Repp and Sinner Grocery
John H. Sinner was born in Russia on August 20, 1884. He immigrated to the United States with his parents, Heinrich and Katharina (née Pfenning), in 1889, and the family initially settled in Nebraska. John came to Portland in 1901 and worked as a carpenter building houses.
In 1908, John married Paulina (Pauline) Margareta Repp in 1908. Pauline was the daughter of Conrad Repp, who owned a grocery store at 760 Union Avenue North (now 3536 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard) near Fremont Street. Conrad became partners with John around 1910, and the store was renamed Repp and Sinner.
The Repp and Sinner families emigrated from Norka, Russia, and were long-time Zion German Congregational Church members.
When Conrad died in 1916, his sons George and Adam inherited his ownership of the store. They decided to open a new location at NE Union and Failing, which they renamed Repp Brothers Groceries and Meats.
John continued operating at the original location until December 1, 1919, when it was purchased by Alexander and David Hildermann. By 1930, John had returned to working as a carpenter.
John H. and Pauline were the parents of John C. Sinner, who owned the Fremont Market from 1945 into the late 1960s.
John H. Sinner died on December 12, 1959, in Portland.
In 1908, John married Paulina (Pauline) Margareta Repp in 1908. Pauline was the daughter of Conrad Repp, who owned a grocery store at 760 Union Avenue North (now 3536 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard) near Fremont Street. Conrad became partners with John around 1910, and the store was renamed Repp and Sinner.
The Repp and Sinner families emigrated from Norka, Russia, and were long-time Zion German Congregational Church members.
When Conrad died in 1916, his sons George and Adam inherited his ownership of the store. They decided to open a new location at NE Union and Failing, which they renamed Repp Brothers Groceries and Meats.
John continued operating at the original location until December 1, 1919, when it was purchased by Alexander and David Hildermann. By 1930, John had returned to working as a carpenter.
John H. and Pauline were the parents of John C. Sinner, who owned the Fremont Market from 1945 into the late 1960s.
John H. Sinner died on December 12, 1959, in Portland.
Sources
Hoak, Ed. The Hildermann Family.
Lisa Sinner Hetzler
U.S. Census lists and Portland City Directories - Ancestry.com
Obituary for John Henry Sinner, Der Kirchenbote, Vol. 78, No. 14.
Lisa Sinner Hetzler
U.S. Census lists and Portland City Directories - Ancestry.com
Obituary for John Henry Sinner, Der Kirchenbote, Vol. 78, No. 14.
Last updated October 30, 2023