August Nunning Source: St. Joseph News-Press, March 13, 1909

AUGUST NUNNING IS DEAD

FORMER BREWER SUCCUMBS TO STROKE OF PARALYSIS Had Lived in St. Joseph Nearly All His Life and His Father Was a Pioneer Brewer. Funeral to Be Monday Morning. August Nunning died at 4'clock this morning at his home, 1405 Jule street, aged fifty-four years. Death was the result of a stroke of paralysis sustained several years ago, since which time he had failed gradually, until, within the last several months, he seldom left the house. He was conscious apparently up to 12 o'clock last night, at which hour several friends who had called on him left his home, but he had not spoken for a number of hours. The funeral will be at the residence Monday at 10 o'clock a.m., interment at Mount Mora Cemetery, where are buried his father, the late Henry Nunning, and several other relatives. The pallbearers: Maj. John L. Bittinger, Judge O.M. Spencer, Dr. C. H. Darby, Carl Gist, Thomas F. Van Natta, J. M. Nichols, Hugo Grebel. Was an Extensive Brewer. August Nunning was widely known in St. Joseph and vicinity, having lived here nearly all his life, and having succeeded his father in the ownership and management of an extensive brewery business. He was a Republican, and though he never sought a political office, was appointed to a membership on the board of public works by Mayor C. O. Borden in 1903. He was a member of the first board of public works, his conferees being J. H. Landis and B. F. Buzard. He was born in La Porte, Ind., and came to St. Joseph with his parents in the 1850's. He was educated at Warendorff, Germany, the home of his father. Later in life he made a number of trips to Germany and other European countries, and it was on one of these tours (in 1891), that his favorite sister, Louise, who accompanied him, died. When twenty-three years old he was married to a Miss Mary Blair, daughter of Frank Blair, a well-known contractor here. Three months after the marriage the young wife died. Mr. Nunning remained a widower until two year ago, when he married his housekeeper, Mrs. May Dill, who survives him. Father Died in 1894. Upon the death of his father, Henry Nunning, January 26,1884, August Nunning succeeded to the Nunning Brewery interests and managed the business alone for a number of years, after which it was organized as a stock company,(1895) when he retired from active affairs, and since then has practically lived a retired life. Besides his widow, Mr. Nunning is survived by two sisters, Mrs. A. N. Carbry and Mrs. Julia Byrne, his only near relatives. The parents of Mrs. Nunning, who live at Hiawatha, Kan., are expected in St. Joseph tomorrow to attend the funeral. Mr. Nunning, was an enthusiast on the subject of domesticating pheasants, and was proud of his success. He had an enclosure in the rear of his residence devoted to the propagation of the birds. In the flock are many varieties, all beautifully marked. Resolutions on the death of Mr. Nunning were adopted by the board of public works at its session this forenoon, and a copy will be forwarded to Mrs. Nunning.

The second man to brew beer in town was Henry Nunning, a German who had gone first to LaPorte, Indiana, and then on to St. Joseph in 1856. His only son August would continue the business until 1895 when a lease agreement was reached with members of a rival, the St. Joseph Brewing Company, partially to fend off a growing number of adversarial competitors in a devastating beer war with Kansas City area brewers.