John Jeremiah Jacob (October 20, 1778[1] – 1852) was an American businessman, financier, real estate developer, and philanthropist active in Kentucky. He was involved in banking, as well as in commerce, real estate, and infrastructure: railroads, canal, bridge, and utilities.
John J. Jacob was born in Baltimore, Maryland,.[1][2] As a young man he met Thomas Prather in Philadelphia, and became inspired by his talk of the frontier. He left with him for Kentucky in 1800 at the age of 22. With his new-found partner, he established Prather and Jacob. A successful businessman, he became the largest landowner and the richest resident of the city, its first millionaire.
Jacob organized and was the first president of the Louisville branch of the Bank of the United States and its successor, the Bank of Kentucky.[1] He organized and was a member of the board of directors for the Galt House.[3] He was president of the Lexington and Ohio Railroad and a member of the board of directors of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad. He was also treasurer of the Louisville and Portland Canal[4] and involved in the Ohio Bridge Commission in 1827.[1] He was among the founders of the Louisville Gas and Water Company in 1838.
Jacob's residence was built on the block bounded by Third and Fourth streets, and Chestnut and Walnut[5] Streets. (He shared the lot with George Keats, brother of the poet John.) His land holdings included much of the eventual central business district and Jacob's Woods, the area presently bounded by Fifth, Preston, Broadway, and Breckinridge streets.[1] (He never owned the area of Jacobs or Jacob's Park, now "Iroquois Park"; these were named in honor of his son Charles T. Jacob, who was mayor of Louisville for several terms and initiated the park's purchase and development.)
Together with George Keats, in 1841 Jacob was elected to Louisville's City Council for the Fourth Ward.[1] He was a major contributor to Louisville's Blind Asylum and the City Hospital. In 1842, he erected Lyndon Hall, now part of the Hurstbourne Country Club's clubhouse, on his estate in what is now Hurstbourne.[6]
His papers are held by the Filson Historical Society's Special Collections in Louisville.[4]
Marriage and familyedit
In 1811 John J. Jacob married Anne Overton Fontaine, sister-in-law of his partner Thomas Prather[2] in 1811. She bore three children before dying in 1819.
In 1822 Jacob married again, to Lucy Donald Robertson – granddaughter of Cdre. Richard Taylor and distant cousin of Capt. (later president) Zachary Taylor. She bore eight children before dying in 1842.
Children:
Matilda Prather Jacob (1815–1880), m. Col. Curran Pope (d. at Perryville)
Mary Jacob (1817–1891), m. John W. Tyler
John Jeremiah Jacob Jr. (1819–1873), lawyer[7] and developer of Hurstbourne,[8] m. Evelyn Johnson
^ abcdefCrutcher, Lawrence M. George Keats of Kentucky: A Life, pp. 224 ff. University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 2012. Accessed 16 October 2013.
^ abThe Encyclopedia of Louisville, pp. 719 ff. "Thomas Prather".
^Acts Passed at the First Session of the 42nd General Assembly for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, §398 – "An Act to Incorporate the Galt House Company", p. 503. Albert Hodges (Frankfort), 1834. Accessed 15 October 2013.
^ abKentucky Digital Library. "John Jeremiah Jacob Papers, 1806–1851". Accessed 16 October 2013.
^The Kentucky Encyclopedia, pp. 448. "Hurstbourne". University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1992. Accessed 30 July 2013.
^The Encyclopedia of Louisville, pp. 205 ff. "Henry Clay Jr."
^Strohmaier, James. The Encyclopedia of Louisville, p. 411. "Hurstbourne". University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 2001. Accessed 9 October 2013.
