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{{Short description|American businessman and tailor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Henry Kahn
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| restingplace = Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation Cemetery South
}}
'''Henry Kahn''' (March 31, 1860 – August 14, 1934) was an American businessman and [[tailor]] who lived in [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], and founded the [[Kahn Tailoring Company Building|Kahn Tailoring Company]].
 
==Early life==
Henry Kahn was born in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], on March 31, 1860, to Isaac (1829–1887) and Bella ([[née]] Hirsch) Kahn (c.{{circa|1840}} – 1840–18861886).<ref name=star/><ref name="IJHS">{{Cite book|lastlast1=Himm|firstfirst1=Katie|url=https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/p16797coll18/id/1220|title=There are Jews in Southern Indiana: the Bloomington story|last2=Ruegamer|first2=Lana|date=2009|publisher=Indiana Jewish Historical Society|year=|isbn=|location=[[Fort Wayne, Indiana]]|pages=|language=Englishen|oclc=467966483}}</ref> Isaac emigrated from France in 1844 and settled in Bloomington, where he married Bella in 1856. Bella was the daughter of of French immigrants who arrived in [[Louisiana]] prior to 1850 and eventually settled in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]. Henry had two sisters, Clementine (1858–1914) and Cora (1868–1898). Isaac Kahn was a businessman and owned several clothing stores in Bloomington. In 1866, the Kahns moved to Indianapolis where Henry attended public schools before studying at [[Butler University]].
 
==Career==
Kahn entered the clothing business in 1886 when he opened a small tailoring shop on East [[Washington Street (Indianapolis)| Washington Street]] in downtown Indianapolis. In 1903, he founded the Kahn Tailoring Company and by 1913 Kahn had grown his business to include a retail building located at 7 North Meridian Street and a four-story manufacturing plant at 800 North Capitol Avenue.<ref name="Marion">{{Cite web|url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/files/marion_jewish.pdf|title=Marion County Jewish History|publisher=Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref> Kahn Tailoring Company eventually grew to become the largest manufacturer of men's and women's suits in the [[United States]], with two thousand dealers and twelve retail stores located across the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/files/hp-kahntailoring.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Kahn Tailoring Company|publisher=Indiana Department of Natural Resources|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref><ref name="IJHS"/> Kahn was also a major supplier of military uniforms to the United States during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]].
 
Kahn Tailoring Company became the largest employer of Jewish immigrants in Indianapolis by working with the [[Jewish Industrial Removal Office|Industrial Removal Office]] (IRO) in [[New York City]]. The local IRO office in Indianapolis assisted newly arrived Jewish immigrants in locating jobs. The company offered support to its employees through its social welfare department that organized social gatherings, a baseball teamsteam, and a factory orchestra.<ref name="Marion">{{Cite web|url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/files/marion_jewish.pdf|title=Marion County Jewish History|publisher=Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref>
 
After his death in 1934, the Kahn Tailoring Company was managed by his son-in law. In 1954, it merged with the Globe Tailoring Company of [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], and sold its manufacturing facility on Capitol Avenue. By 1970, there were no more Kahn stores in Indianapolis.<ref name="Marion"></ref>
 
==Personal life==
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Henry married Sarah F. Lang (November 18, 1862 – June 30, 1952) in 1886. They had a daughter, Claribel.
 
In 1908, Kahn built a home at 101 E. 27th Street in Indianapolis. He later sold the home to the State of Indiana, where it served as the [[Indiana Governor's Residence|Indiana Governor's Mansion]] from 1919- to 1945.<ref name=in2>{{cite web|url=https://www.in.gov/gov/governors-residence/history/|title=History of Indiana Governor's Residence|date=13 October 2020 |publisher=State of Indiana|accessdateaccess-date=2020-11-25}}</ref> When the Governor's Mansion was moved to 4343 N. Meridian Street, the house was sold to the nearby [[Marott Hotel]] whereand itwas brieflyslated to servedserve as an exclusive clubhouse. beforeHowever, beingdue demolishedto inprohibitive 1962costs this plan was not carried out, and convertedthe intohouse awas parkingdemolished lotin 1962.<ref name="IJHS"/>
 
Kahn died on August 14, 1934, at the Marott Hotel in Indianapolis.<ref name=star>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=August 15, 1934|title=Henry Kahn, tailoring company founder, dies|pages=3|work=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63945089/obituary-for-henry-kahn-aged-71/|url-status=live|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=1934-08-15|title=Henry Kahn Passes Away|pages=8|work=[[The Times (Munster, Indiana)|The Times]]|location=Munster, Indiana|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63945292/the-times/|url-status=live|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref>
 
== References ==
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[[Category:Businesspeople from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:American fashion businesspeople]]
[[Category:TailorsAmerican tailors]]
[[Category:People from Bloomington, Indiana]]
[[Category:Butler University alumni]]