Collection on John Orth Family

John Orth was the first brewer in the Minneapolis/St. Anthony area. His brewery merged with three other brewers in July 1890 to become the Minneapolis Brewing and Malting Company (later Minneapolis Brewing Company and Grain Belt Breweries Inc.).

John Orth was born in Rott, Alsace, in France on May 20, 1821. He learned beermaking in Europe before emigrating to Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1849. Orth met Prussian-born Mary C. Weinell in Erie and they married on August 6, 1849. Shortly after their marriage, the Orths moved to Galena, Illinois, and then on to St. Anthony, Minnesota, in July 1850.

John Orth constructed a brewery shortly after he arrived in St. Anthony. The Orth Brewery was located at 1228 Marshall Street NE, near where the Grain Belt Brewery was later built. By 1860, Orth Brewing capacity was 1,000 barrels, increasing to 7,000 by the late 1870s. Cold storage was first a beer cave on Nicollet Island and later Orth was one of the first to use ice cellars for lagering beer.

Besides brewing, Orth was also involved in politics. He was elected to the St. Anthony city council in 1855. His election caused concern with local temperance activists. Orth later served on the Minneapolis city council from 1872 to 1875. Although a committed abolitionist and early member of the Republican party, Orth later became a Democrat as the Minnesota Republicans became increasingly prohibitionist in their outlook.

John and Mary Orth had six children: John W., Charles, Sophia, Edward, Virginia, and Alfred. All of the children except Charles lived to adulthood. All of the sons worked at the brewery in some capacity for some duration. The 1884-1885 census reflected the family run business: John Orth--President, J.W. Orth--Vice President, E.F. Orth--Secretary and Alfred Orth--Treasurer.

In the last years of John's life, his sons got more involved in the business as he stepped away, traveling with Mary to Europe and Africa. While in Africa in 1887, John became ill. He died en route to Minneapolis.

The John Orth Brewery continued as an independent brewer for three years after its founder’s death. In 1890, the Orths, Germania, F.D. Noerenberg and Heinreich brewing merged to become Minneapolis Brewing and Malting. The Orth brothers left the business in 1893 to focus on real estate. The Orth Brothers were a well known name in real estate for many years and later ran the City Ice Company.

Minneapolis Brewing grew more successful into the 20th century, especially with its Grain Belt brand of beers. It survived prohibition and remained independent until the brewery was sold to G. Heileman in December 1975.