John Fritsch was born in Baden, Germany. At age 19 in 1846 he emigrated to America. He settled in Philadelphia where he landed a job as foreman of the Blaess (also Bless) & Bergmann Brewery. He was apparently a very impressive fellow because he also was able to land the daughter of the senior partner, Elizabeth Blaess, marrying her in the mid 1850s. At about this time he purchased the Anthony Bechter brewery at 637 North 7th Street in the Philadelphia suburb of Frankford. He was sole proprietor of the brewery until 1898, when he brought his son Emiele R. Fritch to join him in the management. John Fritsch died on July 2, 1906. His brewery closed a year later.

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