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Facts and Events
| Name |
Johann Heinrich Hahn |
| Alt Name |
Cap _____ |
| Gender |
Male |
| Birth? |
1 Mar 1874 |
Westheim, Mittlefranken, Bavaria, Germany |
| Marriage |
29 Nov 1894 |
Hanceville, Alabama at the Lutheran Church.to Anna Louisa Laatsch |
| Occupation[1] |
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Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama, United StatesMetal Worker |
| Death? |
26 Nov 1958 |
Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama, United States |
| Burial? |
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Forest Hill Cemetery |
References
- ↑ JH Hahn worked as a roofer for the George Wheelock Company in Birmingham. When Mr. Wheelock died in 1905, JH was asked to run the Company until Mr Wheelock's son was old enough to run the Company in 1914.
Afterwards, JH and George Foreman purchased Spiro Roofing Company and named it Hahn-Foreman Roofing. JH later bought out Foreman's portion and Hahn Roofing was founded. It later became Hahn Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors and later simply Hahn Roofing and Heating.
After JH died (1958), his son HH Hahn took over as President. After HH's quick death in 1961, HH's brother Fred took over as President and HH, Jr. became Vice President and RN Hahn (my father) became Secretary.
The Company ran until around 1980 or so when it folded.
JH Hahn was nicknamed "Cap" by his workers - a derivitive of "Captain".
In 1926, Cap returned to Germany for the only time since he left in 1882 with his Uncle Heinrich Meier and came to America. He met his Mother and his 3 brothers and 4 sisters - really for the first time. Some were not yet born when he left in 1884 at the age of 9. His father had already died in 1917 so he never saw his father again after age 8. He was now 52 years old.
Cap was a successful business man in America and bought lavish gifts for all his nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters. Each nephew was given a new bicycle and each niece received silk pajamas (they had been wearing burlap, so the silk was much appreciated, one would assume).
A Marching Band from Westheim met him at the train station in Westheim when he returned. He noticed that they had no bass drum so he bought one for them. He was given a very elaborate plaque by Westheim for his many financial contributions to the city. I now own that plaque. In 2006, my brother Steve and I visited Westheim and saw the drum, now owned by the Obernzenn Music Association (Muzic Verein). The drum was in ill-repair, being 80 years old. We donated money to have the drum restored by the Association. I was given a similar plaque for my financial assistance. I plan to pass down both plaques to my children. The Association is run today by Peter Schlegel, whom I have befriended.
Cap had very blue eyes and is decribed by his Granddaughter, Ann Knies, as being a very sharp dresser - "always very dapper". He always wore a carnation in his lapel and always had a pocket watch with fob. I inherited that pocket watch and have passed it along to my son, Brian.
Cap suffered a stroke in 1948 that left him partially paralyzed and caused his speech to be slurred. He walked with a cane after the stroke.
Cap had an elderly black man act as his chauffer - driving him everywhere he went for many years in his black cadillac. When Cap died, the cadillac was given to the chauffer by the surviving family. His name was Beecher. Beecher's parents had been killed in a car accident when he was a very young boy. He was left with no family. Cap and Anna took him in and gave free room and board in exchange for work around the house. Apparently, Beecher became Cap's constant companion. After Cap's stroke, Cap sent Beecher to be trained as a nurse to help care for Cap.
Cap was also a life member of the Elks Lodge...I now own his Elk's Lodge pin.
During the German aggression in WW1, he changed his name from Johann Heinrich to John Henry Hahn. His sons: from: Harry Heinrich to Harry Henry; Herbert Ludwig to Herbert Louis; and Fredrick Karl to Fredrick Carl Hahn.
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