menage was born in providence, rhode island in 1850. his father, john menage, was the descendant of french immigrants; his mother mary was a descendant of "mayflower" passenger john howland. the family moved to new bedford, massachusetts, when menage was young. while in menage was high school, his father died of tuberculosis, leaving louis and his brother to take over the family's confectionery business. in 1871, a doctor diagnosed menage with "weak lungs" and suggested he move west to avoid falling ill with tuberculosis himself. menage moved to minnesota shortly thereafter. after a brief time teaching classes in shorthand at a minneapolis business school, he found work as a business clerk in northern minnesota at a logging camp near pokegama lake.