Jacob Kuhn, Jr.
On May 13, 1810, there
was born in the Province of Bavaria, Germany,
George Michael Kuhn, the father of the gentleman whose name heads this
sketch.
George's parents belonged to the farming class, but he received a good
education and inherited the capacity for hard work and unabating energy.
On
January 22, 1834, he was married to Sophia Siapernagia, who was born in
the
same locality on May 13, 1811. Four children were born to them, viz:
Conrad, Andrew W., John and Jacob, the last named being born August 4, 1849.
About this time the tide
of emigration of German peasants to America was
high, and after due deliberation Mr. Kuhn decided to take his family to try
the
much-talked-of realities of free America. Accordingly the family bade
farewell
to the Fatherland, boarded a slow sailing vessel and made the tedious
voyage
from Germany to New Orleans. From here they ascended by boat to
Cincinnati,
where they remained but a short time, coming on soon to Shelby county,
where
Mr. Kuhn bought some unimproved land in section 36, and set to work to
establish his home in what was practically still a wilderness. Life in the
New
World was not a disappointment. Mr. Kuhn soon had matters under way.
The
family became active workers in the Evangelical Protestant church, of
Union
township, and Mr. Kuhn proved one of the successful farmers of the county.
He
died February 24, 1885. His companion in life passed to her reward April
1,
1894.
Jacob received a common
school education and in 1878 was married to Mary
L. Kuhn, daughter of George M. and Katherine (Houck) Kuhn. She was
born
December 5, 1860, and has become the mother of the following children: Michael
Arno, born August 12, 1879, married Mahala Huntington, and lives in
Liberty
township, Shelby county, Indiana; Emma Katherine was born January 26, 1881,
and
died November 1, 1883; Sarah Matilda was born on October 9, 1882, as was
also
her twin sister, Maria Sophia. Sarah Matilda departed this life February
1,
1884. George Rheinholt was born January 6, 1885; Elizabeth May
born
February
25, 1887; Alice Laurie, born January 30, 1889; Clarence
Jacob, born March
1,
1894; Idilla, born April 5, 1896; Claude Henry, born July 12, 1898, and
Katie Ethel, born January 9, 1901.
The members of the family
belong to the German church, and are well known
throughout the community. Mr. Kuhn has developed his farm to a high degree
of
excellence, and is deeply interested in the general welfare of the neighborhood.
Chadwick's History of Shelby Co., Indiana, Edward H. Chadwick 1909.
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