. 6. As far as all of this immigrant ship stuff is concerned, I can't help but wonder if Harry had a fascination with ships, which, in part, might explain the sailing schooner on the Popeye bottle label and bottle cap? Harry was about 12 years old when he crossed the Atlantic on the Utopia, which must have been quite an adventure for him and possibly left some lasting impressions. Who knows? [Attachments] 1. Newspaper snippet with "Utopia" reference from ...The Pittsburgh Daily Headlight ~ Pittsburgh, Kansas ~ February 23, 1901 2. Morris Cohen's naturalization documents 3. Illustration of "Ethiopia" immigrant ship that Morris came to America aboard

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

P.S. Here's another ship I came across called the "Utopia" but I don't know much about it yet other than its not the Utopia that sank in 1891, nor the Utopia that Harry was on ...

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

Here's the link where I found the picture of the Utopia ship I just posted. Maybe someone can make sense of it. Scroll to Part 13 http://www.old-kirkcudbright.net/pages/scaur2.asp

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

I'm giving up on trying to find anything more about Morris Cohen. I can't seem to find anything concrete for him during the 1920s and 1930s other than he might have lived in New York as a clothing manufacture. The only other thing of interest I found was for Harry and Morris' mother whose name is listed as "Blima" Cohen (which could have been a nickname), and was born in Romania in 1845. She is listed as having immigrated to the U.S. in 1903 (probably with one of the boys) and was widowed. I have not come across a name or anything else for the father, but it appears he probably died in Romania sometime prior to 1903. Still no word from King Features, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. In the meantime I'm working on a timeline for everything I've found so far and hope to have it completed and posted in the next couple of days. I've got to get this stuff organized before my head implodes! [&:] I yam what I yam an' that's all that I yam Sodapopeyebob

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Re: RE: QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

I decided not to wait and here's what I put together so far ...

[font="comic sans ms,sans-serif"]TIMELINE[/font]

PORTO RICO PALE DRY CO. / PORTO RICO FRUIT BEVERAGES

HARRY COHEN & MORRIS COHEN

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

(Subject to Revision)



1845: Blima Cohen born in Romania (Mother)
1891: Harry Cohen born in Romania (Son)
1892: Morris Cohen born in Romania (Son)
1903: Blima, Harry, and Morris Cohen immigrate to U.S.
1910: Blima Cohen listed as widowed
1911: Morris applies for U.S. citizenship - Suspender Maker - Age 20
1914: Morris granted U.S. citizenship - Age 23
1917: Harry employed as Barber Supplies (WWI Draft Card) - Age 26
1918: Harry applies for U.S. citizenship - Barber Supply - Age 27
1923: Harry granted U.S. citizenship - Soft Drink Manufacturer - Age 32
1927: Harry's son Leroy is born
1929: Popeye introduced in Thimble Theater comic strip
1930: Harry listed in U.S. Census as Manufacture of Soft Drinks - Age 38
1940: Harry listed in U.S. Census as Manufacturer of Soft Drinks - Age 48
1942: Morris employed by Porto Rico Beverages (WWII Draft Card)
1940s-50s-60s: Porto Rico Beverage Company in operation (I'm not sure when they ceased operating)
2014: Leroy Cohen dies at age 86 - Obituary indicates he worked for Porto Rico Beverage Co. in the 1950s