Henry Newman Bills was born in a tavern in Franksville, Wisconsin. He was sent to work at age 12 for $3 a week to help support his family. At age 21 he purchased a beer hall. In his late 20s he became an agent for the tiny Milwaukee Brewing Company. Several years later, in 1900, he and four partners bought the brewery and renamed it the Independent. He bought out his partners a few years later and led it until his death on May 17th 1951. At the time of his death the Independent Milwaukee Brewery was capitalized at $2,000,000 and their beer was distributed to 19 states.

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