My Genealogy Hound

George H. Kahmann, secretary and treasurer of the Washington Clay Manufacturing Company, is a native of St. Louis, Mo., born September 18, 1854, and is a son of C. Henry and Mary (Mense) Kahmann. The father was born in Harrover, Germany, in 1826, and when eighteen years of age came to the United States and located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he became steward on a boat from that place to St. Louis, Mo. At the end of three years he located in St. Louis, married and began keeping hotel, but was afterward keeper of a restaurant. In 1855 he came to Washington and erected the Pacific Hotel, of which he was landlord for two years. In 1857 he began pork-packing and merchandising on an extensive scale, but about 1870 he disposed of his merchandise, and from that time until his death he continued in the pork-packing business, meeting with excellent success. He was a man who was always in the front ranks for the upbuilding and advancement of the town, and for years was the most influential and substantial citizen of Washington. He died November 11, 1884. His wife was born on a sailing vessel coming to America in 1839; she died in 1872. She was the mother of six children, who lived to be grown: George H., J. William (editor of the Observer), Guy F. (secretary and treasurer of the H. Tibbe & Son Manufacturing Company), Anna (wife of Charles I. Wynne, music dealer in St. Louis), Cassie and Joseph F. George H. was educated in Washington and two years in Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. In 1869 he became a clerk with J. D. Hibbler, in a general store in Washington, but at the end of two years became assistant cashier in the Washington Savings Bank. In 1872 he went to St. Louis and was engaged in a wholesale notion house, but in 1875 he returned to Washington, and he and James I. Jones became partners in a general store. In 1878 Mr. Kahmann bought Mr. Jones’ interest, and his brother Guy became his partner, meanwhile taking an interest in a corncob pipe manufactory, with H. Tibbe & Son, where he remained actively engaged in business until 1886, when a stock company was formed, of which our subject is still a stockholder. Since February, 1887, he has been secretary and treasurer of the Washington Clay Manufacturing Company. May 12, 1881, he married Miss Mary S. Hopkins, daughter of H. S. Hopkins, bridge contractor, of St. Louis. Mrs. Kahmann was born in Jefferson City, Mo., in 1858, and by her marriage became the mother of three children: Nathalie, Corabell (deceased) and C. Henry. Mr. Kahmann is a stock holder in Hopkins Bridge Company, St. Louis, is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Catholic Church.