BIOGRAPHY: John EMMERLING, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 210
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JOHN EMMERLING, proprietor of the Empire Brewery, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 
was born in Philadelphia, this State, February 22, 1851.
     His education was acquired in the public schools of his native city, upon 
the completion of which he learned the business of brewing. Subsequently, he 
traveled extensively, visiting many of the more important cities of the West, 
and finally, located in Pittsburg, where he married.
     In 1878 he came to Johnstown, and immediately embarked in the brewing 
business on his own account. Starting in the humble building now known as the 
Eintracht Hall, the brewery of John Emmerling prospered so well that in one year 
it was moved to the larger building now occupied by the bottling house of 
William Thomas. Six years more saw the business grow until it became necessary 
to build and remove to the large and commodious brick structure which occupies 
nearly half a square, fronting on Horner street. The plant is two hundred by one 
hundred and eighty feet, three stories high, and has an annual output of eight 
thousand barrels, and contains all the latest improved machinery known to the 
brewer's art, including engines, two ten-ton refrigerators, seven pumps for 
various purposes, and bottling apparatus.
     A visit to the vault in which the beer is stored, gives to the uninitiated 
a genuine surprise. Following the guide, one wanders in and out among the huge 
hogsheads, some of which contain forty, and others as high as eighty barrels of 
the amber fluid, surrounded on all sides by pipes covered to the depth of 
several times their own thickness with white frost, produced by the intense cold 
of the ammonia and brine which they contain, one can but express astonishment at 
the wonderful advance made since the time when nature alone supplied the cooling 
substance.
     So large is the local demand for the beer brewed at this establishment, 
that very little is shipped out of the city. Two wagons are kept going 
constantly, and two others are used when the demand requires. The present force 
consists of fourteen men, to which several others are added when increased 
business makes demand.
     On September 26, 1872, Mr. Emmerling married Miss Phil. Houch, a daughter 
of Earnest Houch, a prominent citizen of Pittsburg, and to them have been born 
ten children.
     Mr. Emmerling was one of the organizers of the board of trade, in which he 
takes an active interest.