Honorable Jacob Kuhn, a prominent citizen of Carroll County, and senior member of the firm of Kuhn & Roush, of Manning, proprietors of the Manning Roller Flour Mills, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Allegheny County, August 31, 1844. His parents, A. and M.C. Kuhn, were both natives of the same State, and are yet residents of Allegheny County. Of the ten children born to them, five sons and five daughters, our subject was the fifth child and third son. He was early in life inured to the hard labor of farm life in Pennsylvania, varied only by attending school, where he made the most of his limited advantages.

He remained at home until he enlisted in defense of the Union, February 13, 1864, in Battery H, Third Pennsylvania Light Artillery. His battery was attached to the Eighth Corps and operated in the Valley of Virginia. The service of Mr. Kuhn ended with the close of the war, when he returned to his home in Pennsylvania, remaining in his native county till 1868.

In that year he came to Iowa, where he made his home at Grove City, Cass County, about two years, engaged in carpentering. He was married at Atlantic City, Cass County, May 26, 1870, to Miss Minnie C. Taylor, a native of Ohio, born September 20, 1851, and they are the parents of three children: Eva M., Mary A. and Ethel. Soon after his marriage Mr. Kuhn removed to Anita, Cass County, where he engaged in contracting and building. In 1877 he erected a steam flouring mill for his own use, which he operated several years. In 1882 he formed his present business relations with Mr. Roush, and that same year erected the Manning Roller Mills, although he did not establish his residence at that place until 1884. He now owns and occupies one of the finest residences in the city.

The mill building is 42 x 46 feet in size, three stories in height, and to this main building a room has been added 16 x 32 feet, and is supplied with a fifty horse-power engine. The mills have nine sets of rollers and two of burrs. The exchange business conducted here, that is giving flour for wheat, is the largest in Northwestern Iowa. Both members of the firm are live, energetic business men, and by their united efforts have made a success of this enterprise and established a good business. Mr. Kuhn has quite large interests outside his mill property.

He is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank, the only national bank in Carroll County. He was one of the leading Republicans in Cass County, and in October, 1883, he was elected to the Twentieth Iowa General Assembly from Cass County. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is commander of McPherson Post, No. 33, of Manning.

Back to Carroll County 1887