The Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company (formerly the Helme Tobacco Company) of
Wheeling,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
was a tobacco company founded by brothers Aaron and Samuel Bloch in 1879. It was best known for its
Mail Pouch
A mail pouch or mailpouch is a container for mail, designed to transport first-class, registered mail, domestic mail and military mail. It usually has a drawstring, and is made of a stronger material (''e.g.'', canvas) than mail sacks (''e.g. ...
chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco is a type of smokeless tobacco product that is placed between the cheek and lower gum to draw out its flavor. Some users chew it, others do not. It consists of coarsely chopped aged tobacco that is flavored and often sweetened; ...
. Mail Pouch was a popular chew advertised on over 20,000
barns
A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. ...
, most of which were located in the rural
Ohio River Valley
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illinoi ...
. Each barn had an end or side painted with the familiar Mail Pouch lettering and advertising, "Treat yourself to the best."
The brothers began manufacturing
cigars in 1879 as a side-line to Samuel Bloch's wholesale grocery business. It was discovered that the left-over cigar clippings could be flavored and packaged in a paper bag, and then sold. Mail Pouch chewing tobacco is still produced by
Swisher International Group.
See also
*
George Washington Helme
George Washington Helme (May 18, 1822 – June 16, 1893) was the founder of Helmetta, New Jersey.
Early life and family
Helme, born in Kingston, Pennsylvania, USA, was the ninth child and fifth son of Major Oliver Helme (descendant of an old Rhod ...
*
Helme Snuff Mill Historic District
*
List of historic sites in Ohio County, West Virginia
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Ohio County, West Virginia.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio County, West Virginia. ...
*
Mail Pouch Tobacco Barn
References
{{Reflist
Companies based in Wheeling, West Virginia
Landmarks in West Virginia
Defunct manufacturing companies based in West Virginia
Tobacco buildings in the United States