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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Hardeman County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Isaac and Samuel Kahn, under the firm title of Kahn Bros., are leading dry goods merchants of Bolivar, and the sons of Henry and Louise (Newberger) Kahn, both natives of Germany where they grew up and were married. Soon after they immigrated to America and located in Bolivar, where he opened a dry goods store and was engaged in this business until 1863. He then moved to Louisville, Ky., where he carried on the same business a short time and then retired in 1868. He was a Democrat in politics, and a remarkably successful merchant. He died in 1880. The mother is still living in Louisville and is sixty-five years of age. They had five children—four sons and one daughter. In 1868 the four sons came to Bolivar, opened a large dry goods house and for fifteen years were in partnership. In 1883 Marcus Kahn left the firm and a year later Jacob Kahn withdrew, leaving the firm as it now is. Twice the store has been burned and each time a more extensive one has been built. Isaac, the senior member of the firm, was born July 20, 1849, in Bolivar where he received his early education and afterward attended the Male High School at Louisville, Ky. After completing his education he came to Bolivar and has since been engaged in business at this place. In 1880 he married Emma Rosenthal, by whom he had two sons: Henry and Claude Mellville. Samuel, the junior member of the firm, was born in 1852 in Bolivar, and received the same educational advantages as his. brother, Isaac. In 1881 he married Miss Tillie Frank, and to this union were born three children: Annie, Louise, and an infant. Both brothers are stanch Democrats in politics. The firm of Kahn Bros., have had the leading dry goods business in Bolivar since 1868 and are prominent among the first business men of the town.

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This family biography is one of 101 biographies included in the book,  The History of Hardeman County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Hardeman County was included within The History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties, Tennessee

View additional Hardeman County, Tennessee family biographies here: Hardeman County, Tennessee

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