Today is the birthday of John Fritsch (December 15, 1827-July 2, 1906). He was born in Germany, but came to America, settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1846, when he was 19 years old. He became foreman of the Blaess & Burgman Brewery, and later married the boss’s daughter, Elizabeth Blaess. He thereafter opened his own brewery, John Fritsch Brewing, but when his son Emile joined him in the business, changed the name to the John Fritsch and Son Brewery. The brewery closed for good a year after his death, in 1907.

Here’s his obituary from the Western Brewer and Journal of the Barley, Malt and Hop Trades:

I wasn’t able to find very much additional information about Fritsch or his brewery. He did, however, sue a newspaper editor for libel in Harrisburg. This short article is is from the Harrisburg Telegraph, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1879:

Then two days later, the Harrisburg Telegraph for March 18, 1879 had this fuller report: