John Henes Sr. (born Johan Baptist Henes;[1] January 6, 1852 – January 15, 1923) was an inventor, businessman, and philanthropist in Menominee, Michigan.[2][3]

Henes was born in Gammertingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, the son of Eusebius and Ursula (Goeggel) Henes.[1][2] He emigrated to the United States in 1871 and lived in Seymour, Wisconsin, and Milwaukee before settling in Menominee, where he became a brewmaster at a brewery operated by Adam Gauch. He married Rosa Leisen (1858–1923)[4] in 1879 and, together with his father-in-law Jacob Leisen, he purchased the brewery and operated it under the name Leisen & Henes Brewing Company.[2][5]

Henes patented the Henes-Keller bottling machine in 1897,[6] and it became the leading bottling machine in the beer industry after it was introduced in 1903.[5] The device transferred beer from barrels to bottles without loss of carbonation,[5] and it featured a revolving filler and air pump.[7] Henes served as president of the Henes & Keller Company, which manufactured the bottle-filling machines,[2] and the equipment was marketed globally.[5][8] An improvement of the machine was later patented by his son, John E. Henes (1881–1948),[9] who managed the company after his father's death.[10] The plant, which stood at 14th Avenue and 6th Street in Menominee, was sold to the L. E. Jones company in the early 1940s.[11][12]

In addition to his brewing activity, Henes was vice-president of the First National Bank, the Menominee River Sugar Company, and the Richardson Shoe Company. He was also director of the Lloyd Manufacturing Company, which produced wooden ware.[2]

Legacy

Inscription commemorating John Henes's donation of land for John Henes Park

John Henes Park in Menominee is named after Henes, who donated the land for the 50-acre (20 ha) park in 1907.[2][3][13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NFJQ-CPJ : 28 November 2014), Johan Baptist Henes, 06 Jan 1852; citing ; FHL microfilm 912,710.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sawyer, Alvah Littlefield (1911). A History of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan and its People. Vol. 3. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 1492–1493.
  3. 1 2 Mullins, Penny (September 9, 2016). "Henes Auction to Benefit Foundation". Eagle Herald. Marinette, WI. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Widow of Brewer Dies at Menominee". Eau Claire Leader. October 24, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved September 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. 1 2 3 4 Magnaghi, Russell M. (2015). Upper Peninsula Beer: A History of Brewing Above the Bridge. Charleston, SC: American Palate. p. 61.
  6. ↑ "Michigan Patents". Detroit Free Press. May 12, 1897. p. 3. Retrieved September 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ↑ Ronnenberg, Herman Wiley. 2011. Material Culture of Breweries. London: Routledge, p. 38.
  8. ↑ "Factory Busy on Bottle Fillers". Green Bay Press-Gazette. February 11, 1907. p. 6. Retrieved September 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ↑ US patent 1843363, John E. Henes, "J. E Henes Bottle Filling Machine", published 1932-02-02, issued 1932-02-02, assigned to Alfred A. Henes and John E. Henes
  10. ↑ News ... by Classes. 1948. The Michigan Alumnus 55(1): 254–256 ff., p. 256.
  11. ↑ "John E. Henes Passes Away". The Escanaba Daily Press. December 10, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved September 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ↑ "Upper Michigan Briefs: Menominee". The Escanaba Daily Press. July 20, 1953. p. 2. Retrieved September 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ↑ "Menominee Man Gives His Home City $25,000 Park on Bay Shore". Detroit Free Press. October 22, 1907. p. 2. Retrieved September 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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