History of Hennepin County and The City of Minneapolis, 1881. North Star Publishing
Page 656

WENSINGER, John born in Switzerland, May 22d, 1825. Came with his parents to America in 1833 and located at Richland county, Ohio. Removed to Huron in 1840, thence to Sandusky City, where he remained until 1843, learning the boot and shoe business; then engaged in trade at Newark; from there went to Cincinnati and remained until 1849, when he located in St. Anthony, and has since that time been closely identified with its history and growth. Mr. Wensinger engaged in the boot and shoe business here, renting for his shop the old Indian trading post; the year following built a store and took a partner, Col. Spooner in the harness trade. He purchased in Galena, a stock of groceries and established in connection with the first bakery in St. Anthony. He afterwards opened the first shoe shop on the west side of the river; he built the first wooden block in St. Anthony, and the first brick block on Central Avenue. Mr. Wensinger always assisted every enterprise calculated to benefit the town, and often sold lots far below their real value, in order to induce new comers to settle here. Has been tendered several offices, state, county and town, but would never accept, owing to his love for his own mercantile business, and his interest in building up St. Anthony. In 1858 joined a stock company and built the "Fall City," the first steamer built and owned by Minneapolitans; she was run between this place and Pittsburgh; but he lost $9,000 by this investment. Mr. Wensinger always took pride in assisting young men in business, and his generosity sometimes caused him severe losses. His wife by his first marriage was Clara Swan, they were united in 1852, and she bore him two children. Nellie and Nettie, (deceased.) Married the second time in 1869, to Hattie Hyde.