Cone "Inventors" Menches from Akron(OH)

[Sam Clements]

Barry, This has been a quest of mine for the last few months.

The relatives of the original Menches Brothers (Charles and Frank), run at
least two restaurants in the Arkon/Canton area today.  They have a website
that proudly touts  http://www.menchesbros.com/history.htm    the invention
of the hamburger, the ice cream cone, and the forerunner? to "Cracker
Jacks."

I was in the Akron Public for an hour tonight but couldn't get at a (good)
microfilm reader.  So, I read the index to the Akron Beacon Journal on
micrfilm on one of the ancient machines that HAD to have been invented
BEFORE the hamburger and the ice cream cone!

Interestly, the Menches brothers declared bankruptcy in Jan/Feb of 1904.
Perhaps they recovered later at the World's Fair and went on to become rich.
I doubt it.

The brothers lived and worked in Canton and Akron before the turn of the
century.  I live in Akron.  I plan on doing a plodding look at these
claimants and will let you know my results.  It may take time.
----- Original Message -----
From: <Bapopik at AOL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 5:07 PM
Subject: Ice Cream Brick, Cone "Inventors"


>    4 December 1931, ZANESVILLE SIGNAL (Zanesville, Ohio), pg.1, col. 7:
> _INVENTOR OF ICE_
>    _CREAM CONE DEAD_
>    Akron, O., Dec. 4.--The inventor of the ice cream cone is dead.
>    He was Charles E, Menches, 72, circus trapeze performer,
concessionaire,
> theater operator, creator of novelties.  Menches suffered a heart attack
at his
> home here and died last night.
>    The carnival man, who had watched many of the noisy efforts of human
> beings to find pleasure, sat in his concession at the St. Louis world's
fair,
> glancing idly about.
>    Two girls in a nearby ice cream stand had wrapped waffles around ice
> ctream and were eating with gusto.
>    Menches sprang from his chair with a shout of convistion and the ice
cream
> cone virtually was created.  He founded the first cone company in 1905.