Peter Kern (American businessman)
Encyclopedia
Peter Kern was a German-born American businessman and politician active in Knoxville, Tennessee
, USA, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known as the founder of the confections company that eventually evolved into Kern's Bakery, a brand still marketed in the Knoxville area. The company's former confectionery and ice cream parlor, now called the Mall Building (or Hotel St. Oliver), still dominates the southwest corner of Market Square
. Kern served as Knoxville's mayor from 1890 until 1892.
(near Heidelberg
) in Germany
in 1835. He was trained as a shoemaker in his native country, and immigrated to New York in the early 1850s to practice this trade. By 1857, he had moved to Georgia
, where he joined the Confederate
army at the outbreak of the Civil War
. Fighting with the 12th Georgia Infantry, he was wounded in action in Virginia, and sent home to Georgia to recover.
In Fall 1863, Kern, now healthy, began his return trip to Virginia to rejoin his fellow soldiers on the frontlines. As he was waiting on a train connection in Knoxville, however, Union
forces under Ambrose Burnside
occupied the city. Kern was captured, but released on condition that he remain in the city until the end of the war. After his release, Kern and fellow German immigrant William Heidel established a bakery at the corner of State Street and Main, which sold cookies made from flour and molasses to Union soldiers.
By the late 1860s, Kern had bought out Heidel's share, and had moved the business to a two-story building on Market Square. During this period, Kern added an ice cream parlor (or "ice cream saloon") to his confectionery. The parlor utilized a three-horsepower ice cream machine designed by Market Square gunsmith Thomas Burrier. Kern, who had to ship ice in from northern states during warmer months, became a local expert on refrigeration, and served as president of the Knoxville Ice Company during the 1880s.
In 1875, Kern commissioned the construction of a new three-story structure, the Kern Building (now called the Mall Building, or Hotel St. Oliver), on the southwest corner of Market Square. Designed by architect Joseph F. Baumann
, the building's first floor housed Kern's confections retail, the second floor housed his ice cream parlor, and the third housed a meeting hall for the local Odd Fellows
. Kern held a large banquet to dedicate the building in April 1876.
Kern's confectionary was selling soft drinks by the early 1880s, and local historian Jack Neely suggests Kern may have been the first to sell Coca-Cola
in Knoxville. His penchant for holding grand banquets and festivals helped Market Square develop into an important commercial area in the late 19th century. While a member of Knoxville's Second Presbyterian Church, Kern held benefits for the city's Catholic and Lutheran congregations. Kern served one term as the city's mayor, from January 1890 until January 1892. He was also a founding member of the Knox County Humane Society, now known as the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley.
Kern's Bakery was purchased in 1989 by Sara Lee, which discontinued the brand. In 2008, Food City revived Kern's as part of a campaign to reintroduce once-successful regional brands. The Kern's products are manufactured by Sara Lee at the old Kern's Bakery on Chapman Highway.
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, USA, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known as the founder of the confections company that eventually evolved into Kern's Bakery, a brand still marketed in the Knoxville area. The company's former confectionery and ice cream parlor, now called the Mall Building (or Hotel St. Oliver), still dominates the southwest corner of Market Square
Market Square, Knoxville
Market Square is a pedestrian mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Established in 1854 as a market place for regional farmers, the square has developed over the decades into a multipurpose venue that accommodates events ranging from concerts to political rallies, and has long provided a...
. Kern served as Knoxville's mayor from 1890 until 1892.
Biography
Kern was born in ZwingenbergZwingenberg (Baden)
Zwingenberg am Neckar is a town in the district of Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
(near Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
) in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1835. He was trained as a shoemaker in his native country, and immigrated to New York in the early 1850s to practice this trade. By 1857, he had moved to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, where he joined the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
army at the outbreak of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Fighting with the 12th Georgia Infantry, he was wounded in action in Virginia, and sent home to Georgia to recover.
In Fall 1863, Kern, now healthy, began his return trip to Virginia to rejoin his fellow soldiers on the frontlines. As he was waiting on a train connection in Knoxville, however, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
forces under Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
occupied the city. Kern was captured, but released on condition that he remain in the city until the end of the war. After his release, Kern and fellow German immigrant William Heidel established a bakery at the corner of State Street and Main, which sold cookies made from flour and molasses to Union soldiers.
By the late 1860s, Kern had bought out Heidel's share, and had moved the business to a two-story building on Market Square. During this period, Kern added an ice cream parlor (or "ice cream saloon") to his confectionery. The parlor utilized a three-horsepower ice cream machine designed by Market Square gunsmith Thomas Burrier. Kern, who had to ship ice in from northern states during warmer months, became a local expert on refrigeration, and served as president of the Knoxville Ice Company during the 1880s.
In 1875, Kern commissioned the construction of a new three-story structure, the Kern Building (now called the Mall Building, or Hotel St. Oliver), on the southwest corner of Market Square. Designed by architect Joseph F. Baumann
Baumann family (architects)
The Baumann family was a family of American architects who practiced in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding region, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It included Joseph F. Baumann , his brother, Albert B. Baumann, Sr. , and Albert's son, Albert B. Baumann, Jr....
, the building's first floor housed Kern's confections retail, the second floor housed his ice cream parlor, and the third housed a meeting hall for the local Odd Fellows
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
. Kern held a large banquet to dedicate the building in April 1876.
Kern's confectionary was selling soft drinks by the early 1880s, and local historian Jack Neely suggests Kern may have been the first to sell Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
in Knoxville. His penchant for holding grand banquets and festivals helped Market Square develop into an important commercial area in the late 19th century. While a member of Knoxville's Second Presbyterian Church, Kern held benefits for the city's Catholic and Lutheran congregations. Kern served one term as the city's mayor, from January 1890 until January 1892. He was also a founding member of the Knox County Humane Society, now known as the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley.
Kern's Bakery
Kern's descendants sold his company to the Brown family in the 1920s. In 1931, the company, moved to a new plant on Chapman Highway, where they focused more on the company's line of breads than on confections. Over the years, Kern's became one of the top-selling breads in East Tennessee. In the 1970s, the brand was popularized in a series of commercials featuring a trucker, "A.J.," and a waitress, "Mavis."Kern's Bakery was purchased in 1989 by Sara Lee, which discontinued the brand. In 2008, Food City revived Kern's as part of a campaign to reintroduce once-successful regional brands. The Kern's products are manufactured by Sara Lee at the old Kern's Bakery on Chapman Highway.
External links
- Kern's Confectionery — Early-1900s photograph of the Kern Building, on file at the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection