MEAT PACKING AN IMPORTANT DAVENPORT INDUSTRY

THE DAVENPORT DEMOCRAT AND LEADER

HENRY KOHRS, PIONEER FOUNDED BIG PACKING INDUSTRY IN DAVENPORT

Sixty-nine years ago a little meat market was opened in Davenport at Second and Harrison Streets. Over the door hung a sign telling the world that Henry Kohrs was the proprietor. That little meat market has been gone and forgotten many years, but it was the incentive and the nucleus for the founding of Davenport’s biggest industries of today-the Kohrs Packing Company.

Sixty-nine years ago Mr. Kohrs sold bologna sausage and other meals over the counter. Daily receipts ran from $5 to $10 a day. The latter amount was considered a big day’s business. Today, the annual production of the Kohrs Packing Company runs into millions of dollars. In his little butcher shop Mr. Kohrs spent his spare time in planning and visioning the future shop already referred to. From house and to transect business on a big scale. To what extent this dream was realized is evident today in the tremendous volume of business transacted by the company bearing his name. The Kohrs Company are now killing and converting into choice hams and bacon over 800 hogs per day. When new improvements now under way are completed, this number will be increased to 1,200.

Mr. Kohrs, whose foresight enabled him to realize the possibilities of Davenport as the center of many industries and as a dominant shipping point for the west, was born in Holstein, Germany, Nov. 15, 1830. The education of Mr. Kohrs was received in the excellent schools of Germany, and there he learned the butcher trade. When 23 years old he came to the United States and for a short time was in New York City but soon removed to Davenport, landing here March 13, 1854.
Being a hard working and industrious young man, he soon secured employment in a dry goods and grocery store, from which he went to a clothier’s, and in this way became acquainted with the language and customs of his new home. With the meager from his wages, he was enabled in 1855 to start business for himself in a humble way, opening the little butcher shop already referred to. From time to time, as his limited capital increased Mr. Kohrs moved to larger quarters. During all this time he worked very hard making every change pay in increased sales receipts, and carefully saving all he could, so that in 1874 he was able to embark in the pork packing business in a small way and so laid the foundation for the present immense Kohrs establishment.

The present plant stands on its original site but there have been many changes, new buildings being erected and additional machinery and equipment being added as the business grew, until today the Kohrs establishment is one of the leading packing plants in Iowa and its product is not only shipped into every state of the union, but also finds a marketing many foreign countries.

If there is one word above all others in the American vocabulary to which Mr. Kohrs accredited his success, it is punctuality. He was so punctual in making his deposits every day at the Iowa National Bank that the officials of the institution, so it is said, were accustomed to setting their clocks by his arrival at the bank. Mr. Kohrs was just as punctual in all his habits and business transactions. For many years he was a familiar figure in the business section of the city as he drove to the bank every morning at 10 o’clock to make his deposits and transact other business. These were days before the advent of the automobile, and Mr. Kohrs rode in a one-horse buggy, to which was hitched his pet horse “Daisy.” Daisy was a steed of almost human intelligence and new her master like a book.

From the bank Mr. Kohrs was in the habit of going regularly to John Hill’s place on lower main street, where he would meet a number of his old cronies and together would spend a social hour before returning to his work at their little “Fruehscotten.” During all Mr. Kohrs's calls, Daisy was allowed to stand unhitched at the curb. So if he was detained longer than usual in the bank, Daisy would pick up step and travel down to John Hill’s without her master. She knew that he would be along presently, and he always was. After her master’s death, Daisy was pensioned by the Kohrs family and turned out to graze in pastures green for the rest of her days.

Mr. Kohrs was a man of sterling character and strong personality. His word was his bond. There was no need of other security. He was fond of music and children and a liberal patron of all measures brought forth for the good of the community. He was a pioneer Turner and a lover of skat. He loved horses and when other members of the family adopted the auto on its first arrival, he remained loyal and steadfast to his favorite horse and buggy.

Mr. Kohrs was one of a group of citizens who purchased the ground upon which is now located Lookout Park, and presented it to the city. He was a prime mover in numerous enterprises, of both commercial and charitable nature, and in every way was one of Davenport’s best pioneer citizens and city builders. Mr. Kohrs remained in the harness almost of to the time of his death, December 31st, 1917, at the age of 87 years. But from his little butcher shop of pioneer days, he had the satisfaction of seeing developed the big industry of the present day. His life ambition had been realized and he died in peace and contentment.

The business founded by Mr. Kohrs has in later years been developed into its present gigantic form by the surviving members of the family. W. H. Gehrmann is president of the company; John Kohrs is vice president, and Frank Kohrs is secretary and treasurer. Their “Crown” brand of hams and bacon is famous the world over.