Santa Clara County
Biographies
LOUIS HENNING
A popular and successful business man of San Jose, Louis Henning is numbered among the substantial, progressive and enterprising citizens upon whom the commercial prestige of the city may safely rest. Since 1885 he has been a resident of this place and for nearly this entire period has been associated with the meat market which now claims his attention. Born in Hamburg, Germany, September 22, 1866, he was the youngest of three children, of whom August and Maria are now residents of Hamburg. His parents, F.W.L. and Christine Henning, were both natives of Germany, the former born in Mecklenburg and the latter in Lauenburg. The father was a butcher by trade, and after his death, when Louis Henning was about eighteen years old, the business passed into the hands of August, a younger son, who is now conducting a wholesale trade in the old location. Mrs. Henning survives her husband and still makes her home in Hamburg.
In his native city Louis Henning was reared to the age of fifteen years, attending and graduating from the high school of Hamburg with an excellent foundation for the business life which he hoped to follow. A most important part of his education was a thorough course of instruction in the English language, which proved of great benefit to him during the first years of his residence in America, to which he immigrated in January, 1881. Upon his arrival in the western world he came at once to Sacramento, Cal., where he secured employment at his trade. Later deciding to take up ranching he engaged in this occupation near Cottonwood creek, Tehama county, for eighteen months, when, in 1885, he removed to San Jose, determining to make this city his home. Unable to secure employment at his trade he accepted any work he could find for the first eight months of his residence here, and at length he obtained a position as butcher with Henry Dietz. He remained with Mr. Dietz for about eighteen months, when, in 1887, he engaged in business for himself, first being located on the corner of Tenth and Santa Clara streets and afterward buying out the interests of his old employer, Mr. Dietz, who was located on Santa Clara street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. For about twelve years he conducted his business in that location and in 1901 bought property and erected the handsome and commodious brick building in which he is now located, the dimensions of the building being 38 x 137 feet. He has also a well-equipped sausage factory run by electricity and with all modern and up-to-date improvements, and in the basement under his store he packs considerable pork. In addition to this property he also owns a comfortable residence in this city.
In San Jose Mr. Henning was united in marriage with Anna Rahn, a native of Schleswig, Germany, and to them were born three children, namely: Louis, Jr., Alma and Edna, who died at the age of seven years. A man of progressive ideas and public spirit, Mr. Henning has been the choice of the people for various offices, among them being that of a member of the board of police and fire commissioners of the city of San Jose, receiving the appointment through Mayor Worswick in March, 1904. Fraternally he is associated with the Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand; the Encampment; the Turnverein, of which he is past officer and ex-state officer; and Red Men, of which he is past chancellor. He is a member of the Merchants' Association, and was a prime mover in the organization of the butchers' board of trade, of which he acted as treasurer during its existence. Politically he is a Republican and is active in the councils of his party.
Transcribed
3-13-15 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page 440. The Chapman Publishing
Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2015 Marilyn R. Pankey.