According to U.S. Census records, Jacob Max Spahn was born on April 23, 1867, in Chicago, Illinois. He married Carrie Carolin Grenier on October 29, 1907, in La Porte.
Jacob Spahn and Gustav H. Wagner later entered into a business partnership. The La Porte County Commercial Review (April 1896) reported that “the business of this concern was established by Charles Labes seventeen years ago, who was succeeded by the present firm October 1st, 1892.”
The partnership lasted only about four years. LaPorte Today: Historical, Descriptive, Biographical, Illustrated. (1904). states that the firm was dissolved in 1896 and that Spahn continued the business alone.
The bottling works was located at 601 Washington Street, on the corner of Clay Street. Sometime between 1910 and 1912, it was taken over and became the George Lamberson Bottling Works.
He died on November 8, 1922, in La Porte, and is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.
1893-1894 – Spahn & Wagner (Jacob Spahn and Gustav H Wagner), manufacturers mineral and soda water, northwest corner of Washington and Clay.
1897-1898, 1899 & 1902 – Spahn, Jacob, manufacturer and bottler of soda and all kinds of mineral waters, 601 Washington St., home is the same.
1904 – Spahn, Jacob 601 Washington. (bottler)
1907 – Spahn, Jacob, proprietor, bottling works., 601 Washington St. at the corner of Clay St.; Phone 460.
1910 – Spahn Jacob (Carrie), bottler, 306 Division St.
Spahn doesn’t appear in the 1913 La Porte directory, but appears in Michigan City. We need LaPorte directories between 1913 & 1920.
1913 (Michigan City directory) – Spahn, Jacob, fitter for the Haskell & Barker Car Company, residence at 219 Pine Street in Michigan City. ( married to Carrie)