November 23, 2023
john, jacob, kentucky, businessman, confused, with, john, jeremiah, jacob, governor, west, virginia, john, jeremiah, jacob, october, 1778, 1852, american, businessman, financier, real, estate, developer, philanthropist, active, kentucky, involved, banking, wel. Not to be confused with John Jeremiah Jacob the 4th governor of West Virginia John Jeremiah Jacob October 20 1778 1 1852 was an American businessman financier real estate developer and philanthropist active in Kentucky He was involved in banking as well as in commerce real estate and infrastructure railroads canal bridge and utilities John J Jacob was born in Baltimore Maryland 1 2 As a young man he met Thomas Prather in Philadelphia and became inspired by his talk of the frontier He left with him for Kentucky in 1800 at the age of 22 With his new found partner he established Prather and Jacob A successful businessman he became the largest landowner and the richest resident of the city its first millionaire Jacob organized and was the first president of the Louisville branch of the Bank of the United States and its successor the Bank of Kentucky 1 He organized and was a member of the board of directors for the Galt House 3 He was president of the Lexington and Ohio Railroad and a member of the board of directors of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad He was also treasurer of the Louisville and Portland Canal 4 and involved in the Ohio Bridge Commission in 1827 1 He was among the founders of the Louisville Gas and Water Company in 1838 Jacob s residence was built on the block bounded by Third and Fourth streets and Chestnut and Walnut 5 Streets He shared the lot with George Keats brother of the poet John His land holdings included much of the eventual central business district and Jacob s Woods the area presently bounded by Fifth Preston Broadway and Breckinridge streets 1 He never owned the area of Jacobs or Jacob s Park now Iroquois Park these were named in honor of his son Charles T Jacob who was mayor of Louisville for several terms and initiated the park s purchase and development Together with George Keats in 1841 Jacob was elected to Louisville s City Council for the Fourth Ward 1 He was a major contributor to Louisville s Blind Asylum and the City Hospital In 1842 he erected Lyndon Hall now part of the Hurstbourne Country Club s clubhouse on his estate in what is now Hurstbourne 6 His papers are held by the Filson Historical Society s Special Collections in Louisville 4 Marriage and family editIn 1811 John J Jacob married Anne Overton Fontaine sister in law of his partner Thomas Prather 2 in 1811 She bore three children before dying in 1819 In 1822 Jacob married again to Lucy Donald Robertson granddaughter of Cdre Richard Taylor and distant cousin of Capt later president Zachary Taylor She bore eight children before dying in 1842 Children Matilda Prather Jacob 1815 1880 m Col Curran Pope d at Perryville Mary Jacob 1817 1891 m John W Tyler John Jeremiah Jacob Jr 1819 1873 lawyer 7 and developer of Hurstbourne 8 m Evelyn Johnson Susan Maria Jacob 1823 1905 m Rep James B Clay son of Henry Clay Lt Gov Richard Taylor Jacob 1825 1903 soldier under Fremont in the Mexican American War m Eliza Benton daughter of Sen Thomas Hart Benton amp Laura Wilson Thomas Prather Jacob 1827 1889 m Henrietta Wilson Pope Dr William Rinaldo Jacob 1829 m Maria Hale Isaac Robertson Jacob 1833 1873 m Mary Mulholland Eliza Catharine Jacob 1835 1864 m Samuel Howell Jones Mayor Charles Donald Jacob 1838 1898 m Adelaide Martin amp Edith Bullitt Lucy Anderson Jacob 1840 1870 References edit a b c d e f Crutcher Lawrence M George Keats of Kentucky A Life pp 224 ff University Press of Kentucky Lexington 2012 Accessed 16 October 2013 a b The Encyclopedia of Louisville pp 719 ff Thomas Prather Acts Passed at the First Session of the 42nd General Assembly for the Commonwealth of Kentucky 398 An Act to Incorporate the Galt House Company p 503 Albert Hodges Frankfort 1834 Accessed 15 October 2013 a b Kentucky Digital Library John Jeremiah Jacob Papers 1806 1851 Accessed 16 October 2013 Now known as Muhammad Ali Boulevard The Kentucky Encyclopedia pp 448 Hurstbourne University Press of Kentucky Lexington 1992 Accessed 30 July 2013 The Encyclopedia of Louisville pp 205 ff Henry Clay Jr Strohmaier James The Encyclopedia of Louisville p 411 Hurstbourne University Press of Kentucky Lexington 2001 Accessed 9 October 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John J Jacob Kentucky businessman amp oldid 1177065802, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
