The company was established in 1863 by Henry Hannis, who had worked since a boy in John Gibson’s liquor store. The company ultimately owned and operated the Mt Vernon distillery in Baltimore, MD. (RD #3). Mt Vernon whiskey was bottled and distributed under an exclusive contract to Cook & Bernheimer Co. of New York.

They built a second distillery in Martinsburg, West Virginia (“Hannisville Mills”: RD #1) somewhere between 1863 and 1866.

In 1886, the warehouse on Front St was described as being a five–story and basement building that extends through 143 Dock St. The same article (in “Phildelphia’s Leading Industries”, 1886) notes that James M Rhodes was President, George H Jarden was Secretary and Treasurer.

The company used the brand names:
“Acme”, “Acme X”, “Hannis”, “Hannis Copper Distilled Pure Rye”, “Hannisville”, “Hannisville Pure Rye”, “Mount Vernon Rye”, “Pure Rye Whiskey”, “Tidal Wave”, and “Victor.”