Biographical Sketches
HENRY BERNAUER
Who occupies the position of boiler inspector in Kansas City, has been identified with this place for a period of 15 years. He dates his birth in Monmouth county, New Jersey, February 18, 1854, and has in his veins a mixture of French and German blood.
His father, George Bernauer, a Frenchman, went from France to Germany, where he married Louisa File, a native of Germany, and after their marriage they emigrated to America, landing here in 1852 and making settlement in New Jersey. Monmouth county, New Jersey, continued their abiding place until 1868, when they removed to Springfield, Illinois, and some time later located in Chicago. Mr. Bernauer died in Chicago, in 1888. His widow is yet a resident of that city. Five sons and 3 daughters composed their family. In New Jersey, Henry spent his boyhood days, and, as his parents were poor, he had limited advantages for an education. He, however, made the best of his opportunities, studied at night and whenever he had a leisure moment, and by home study and close observation has acquired a large fund of useful information. From 1868 to 1871 he lived in Springfield, Illinois, where he was a portion of that time an employee in a woolen mill. In 1871 we find him in Texas engaged in railroading, as an employee of the Texas Central. In this way he was occupied up to the spring of 1874, when he returned to Springfield and learned the trade of boiler-maker, at which trade he worked in that city until the spring of 1880. Since 1880 he has been a resident of Kansas City, Missouri. He followed his trade here until the spring of 1888, when he established the Kansas City Steam Boiler Works, which he sold out in the spring of 1889. About that time he was appointed boiler inspector by Mayor Davenport, and served 1 year under him and 1 year under his successor, Mayor Holmes. After this he resumed work at his trade and continued the same until the spring of 1894, when he was again appointed boiler inspector, this time by Mayor Webster Davis. Being an expert mechanic and having had a number of years' experience in this line of work, Inspector Bernauer is thoroughly qualified for the duties of this responsible position, and his record thus far has been without a blemish. Both as an official and citizen is he entitled to the high esteem in which he is held. Fraternally he is identified with the Junior Order of United American mechanics, the A. O. U. W. and the Knights of Pythias. His political affiliations have always been with the republican party.
Mr. Bernauer was married in 1879 to Miss Sarah Helton, of Springfield, Illinois, and they have one son, Earl.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.