Henry Weidemann is the president of the Weidemann Brewing Company of West Haven and is one of Connecticut’s representative citizens. He was born in Hessen, Germany, April 19, 1850, a son of Johann and Elizabeth (Hassenpflug) Weidemann, both of whom were born in Hessen, Germany, where they spent their entire lives, the father being engaged in the wholesale grocery business. They had a family of five children, but Henry Weidemann of this review is the only surviving member.

  In his youthful days Henry Weidemann attended school in Germany, enjoying liberal educational opportunities. After his textbooks were put aside he became an apprentice to the brewer’s trade, paying for the opportunity of learning the business, which he thoroughly mastered in every department. On attaining his majority he decided to leave Germany and enjoy the broader opportunities of the new world. Accordingly he crossed the Atlantic and landed in New York city. He did not remain idle long but at once secured a position with the Elias Brewing Company of New York, while later he was with the Washington Brewery of Washington, D. C. He continued with those two companies altogether for twelve years and rose to the position of foreman with the Washington Brewing Company. While thus employed he carefully saved his earnings until his capital was sufficient to enable him to embark in business on his own account. He then came to West Haven and bought out a small brewery, which he has since developed into the large manufacturing plant which he now owns. Originally it had a capacity of but a few barrels a day and at the present writing its capacity is seventy thousand barrels per annum. The most sanitary conditions prevail in the brewery and the most scientific methods are employed in the manufacture of the product.

  On the 6th of May, 1884, Mr. Weidemann was united in marriage in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Miss Mary Schmaelzle, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Schmaelzle, of a well known family of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

  In politics Mr. Weidemann follows an independent course, voting to the dictates of his judgment without regard to party ties. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and also with Herat Lodge of the Sons of Hermann. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he has found the opportunities which he sought and in their utilization has worked his way steadily upward, winning a very substantial measure of success in the conduct of his business interests.