Haehnle Sanctuary - Birds and Beer

Casapar II

Johananes Caspar Hähnle at 30 years of age emigrated from Giengen in the Baden-Württemberg area. He first went to Detroit where he married a German widow then moved to Jackson and became a brewer. His expertise probably came from his German background as in innkeeping. In 1867 Casper II, son from Johannes first marriage, emigrated to join his father in the brewery business in Jackson. The elder Casper died in 1869. The younger brought in partners and expanded the business then he died in 1893. 

Caspar III

Now there is another Casper born in 1876 who was only 16 when his father died but he set to work at the brewery until he was old enough to manage and take charge of the company. He expanded their breweries to the U.P. added a winery in Windsor, Canada. Success continued until Prohibition stopped beer production (and all other liquor) in the 1920's. The focus changed to the manufacture of ice, which they already did to transport beer maybe getting some of their ice from Eagle Lake, but now became a mainstay activity. Back to successfully brewing beer, in 1946 he sold distributor rights to Detroit's Stroh Brewery.

The brewery was at Haehnle Hill on Cooper St. where the I-94 interchange now sits. For more photos brewery history see: Peek Through Time: Raise a glass to Jackson's Haehnle Brewing Co., one of the city's originators of craft beer - mlive.com

Jackson H.S. 1922

This last Casper was a hunter, particularly familiar with ducks at Mud Lake where he had a hunting cabin and the surrounding area. So was Lawrence Walkingshaw (see previous post about him). And so was Harold Wing of the Michigan Audubon Society (the lookout at the sanctuary is named in honor of Harold.)"Cap" died in 1958 shortly after donating 497 acres around Mud Lake Marsh to Michigan Audubon. It was named after his daughter, Phyllis Averill Clancy died of a heart attack in 1950 at age 45 about 2 mos after the wedding of daughter Jean.

Phyllis attended UoM and in 1927 visited Havana with her mother. She married Dr. James Clancy and they lived in Hammond, IN with their two daughters; they divorced before her death.

John Casper, wife Nell Meyfarth, daughter Phyllis and other Haehnles are buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson, in a Haehnle family plot.

Cap's original gift of 497 acres was enlarged to over 900 acres thru gifts granddaughter Judy Clancy Cory and by Michigan Audubon purchases.

The last of the Casper brewers, John, was struck by an auto in Jackson and died in 1958.