John Jahn was born on June 13, 1901, the 3rd child of Lena (Née Richter) and Joseph M. Jahn. He was born at home at 312 Floyd St., Brooklyn, NY. (Kings County, NY Birth Certificate #12566. His name is written two ways on the certificate: Max Joseph Jahn and Max J. Jahn. He was called Max by his parents. He used the name John M. Jahn and curiously appears to have also used the name Charles Max Jahn in later years. Perhaps Charles was his confirmation name (Roman Catholic Church confirmation)?

John M. Jahn was baptized on June 21, 1901 at All Saint’s RC Church, 115 Throop Avenue at Thornton Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11206.

Max, as he was called when was young, traveled to Germany in 1903 with his family He was almost 2 years old, so he probably didn’t remember much of the trip. In 1910, he was living with his family at 714 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn. The bakery was downstairs.

In 1915, the family was living at 127 5th Street. At fourteen, he is in school and still being called Max.

On Oct. 22, 1919, now called John M. Jahn, he applied for a Seaman’s Passport. John is described as 5’7”, fair complexion, light brown hair, hazel eyes. He has a scar on the back of his right hand and on the left side of his neck. John’s rating is “Mess man”.

John’s baptism certificate was provided to prove his birth date and place. 

In 1920 John is still working as a seaman on a ship. Like his brother Leo, this employment would soon end with the post-WWI disengagement of the United States Shipping Board USSB from these local contracts. Unlike Leo though, John had been working as a cook on the ships. So his re-entry into the bakery/restaurant business may have been smoother.

John M. Jahn was a registered voter, as were his siblings. Frederick & his wife Anna, Leo, and John are listed at the 714 Washington Ave. address, as such on the U.S. New York Voter List for 1924, and in other years as well.

After Frederick and Anna purchased their home on Colonial Road, John continued to rent an apartment at 714 Washington Ave. In 1930 he is 29 years old, single, and working as a clerk in the bakery business. For a change, no other family members are living at this address in 1930.

In The Times Union newspaper of June 5, 1934 (page 16) under New Business Ventures, the Jahn Brothers bakery/restaurant at 714 Washington Avenue is mentioned, with the new owners Frederick and John Jahn.

In 1940, Leo & Grace and their four children are living with John at 714 Washington Avenue.

John registered for the World War II draft in 1942. He was 41 years old, living at 714 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, and he was co-owner with his brother Frederick of Jahn Brothers, bakery/restaurant at the same address. His father Joseph Jahn was listed as his next of kin. He has a telephone at the Washington Ave address.

After the 1942 Draft Registration, John M. Jahn’s life becomes more difficult to track and verify.

Where did he go?

In the 1950 census he is not living at 714 Washington Avenue any longer. His brother Leo has moved to New Jersey (circa 1945). His brother Frederick is living in his own home on Colonial Road. Frederick’s census record indicates he is still a Part-Owner of a “Bakery & Restaurant,” and although it doesn’t give the address for the place, it’s most likely still at 714 Washington Avenue.

He might be the 48 year old John Jahn living at 1296 Pacific Street, Apt. 611, Brooklyn, who is now married to a 45 year old woman named Ann K. Jahn. She was born in Germany and is not a citizen. His occupation is Proprietor of a Restaurant and worked 50 hours the week prior to the census taking. Anna is a waitress in a Restaurant and worked 30 hours the past week. He is classified as an owner, while Anna is classified as a non-paid worker (working for her husband). Her maiden name has not been identified.

If this is John M. Jahn, then he and Ann were married between 1942 and 1950. No marriage record found as of now.

A social security card was issued or a Charles Jahn (circa 1950-1951, the same time frame as for his brother Frederick). This Charles Jahn has the same birth date, June 13, 1901, as John M. Jahn. A search of the birth certificates for a Charles Jahn, born 1901 in any borough of New York City brings no results.

The SS Death Index lists a death date of August 1967. The last residence is Kings Park, Suffolk County, NY 11754. Kings Park is part of Smithtown Long Island.

John M. Jahn’s estate was probated through Kings County Surrogate’s office probated his will. Probate record # 5930-67, death date, 8-12-1967. was indexed for John Max Jahn, aka John M. Jahn, Charles Max Jahn, Charles John, or John Jahn That’s a fair number of “also known as.” His address on the probate index records was 1296 Pacific Street, Brooklyn. (source: Family Search, New York Kings Co. Probate Index for 1967. )

No NYC death certificate or burial record been found for John M. Jahn. He probably died in Kings Park, Smithville, Long Island, NY. Probably in a hospital there as his legal address was 1296 Pacific Street, Brooklyn on the probate index cards.

Kings County Death Certificate Index #5614. is a possible death record for Anna Jahn. She was age 59, born circa 1906, and died in Brooklyn NY on March 12 1964. This could be her. The probate index for John M. Jahn doesn’t include a wife’s name and that would make sense if she pre-deceased her husband.