Lembeck
Betz
Brewery
Betz
Brewery
Business partners Henry Lembeck and John F. Betz founded one of the most famous breweries on the
East Coast of the United States located in Jersey City, NJ. By 1889, it manufactured fifty thousand barrels
of ale and port and 250,000 barrels of beer per year in a state of the art facility valued at a million dollars
and worth three million dollars in total assets.
Henry Lembeck was born at Osterwick, Mu[e]nster, Germany, on April 8, 1826. He adopted his father's
trade of cabinet making starting as an apprentice at age thirteen. He served four years as a journeyman
and expected to complete his training in Paris, France, when he was drafted into the German army in
1846. After a furlough granted in March 1849, he did not return to his regiment and seems to have
immigrated to the United States. An investigation in 1850 was conducted and he was "declared a deserter."
He worked as a carpenter for the Herring Safe Company in New York City, and eventually became the
clerk to a grocer; three years later he bought his own business that developed from a grocery store to a
market-gardening firm. While his business flourished, Lembeck also became a sales agent for the brewery
of John F. Betz of New York. In 1869, Lembeck moved to Jersey City and established with Betz a brewery
to manufacture ale and porter on Ninth Street. The Betz family had already established a reputation as
brewers both in the United States and Germany.
With Lembeck's acquired business savvy and Betz's background in the production of ale and porter, the
partnership was established. The Jersey City brewing facility and operation expanded. Lembeck became
president of the company and incorporated the brewery into a cooperative stock company in May 1890.
The brewery's physical plant begun on Ninth Street was enlarged to accommodate the required
refrigeration and storage of beer and eventually occupied seventeen city lots. A malt house, H.F. Lembeck
& Company at Watkins, New York, at the head of Seneca Lake, complemented the brewing firm.
Along with his business success, Lembeck took a strong interest in the Jersey City, his permanent
residence. He was one of the founders the Greenville Banking and Trust Company, became vice president
of the Third National Bank of Jersey City, and served with other corporations such as the Hudson Real
Estate Company of which he was a director. In 1898 Lembeck built the Hudson Building at 13-15 Ocean
Avenue. The stone Romanesque Revival structure at the corner of Lembeck and Ocean Avenues
consecutively housed the Hudson Real Estate Company and the Greenville Bank and Trust Company with
which he was associated. After a renovation in 1970, the Hudson Building became a 22-unit apartment.
East Coast of the United States located in Jersey City, NJ. By 1889, it manufactured fifty thousand barrels
of ale and port and 250,000 barrels of beer per year in a state of the art facility valued at a million dollars
and worth three million dollars in total assets.
Henry Lembeck was born at Osterwick, Mu[e]nster, Germany, on April 8, 1826. He adopted his father's
trade of cabinet making starting as an apprentice at age thirteen. He served four years as a journeyman
and expected to complete his training in Paris, France, when he was drafted into the German army in
1846. After a furlough granted in March 1849, he did not return to his regiment and seems to have
immigrated to the United States. An investigation in 1850 was conducted and he was "declared a deserter."
He worked as a carpenter for the Herring Safe Company in New York City, and eventually became the
clerk to a grocer; three years later he bought his own business that developed from a grocery store to a
market-gardening firm. While his business flourished, Lembeck also became a sales agent for the brewery
of John F. Betz of New York. In 1869, Lembeck moved to Jersey City and established with Betz a brewery
to manufacture ale and porter on Ninth Street. The Betz family had already established a reputation as
brewers both in the United States and Germany.
With Lembeck's acquired business savvy and Betz's background in the production of ale and porter, the
partnership was established. The Jersey City brewing facility and operation expanded. Lembeck became
president of the company and incorporated the brewery into a cooperative stock company in May 1890.
The brewery's physical plant begun on Ninth Street was enlarged to accommodate the required
refrigeration and storage of beer and eventually occupied seventeen city lots. A malt house, H.F. Lembeck
& Company at Watkins, New York, at the head of Seneca Lake, complemented the brewing firm.
Along with his business success, Lembeck took a strong interest in the Jersey City, his permanent
residence. He was one of the founders the Greenville Banking and Trust Company, became vice president
of the Third National Bank of Jersey City, and served with other corporations such as the Hudson Real
Estate Company of which he was a director. In 1898 Lembeck built the Hudson Building at 13-15 Ocean
Avenue. The stone Romanesque Revival structure at the corner of Lembeck and Ocean Avenues
consecutively housed the Hudson Real Estate Company and the Greenville Bank and Trust Company with
which he was associated. After a renovation in 1970, the Hudson Building became a 22-unit apartment.
Lembeck also owned large tracks of land in Greenville
and helped with its development. He donated property
for the extension of Columbia Park (today Bartholdi
Avenue). His earlier carpentry training prompted him to
build a reported 32 to 43 houses in Jersey City prior to
1895 and to participate in their construction as both
architect and supervising contractor. Lembeck
discontinued home building over a dispute with the city
regarding the quality of water supplied to the Greenville
area and complained of the loss of tenants willing to rent
his properties. Lembeck lived in the home that he
designed at 46 Columbia Place (Lembeck Avenue) and
Old Bergen Road. The modest-looking red brick
structure. was later donated by his widow to St. Anne's
Home for the Aged run by Sisters of St Joseph, at 198
Old Bergen Road and serves as the administrative
building
and helped with its development. He donated property
for the extension of Columbia Park (today Bartholdi
Avenue). His earlier carpentry training prompted him to
build a reported 32 to 43 houses in Jersey City prior to
1895 and to participate in their construction as both
architect and supervising contractor. Lembeck
discontinued home building over a dispute with the city
regarding the quality of water supplied to the Greenville
area and complained of the loss of tenants willing to rent
his properties. Lembeck lived in the home that he
designed at 46 Columbia Place (Lembeck Avenue) and
Old Bergen Road. The modest-looking red brick
structure. was later donated by his widow to St. Anne's
Home for the Aged run by Sisters of St Joseph, at 198
Old Bergen Road and serves as the administrative
building
recoverd artifact by b. Gent
Other buildings owned by Mr Lembeck that are located off of the Avenue named for him.