California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 LOUIS KAHN. Endowed with a strong personality, exceptional executive and financial ability, and an almost marvelous business instinct, Louis Kahn, of Oakdale, has been a dominant force in the upbuilding of Stanislaus county. During the quarter of a century that he has resided in Oakdale, he has been actively identified with its growth and prosperity, and a leader in the establishment and maintenance of beneficial projects. A native of Germany, he was born March 20, 1855, near Baden-Baden, which was likewise the birthplace of his father, Daniel Kahn. Born, bred and educated near Baden-Baden, Daniel Kahn belonged to one of the oldest and most respected families of southern Germany. He began life for himself as a merchant, but subsequently served in the Germany army as a soldier, taking an active part in the Revolution of 1848. Being forced to leave the Fatherland for a time, he came to America, remaining in New York until after the amnesty proclamation, when he returned to his native country, and was there engaged in mercantile pursuits until his death, while in manhood's prime. He married Fannie Hirschfelder, who was born in Hohenzollern, Germany, where her father, Jacob Hirschfelder, was a farmer and merchant. After the death of her husband, she came to California, and spent the remainder of her life in San Francisco. Of her family of two sons and four daughters, all are living with the exception of the second son, Jonas Kahn, who died in San Francisco, in 1903. The oldest child of the parental household, Louis Kahn received excellent educational advantages, after completing the course in the public schools, being graduated from the Baden-Baden Gymnasium. Immigrating to the Pacific coast in 1871, he spent a short time in San Francisco, and then went to Austin, Nev., where he accepted the position of clerk in a large general store, and while thus employed became familiar with the English language. Going thence to Belmont, Nev., Mr. Kahn was engaged in business, as a partner of J. J. Koenigshoffer until 1873, when the firm transferred its business to Helena, Mont., where Mr. Kahn had charge of its large store for four years. Closing out its Montana establishment in 1877, the firm opened a store in Oakland, Cal, and the junior member continued as manager of the business for three years. Severing his connection with the firm in 1880, Mr. Kahn located in Oakdale, Stanislaus county, as a member of the firm of Haslacher & Kahn, opening a general store in this city, and one at Knights Ferry, putting in a complete stock of merchandise in each place. In 1881 the store at Knights Ferry was burned down, and the firm, instead of rebuilding, transferred all the business to Oakdale, and continued its management until 1887, when it was sold. Since that time, Mr. Kahn has been a promoter and supporter of many of the most extensive and important business enterprises that have been established in this section of the state, doing more, perhaps, than any other one man, to increase the growth and prosperity of town and county. In January, 1888, Mr. Kahn was one of the organizers of the Bank of Oakdale, one of the leading financial institutions of the county, and is now the principal stockholder and its cashier, Thomas B. Dorsey being president, and Joseph H. Kahn assistant cashier. Subsequently, in partnership with Mr. Haslacher, he organized the Haslacher & Kahn Warehouse Company, which has since carried on an immense grain business, operating warehouses in Farmington, Cometa, Clyde, Burnett, Oakdale, Occidental, Paulsell, Warnersville, Claribel, Waterford, Hickman, Montpellier, Amsterdam, Merced. Athlone, Cressey, Ceres, Modesto, Salida, Escalon, Riverbank and Claus, all of which places are connected by a private telephone system. This company has its main office in Oakdale, with branch offices in Modesto, Merced, and Farmington. In April, 1903, the Haslacher & Kahn Company was legally incorporated, with Mr. Kahn as president, and his son. Joseph H. Kahn, as secretary, and has already established a very large business in loans, real estate, grain insurance and grain dealing, being widely and favorably known by its large operations in these lines throughout the San Joaquin valley. This enterprising company was the first to subdivide land in Stanislaus county, and was the first to obtain water for irrigating purposes in the eastern part of the county. Among Haslacher & Kahn's additions to the town of Oakdale are two hundred and fifty acres of land, divided into five and ten acre tracts, all subject to irrigation, and devoted to the growing of oranges, fruits and alfalfa, and the Villa and Syndicate tracts, containing four hundred and fifty acres, divided into lots of one or more acres, all well irrigated, and adapted for raising alfalfa, fruit and berries. This company also laid out the Orange Blossom Colony tract of seven thousand acres, lying four miles east of the city. One thousand acres of it, laid out in small lots, is under irrigation, and devoted to the culture of oranges, berries and alfalfa. In January, 1904, Mr. Kahn bought out Mr. Haslacher's interest in the Haslacher & Kahn Company, and has since continued the business alone, having his principal office at Oakdale and a branch office at No. 315 California street, San Francisco. He is also president of the Oakdale Irrigation Company, of which he was one of the originators. A man of unusual business aptitude and integrity, Mr. Kahn has accumulated large wealth, being the owner of numerous valuable grain farms, which he rents, and has good business and fine residential property in Oakdale. In financial and business circles, he holds a place of prominence and influence, belonging to the Merchants' Exchange of San Francisco ; to the State Bankers' Association, and to the American Bankers' Association. In the upbuilding of Stanislaus county he has been very active and conspicuous, having been the first to bring its superior advantages for business and residence to the public notice by advertising, and the first to have made and published a bird's-eye view of the city of Oakdale. In Stockton Mr. Kahn married Cecilia Hoenigsberger, who was born in San Francisco, a daughter of Joseph Hoenigsberger, a pioneer merchant of that city, and of Knights Ferry. Mr. and Mrs. Kahn are the parents of three children, namely : Joseph H., educated at the Leland Stanford, Jr., University, assistant cashier of the Bank of Oakdale, and secretary of both the Haslacher & Kahn Company and of the Haslacher & Kahn Warehouse Company ; Rheta L., a graduate of Mills College; and Bertha, attending Mills College. Fraternally Mr. Kahn is a member of Oakdale Lodge No. 275, F. & A. M.; of Modesto Chapter, R. A. M. ; of Stockton Council; and is prominently identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the Lodge, Encampment and Canton, and in the latter organization was chief of equipment of the Pacific coast.