Fred King Elsner (1895-1985) was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Elsner was drafted and
served in World War I in the U.S. Navy. He married Ordehlia Bills (1898-1978) on 4
June 1921. Ordehlia’s parents were Henry N. (1868 – 1951) and Martha D. Bills (1873
– 1960). She had two brothers: Harry E. Bills (1896-1965) and Henry N. Bills Jr
(1908-1983). Henry N. Bills Jr was also known as H. Newman Bills. Harry E. Bills
married and had three children: Barbara, Harry E. Jr. and Henry N. III.
Independent Milwaukee Brewery operated from 1900 – 1963. It was located at 2701 South
13th Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded by five partners: Henry N.
Bills, William Gutknecht, Charles Evers, Emil Czarnecki, and William Jung. Each put
up $1000 to purchase the O’Neill Distillery. Czarnecki was named the first president
of the company.
During prohibition, Bills bought out his partners and brought his sons, Henry Jr. and
Harry, and son-in-law, Fred Elsner into the business. Elsner joined the Independent
Milwaukee Brewery in 1928 as a salesman. During prohibition, the company
manufactured “near beer”, soda water, including “Bills Root Beer”, and malt syrup.
After prohibition ended, then-president Henry N. Bills was the first Wisconsin
brewer to pay the $1000 permit to manufacture beer. He was president until his
retirement in 1950, when his son, Harry E. Bills, took over. In 1956, Harry Bills
became chairman of the board and Elsner became president. Elsner served as president
until 1963 when the business was purchased by G. Heileman Brewing Co. of La
Crosse.
