Karl (Charles) Philip Degen was born in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He emigrated with his sister and two brothers to America in 1848. He and his sister arrived in Bexar County, Texas in 1850, his brothers staying in Delaware. He was a partner with - or was an early employee of - William A. Menger in his Western Brewery in San Antonio. When Menger died in 1871 Degen took over. He and his son Louis ran "Degan's Brewery" until Texas Prohibition laws shut it down in 1915. Charles Degen died on February 12, 1912.

William Achatius Menger was born in Hanau, Germany. His emigrated to America in 1847 and lived in Baltimore for a few years, then made his way to Texas. On July 1, 1851 he and Maria Baumschluder Guenther were married in Bexar County Texas. In 1855 He established the Western Brewery, the first such business in San Antonio. He ran the brewery and his adjoining hotel until his death on March 18, 1871. The firm was eventually sold to Charles Degen and he and his descendants ran it successfully until Texas Prohibition laws forced it to shut its doors in 1915.