Central California Biographies

A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California : illustrated : containing 
a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its discovery to the 
present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future, illustrations and full-page portraits of 
some of its eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and prominent citizens of 
to-day (1893)

Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Author: Barrows, Henry D; Ingersoll, Luther A

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 


J. H. MENKE, one of the most prosperous business men of Salinas, has been a resident 
of the State of California since 1869. He is a native of Hanover. Germany, and came to 
America in 1865. His first stopping place was New York city, where he worked for two 
years in a ship-chandlery store, but in 1869 he made his way to San Francisco, where he 
engaged in work in a grocery store. Later he removed to Santa Cruz, where he remained 
until 1874, when he purchased an interest in the brewing business of Messrs. Louis & 
Wagner. In 1877 he bought out Mr. Wagner, and in 1891 he erected a spacious and complete 
brewery, 50 x 112 feet in size, three stories in height, with a capacity of about twenty-five 
barrels per day. He ships the product of the Salinas brewery to adjoining towns, besides 
supplying a large local demand. 

Mr. Menke married Emma Tholcke, of Salinas, in 1879, and they have six children, 
namely: William, Leta, Emma, Henry, Maria and Carl. Mr. Mente is serving his second 
term on the City Board of Trustees; is a popular officer and an enterprising and suc- 
cessful business man.