Hussong's founder, John Hussong, was born as "Johann" in Landau, Germany in 1863. Johann emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1888, and changed his name to John. In 1889, the discovery of gold south of the border lured John to Ensenada. John made a living hunting and trading supplies up and down the Baja coast. In June 1891, while on a trading expedition to El Arco, John's carriage flipped over, and his companion, Newt House, fractured his leg. John brought Newt to recuperate at Meiggs' Bar, which back then, was Ensenada's only watering hole. Two days after John and Newt arrived at the bar, Meiggs attacked his wife with an axe. When Meiggs was sent to jail, his wife fled to California. When he got out of jail, Meiggs went in search of his wife, and asked John to mind the bar until he returned. Neither Meiggs nor his wife ever returned.
