The Story of the Corn Cob Pipe
Just the Beginning
The corn cob pipe was almost a necessity for many German Americans. This item was a relatively small thing, that made a large profit for one man and his family in a small town called Washington, Missouri.
A man named Mr. Henry Tibbe and his family moved to Missouri along with many other Germans in the late 1800s. With a tragic event happening to their home, they chose to discover the new land in America. When arriving, they decided upon Washington, Missouri as their new hometown. They soon started the Missouri Meerschaum Company, in which they produced corn cob pipes for the whole town of Washington, surrounding towns like Union and New Haven, and many, many more parts of Missouri and the country.
So Much Variety
Mr. Tibbe had many different types of pipes made in his factory that were sold all over the country. Below is an attached picture showing a few types that were made from a booklet that at the time showed over 35 styles of pipes. Some pipes throughout the book are relatively similar with only a few small differences, but others greatly differ. Some have rubber tips, and some have nickel tips. Others come in boxes of one dozen, while some come in packages of three dozen. There were just so many options to choose from.
Great Location
Attached is a map of Franklin County, in which Washington is located. This shows how it was a lot easier to be able to move the pipes on the river, because it was less than a block from where they were manufactured. This map also has other towns that were known to be brought about by German Americans. Many of these towns in the surrounding areas also relied on the production of locally made pipes in which they greatly appreciated.
The Outstanding Outcomes
This invention and patent of the Tibbe family helped grow the town. Later on, the co-owner of the company, also the son of Henry Tibbe, created an electric plant in the town to supply light to the factory, and most of the rest of the town. The pipe manufacturing also helped farmers in the area. There was a specific type of corn that had to be grown for the correct making of the corn cob pipes, so many farmers grew this corn, along with the rest of their crops to make another source of income, and typically there was a much larger profit than the other types of corns.
Overall, the corn cob pipes did not only benefit German Americans in ways of their smoking desires, but also brought many people to Washington, Missouri and made money for the town and their population. As you can see in the last picture located below, the popularity and usage of the corn cob pipe carried on for at least 100 years according to the magazine located at the State Historical Society of Missouri.
“Tibbe-Cuthbertson Family Papers”, 1846–1986, State Historical Society of Missouri (C3711, Papers) Tibbe-Cuthbertson Family, Papers, 1846–1986 (shsmo.org) (All photos are taken from pieces of this collection, and could not receive better quality)
