Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Sehring, Fred 
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Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Fred Sehring, deceased, who attained distinction by a most successful business 
career, and who was accorded public honors in recognition of his patriotic and 
public-spirited citizenship, resided for many years at Joliet, where he 
established one of its leading industrial enterprises. His success was so 
marked that his methods are of interest to the commercial world and 
investigation into his life history shows that his work was characterized by 
unfaltering diligence, unabating energy and the perseverance that never flags. 
A native of Germany, he was born in Langen, in the dukedom of Hesse-Darmstadt, 
December 19, 1834, and began his education in the schools of that country, but 
when thirteen years of age accompanied his parents. Weigand and Margaretha 
(Iveim) Sehring, on their emigration to the new world in 1847. The Sehring 
family is one of prominence in the German-American citizenship of Will county. 
The parents settled in Frankfort township and the father turned his attention 
to agricultural pursuits, which he followed until 1854, when he removed with 
his family to Joliet and established and conducted a hotel. He had served as a 
soldier in the war of 1813 in Germany. In spite of the fact that Fred Sehring 
had only eight months' instruction in the schools of America, by diligent 
application he acquired a good English education and in early life laid the 
foundation of the broad knowledge that proved so helpful to him in later 
years. He was a young man of twenty years when the family home was established 
in Joliet. Six years later, in 1860, he was appointed deputy clerk in the 
recorder's office, filling the position with marked capability, insomuch that 
he won public recognition and in 1863 was elected county treasurer. Two years 
later he was re-elected and continued the incumbent in the office until 1867, 
when he retired from the position as he had entered it—with the confidence and 
good will of all concerned. He then entered commercial life by purchasing an 
interest in the brewing firm of Joseph Braun & Company, which founded what is 
today one of the finest plants in the northwest. Upon the death of Mr. Braun 
in 1870 a change was made in the business. Mr. Sehring securing the active 
control and changing the name to the Columbia brewery. The success already 
gained continued during the ensuing years and Mr. Sehring concentrated all of 
his energy and attention upon the further development and upbuilding of the 
business, basing his actions upon such old and time-tried maxims as "Honesty 
is the best policy," and "There is no excellence without labor." In January, 
1883, owing to the success which he had already attained, he was enabled to 
incorporate the Fred Sehring Brewing Company, of which he became president, 
with his son Henry as vice president, his son-in-law, Henry F. Piepenbrink, 
secretary and treasurer, and his son, Louis J. Sehring, as superintendent. The 
new corporation was capitalized for fifty thousand dollars and at this time 
also purchased the brewery opposite their own establishment, owned by Henry 
Eder, which was established in 1862 by Anthony Scheldt and Joseph Stephans. 
Mr. Sehring remained at the head of the concern until his death. He was also a 
director of the Will County National Bank and his business ability was widely 
recognized by those who knew aught of his career and witnessed his progress 
from a humble financial position to one of affluence. On the 16th of January, 
1855, Fred Sehring was married to Miss Louise Bez, a daughter of Jacob and 
Barbara Bez, who came from Wurtemberg, Germany, to America in 1853, settling 
at Joliet. Mrs. Sehring was ever a most faithful companion and helpmate to her 
husband and her assistance and encouragement was often his inspiration and 
proved an important element in his business progress. Possessing a most kindly 
and benevolent spirit, she has become widely known in charitable circles, not 
because of any display that she was made, for she is entirely free from 
ostentation, but because her benefactions have been many and her kindly deeds 
almost without number. No one has ever left her presence discouraged and her 
charitable spirit is so broad that it knows no distinction of creed or 
nationality. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sehring were born the following named: Maggie, 
the wife of Henry F. Piepenbrink; Henry, of the Sehring Brewing Company; Anna 
C., the wife of Dr. A. A. Poehner, of San Francisco, California; George F., 
cashier of the Fred Sehring Brewing Company, who was married in 1896 to Louisa 
Kramer of this city; and Susan E. and Louis J., who reside with their mother 
at the family homestead. The family circle was broken by the death of the 
husband and father on the 2d of July, 1892. In the meantime he had figured 
prominently in public life, serving for eight years in the city council of 
Joliet, to which he was elected in 1874. He was at one time democratic 
candidate for the state senate against A. O. Marshall, republican, and O. 
