Philadelphia brewer William Massey was born in England. His father was a brewer in a small town near Stokes. After receiving an education in both London and his father's company Massey emigrated to America in 1828.

He settled in Philadelphia and obtained a position at Gray's brewery on Sixth Street above Chestnut. He worked there until 1845 then relocated to the exotic town of New Orleans, Louisiana. There he started a brewery/bottling business on 20 Bienville Street where he brewed porter, ale and cider.

Massey ordered stone bottles from England, inscribed across the bottom with his name which arrived in January of 1846. He announced the arrival of the new jugs in a notice in the Times-Picayune and warned that no other bottler ought use them.

He continued business in New Orleans for several more years and became wealthy enough to own slaves. Upon the advent of the Civil War massey moved back to Philadelphia and concentrated on his brewing business there, leaving the New Orleans concern in the hands of his partners and brother-in-law.

His Philadelphia brewery flourished and he grew prosperous. At the time of his death on the 17th of February, 1891 he was said to have been worth over $5 million.

William Massey, a popular Philadelphia brewer, died suddenly at his home. The brewery that bore his name was large, employing 100 people, and Massey was active in managing it right up until the day of his death at age 83 years. Despite giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars during his life to various charities, Massey left a fortune estimated at $5 million to his heirs. The dispersal of assets was handled by Massey's youngest son William, who, still single at age 46, listed his occupation as "Gentleman" on the 1900 census.

William Massey's brewery was liquidated following his death. 100 brewery workers became unemployed.  The stock and equipment were purchased by the Betz Brewery. The extensive brewery complex was purchased by a real estate development firm and disassembled. The two million bricks in the buildings were parceled out by the architects Cope & Stewardson and are now incorporated in structures throughout Philadelphia.  Over the span of a few months, all that William Massey worked for was sold for cash.