Johann "John" Joseph Schlinkert, 9th child and 7th son of Kaspar Joseph and Elisabeth (Balkenhohl) Schlinkert, was born July 24, 1827, at Meschede, Westfalia, Germany. {Reference 1.} Although his given name was Johann, he was always known as "John" after he came to the United States. John Joseph Schlinkert left Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1864. {Reference 2.} According to the manifest of the ship "America," John Schlinkert was a passenger who sailed from Bremen to New York City, arriving November 7, 1864. John Schlinkert was 37 years old and a farmer by profession. {Reference 3.} John had two brothers who also emigrated to the United States; one is believed to have settled in New York, and the other in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. The brothers did not travel together, however, since only John Joseph was listed on the ship's manifest. 

     After closing the tavern and brewery, John Joseph Schlinkert established a coal and lumber business in 1886, later known as Schlinkert Fuel and Builders Supply Company. {Reference 6.} The sawmill operation along the south bank of the Pine River was sold to John Biewer, and the land formerly occupied by the tavern and brewery was sold to Diamond Crystal Salt Company. The Schlinkert Fuel and Builders Supply Company continued to operate in St. Clair until the early 1970's, when descendants of John Schlinkert sold the business to Church's Lumber Yards. Church's subsequently relocated the business west of town, and sold the property to Diamond Crystal Salt Company.

     Our family has always been told that the name of the tavern was 'Schlinkert Biergarten' and the brewery was simply 'Schlinkert Brewery'.   

     Also, according to family legend, John closed up the brewery after a  misunderstanding with the 'revenuers'. It seemed that John had entrusted money that was to be paid for taxes to a trusted employee (some have said it was a relative, but his children would have been too young, and the only possibility would have been possibly a brother in law)- who unknowingly had a gambling problem. Rather than pay the tax, the money was gambled away and John was never told. One day, the revenuers arrived, sledge hammers in hand demanding full payment. When John was unable to (or believing that the payment had already been paid- wouldn't) make full payment, the agents proceeded to destroy the hogsheads. My mother (age 84) has said that she read an article about the 'day beer ran through the streets of St. Clair'. As best as we can tell, this would have happened in 1885 or 1886. I have not been able to
confirm the story, but I have heard variations of this story growing up, so there is probably some truth to it.

     In his later years, John, who was a very social person, would walk the street s of St. Clair. He would visit the store and shopkeepers. He would always have with him his faithful Newfoundland dog. He was a fixture of the town until his death in 1906.

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