Frazier, the Granger candidate. The returns showed Mr. Marshall elected by a 
majority of twelve. Mr. Sehring contested the election. The matter was taken 
into the legislature, where one hundred and forty illegal votes were proved to 
have been cast against him and which were placed to his credit by the report 
of a majority of the committee on the contest. But the republicans and 
Grangers in the house combined against him, casting twenty-six votes for 
Marshall and twenty-three for Mr. Sehring. He was always a stalwart champion 
of those interests and measures which were of benefit to the city and county 
and gave hearty co-operation to many movements for the general good. 
Fraternally he was a prominent Odd Fellow and a frequent representative of the 
local organization in the grand lodge. In Masonry he attained the Knight 
Templar degree in Joliet commandery, No. 4. He was a man of generous nature 
and kindly impulses, whose life was in many respects helpful to those with 
whom he came in contact, while his business record in its success should serve 
as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others. At the time of his 
demise the business which he had established was continued by his sons and son-
in-law and the Sehring Brewing Company is yet a strong combination in business 
circles in Joliet. The eldest son, Louis J. Sehring, who succeeded to the 
presidency and is still general manager of the business, was born in Joliet, 
April 12, 1858, and received his early business training under his father's 
direction. He afterward became an apprentice in the brewing house of 
Bernheimer & Schmidt of New York city and of the Peter Schoenhofen Brewing 
Company of Chicago. Returning to Joliet in October, 1877, he was at once 
appointed superintendent of the brewery and has since been manager. His 
business record is unassailable, being characterized by probity, fairness and 
progressiveness. He is also interested in community affairs and from 1885 
until 1887 represented the third ward in the city council. His time, however, 
is given to business matters rather than to politics or recreation, although 
he does not neglect the latter. Henry Sehring was born in Joliet in 1861, and 
having acquired his education in the public schools, entered the brewery at 
the age of seventeen years and has since been connected therewith, serving as 
vice president since 1883. In 1889 he married Miss Katie Arnold, a native of 
Matteson, Illinois, and they have one son, Arnold Sehring. The secretary and 
treasurer, Henry F. Piepenbrink, is a son-in-law of the founder of the company 
and was born in Crete, Will county, in 1850. He has been prominent in county 
politics, serving as sheriff two terms previous to assuming his present 
position in 1883. The name of Sehring has ever stood as a synonym for business 
activity and integrity in Joliet since the arrival of Weigand Sehring in 1847, 
and the present business has been developed along modern lines and is a 
prominent enterprise of this character in northern Illinois. The very 
satisfactory and steady growth of the business since the Sehrings became 
connected with it is well illustrated by the output of the plant at different 
periods, namely. In 1868, starting with a capital of five thousand dollars and 
employing only five men, it was fifteen hundred barrels; in 1875 steam power 
was substituted for horse power and one of the first enclosed copper steam 
beer kettles was installed and sales were then three thousand barrels; in 
1880, eight thousand barrels; in 1890, twenty thousand barrels; and in 1900, 
thirty thousand barrels. Then the constantly increased demand for their 
product proved to them that the old plant, located at Bridge and Summit 
streets, was entirely too small, and in 1903 the company erected an entirely 
new and modern up-to-date brewing and bottling plant at the corner of Scott 
and Clay streets, covering an entire block, with an annual capacity of eighty 
thousand barrels. Their motto, "Not how cheap, but how good," is in keeping 
with their sales in the increase every year and their special brewings of 
bottled beers, Standard Pale and Home Trade, are known all over the county for 
their qualities—age, strength and purity. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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