John Henes Sr.
John Henes Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | Johan Baptist Henes Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Gammertingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, Germany |
| Died | January 15, 1923 (aged 71) |
| Occupation(s) | Inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, brewmaster |
| Known for | Henes-Keller bottling machine |
John Henes Sr. (originally named Johan Baptist Henes; January 6, 1852 – January 15, 1923) was a notable inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who lived and worked in Menominee, Michigan.
Henes was born in Gammertingen, within the Kingdom of Württemberg, Germany, and made his way to the United States in 1871. After residing in Seymour, Wisconsin and Milwaukee, he ultimately established himself in Menominee. There, he took on the role of brewmaster at a brewery owned by Adam Gauch. In 1879, he married Rosa Leisen and joined forces with his father-in-law Jacob Leisen to acquire the brewery, running it under the name Leisen & Henes Brewing Company.
In 1897, Henes secured a patent for the Henes-Keller bottling machine,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name which gained prominence as the foremost beer bottling apparatus following its debut in 1903. This innovation allowed beer to be transferred from kegs to bottles without losing carbonation and incorporated a rotating filler alongside an air pump. Henes led the Henes & Keller Company as president, overseeing the production and international distribution of these machines.
His son, John E. Henes (1881–1948), developed an enhanced model of the bottle-filling device in 1932,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name subsequently taking control of the company after his father's passing. The manufacturing facility in Menominee was eventually sold to L. E. Jones company during the early 1940s.
In addition to his brewing and manufacturing ventures, Henes held several executive positions: he was vice-president of First National Bank, Menominee River Sugar Company, and Richardson Shoe Company. He also served on the board of directors for Lloyd Manufacturing Company, which specialized in wooden products.
Legacy
John Henes Park in Menominee commemorates its founder through the land he generously donated in 1907, symbolizing his dedication to enhancing the local community.