|
Page 253 |
31, 1861. He emigrated to America when a 16 year old boy.
After a short stay in New York removed to St. Joe, Missouri, where he went to work in a wholesale clothing house.
Anyone who knows Albert is aware that the dull monotony of a wholesale clothing house is not to his taste, so after two years apprenticeship he took the road representing Fred Meyer & Co., manufacturers of men's clothing, Cincinnati, Ohio; after one year on the road he settled down in Marysville, Marshall county, Kansas.
While at this point he brought his brother, Felix, three years his junior from France to assist him in the store.
Two years later Arthur was added to the Kahn force, he landed in 1884. In the fall of 1884 the three brothers came to Norton and started the first exclusive clothing house in the county.
It was quite an undertaking at that time as the majority of us wore jeans and overalls, but the boys educated us to wear $20 and $25 suits.
During the first year's stay in Norton, Sylvain, their younger brother came over and joined the force.
In the great fire of January, 1886, the boys were among the unfortunates to burn out, losing considerable, but by attending strictly to business, and by judicious advertising, of which the firm is renowned, and by their fair and square methods of doing business, they soon worked up an immense trade, second to none in the west.
As an evidence of their success they gradually branced (sic) out and today own the leading stores at Norton, Goodland and Phillipsburg, besides considerable real property here.
Everybody here knows the Kahn brothers. In 1889 Albert married Miss  Lilly Most, of Gallipoles, Ohio, renowned as the belle of the whole neighborhood.
Mrs. Kahn came to Norton and has lived here ever since. Miss Rose, their 2-year-old daughter, is enjoying herself around their fireside and talks a great deal of her grandpa and grandma in Kolbsheim, France, whom she is going to visit soon.Felix recently went back to France and married Miss Lucy Levy, a daughter of M. Levy, connected highly officially (sic) with the French government. Felix is now living in Phillipsburg. Arthur is superintendent of the Goodland business and Sylvain, the younger brother, will take charge of an establishment soon to be opened. Jacob Hiles was born October 26, 1883, in Fairfield county, Ohio. He was married to Mary J. Smith at Logan, Ohio, August 1, 1855; she was born December 5, 1833, near Marietta, Ohio. The name is of Pennsylviana (sic) Dutch origin. William H. Hiles was born May 22, 1858; Hiram S. Hiles, April 21, 1860; Francis M., March 4, 1862, and died May 6, 1865; John E. was born December 5. 1867; Elizabeth C., August 10, 1870; David F., January 7, 1874; Irma, April 20, 1876, died February 17, 1878. Jacob Hiles enlisted August 6, 1862, in company A, 90th Ohio volunteer infantry and was mustered out at Camp |
|
Page 253 |
