San Francisco County
Biographies
DR. GEORGE
H. KAHN
The dean of the profession of optometry on the Pacific coast is Dr. George H. Kahn, of the firm of Kahn & Company at 54 Geary street in San Francisco, who has had a long and brilliant career in the vocation of his choice. He is a native of New York city, where his birth occurred October 18, 1860, and he is a son of the late Benoit and Jeanette (Lowe) Kahn.
Benoit Kahn was born in Alsace, France, in the year 1822, and was a descendant of an old French family. He was reared and educated in the old country, where he learned to be an optician. In 1845, he came to the United States on a sailing vessel, and he had the distinction of having been the second optician in New York city. His place of business in the eastern metropolis was for many years situated at 427 Broadway. It may be noted that the first business in optometry in that city was that of Benjamin Pike & Son, which was established in 1818. Mr. Kahn died in New York city, August 18, 1894. His wife was born in Stuttgart, Germany, December 9, 1824, and came to the United States several years after her future husband, whom she married in New York. Mr. and Mrs. Kahn were the parents of five sons and two daughters. Two of the children survive, namely: George H.; and Eugenia, who is the widow of Louis J. Weil and a resident of New York city.
Dr. George H. Kahn graduated from grammar school No. 53 in his native city in 1872, when he was twelve years old. Three years later, he left his home and journeyed to San Francisco, his principal mode of transportation having been freight trains. In San Francisco, his two elder brothers, Henry and Louis Kahn, conducted a branch wholesale optical business, and he first entered into their employ as an errand boy. Observant and intelligent, he studied the business from all angles, and acquired a very thorough fundamental knowledge of it. However, in 1876, he made another sudden change. He left San Francisco, returned to New York city, and enlisted in the United States Navy. He was one of the first apprentice boys to enlist under the government act of 1876. For four years and eight months, he served on the U. S. S. Essex, which was in command of the noted Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, naval hero of the Spanish-American war many years later. After receiving his honorable discharge, Dr. Kahn came back to San Francisco, where he joined his brother, Henry, in the optical business under the firm name of Henry Kahn & Company. This arrangement was maintained until 1886, in which year he entered into similar business relations with the late Alphonse Hirsch, as Hirsch & Kahn, with their business at 233 Kearny street. This firm continued in activity until 1896, and from that year until the present Dr. Kahn has been in business on his own account, and, as previously noted, ranks as the dean of his profession on the Pacific coast. His success has been an outstanding one; he understands the secret of dealing with human nature, and has conducted his work along the lines of highest integrity. He is president of the Optical Dealers’ Association in San Francisco, and among his other business connections he has been a director of the Western States Life Insurance Company since its inception in 1911, and is treasurer of the Pacific Citrus Honey Company.
Twice Dr. Kahn has been married. On November 24, 1892, he took as his first wife Miss Amalie Taubles, who was born in Bohemia, a daughter of the late Gustave Taubles, one of the early settlers of San Francisco. Mrs. Kahn died February 19, 1917. On December 1, 1921, Dr. Kahn was married secondly to Miss Jeannette Wollner, who was born in Modesto, California, and is a daughter of Jacob and Rachel (Tannenbaum) Wollner, early comers to the bay district. Mr. Wollmer was a wholesale wool merchant.
In national politics, Dr. Kahn holds his allegiance with the republican party, but in local and state politics he is inclined to have an independent viewpoint, voting usually for the candidate he prefers irrespective of party affiliation. For many years, he was a member of the Academy of Sciences, and he now belongs to the San Francisco Musical Association. He is a devotee of fine literature and paintings, and the enjoyment of them is one of his great diversions in life. He has contributed a large collection of oil canvasses to the Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park of San Francisco, most of the paintings being from the brushes of European and California artists. Dr. Kahn has always borne the reputation of being a generous, democratic, public-spirited, and loyal citizen of San Francisco.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 2 Pages 434-438.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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