Joseph Harth was born in Bavaria. In 1834 he and his brother Mathias emigrated to America and settled in Essex County New Jersey. In 1847 he was a paper maker. By 1855 he called himself a brewer. At some time during the next few years Mathias was also hired on. Joseph continued managing the brewery until his death on June 30th, 1878. The Harth Brewery continued for several years under that name, after which it ran through a long list of proprietors and partners, ultimately becoming the Birkenhauer Brewing Co. in 1909. The firm closed in 1916.