Ludwig Frederick Jahn was the first child born to Joseph M. Jahn and his wife Maria Magdalena Richter. He was called Fritz by his parents, and went by the name Frederick L. Jahn through out his life. Frederick was born on February 25, 1897 at 1 PM. The family was living at 1214 Central Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. (source: Birth Certificate #B-K-2442).

Frederick was baptized at St. Leonard’s of Port Maurice Roman Catholic Church a few weeks later, March 28 1897. A copy of his baptism record could be obtained by writing for it and sending in a typical donation to the Brooklyn Diocese. The record is in Book 5, Page 67, Entry 696. (Source: https://germangenealogygroup.com/records-search/baptisms.php)

Frederick was 6 years old when his family took a trip to Bavaria in the summer of 1903. Certainly old enough to find the experience exciting.

Frederick’s siblings were Leo (1898-1976), Herbert (1899-1900), John Max (1901-1967), Lena (1904-1990). Joseph (1904-1904). The family moved at least 8 times, all within Brooklyn, while he was growing up.

Frederick seems to have been interested in being a baker and cook since his childhood, working in his father’s bakery.

On June 5, 1918, at the age of 21, Frederick registered for the World War I Draft. He was living at 5721 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY and was working for his father, Joseph M. Jahn, at the same address, so the bakery must have been downstairs from their apartment, as was fairly typical at the time.

According to the Draft Registration, Fred had blue eyes and brown hair and was of medium build.

Frederick Jahn was inducted into the U. S. Army in Brooklyn, on August 27, 1918. His dates of assignments and transfers were: Camp Gordon Georgia School for Bakers & Cks to January 2, 1919. QMC Salvage Branch Camp Gordon Georgia to discharge. His grade, with date of appointment was Ck Feb 18/19. Fred did not serve overseas, and was discharged on April 30, 1919. No disabilities.

While Fred was in the U. S. Army he had the opportunity to study baking and cooking to increase the knowledge and experience he had gained in his father’s bakeries.

In the 1920 Census, taken on January 15th, Frederick was living with his father and 3 siblings at 125 57th Street. Five months later he married Anna Martin (23), daughter of Anna (née McNelley) and George Martin on September 25, 1920 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 520 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn (Marriage license # 16538, Marriage Certificate # 13224). St. Luke’s (founded in 1841) merged with St. Matthews in 1943 and is now called the Church of St Luke & St Matthew.

Their daughter Adele Marie Jahn was born Nov 5, 1924 in Brooklyn. Birth certificate number 44105. Looking at Frederick and Anna’s marriage certificate, their daughter seems to have been named for Anna’s witness, Adele Marie Van Buren.

In 1925 the young family were living over the bakery at 714 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn.

Their son George J. Jahn was born Feb. 22 or 24, 1928. The records vary as to his specific birth date.

By 1930 Frederick and Anna (now 33) had bought a home at 7814 Colonial Avenue, Brooklyn.

[Their home was valued at $18,000. This is the equivalent of $329,487.31 in today’s buying power, but home values in Brooklyn have soared way beyond the inflation rate. This 2200 square foot home sold in November 2022, according to Zillow.com for $1, 400,000. The property taxes in 2020 were about $20,000 per year.]

Frederick was still working at the bakery/restaurant he co-owned with his brother John Max Jahn. Anna is not working out side the home. Their daughter Adele is 5 and son George is 2-1/2. They had a boarder living with them, Bertha Simpson (30) who is a child nurse.

An article published in The Brooklyn Citizen newspaper (Feb. 21, 1938, page 10) entitled “Bakers invited to hold confab here next year” and subtitled “Organization which has 30,000 members convenes in Chicago” mentions that the next national convention will be in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn delegate was on its way to Chicago for the current year’s 6 day convention convention, which was held during “National Retail Bakers’ Week”. In the article, mention is made of Frederick L. Jahn, No. 714 Washington, financial secretary of the Brooklyn Merchant Bakers Association. Also mentioned is the fact that there were 614 retail bakers within Brooklyn and Queens alone.

In 1940 the family is still living in their house on Colonial Road. Frederick(43), bakery/restaurant proprietor (co-owned with his brother John Max Jahn) said he worked 84 hours in the week prior to the census taking. Anna (43) is a home maker. Adele is 15, a freshman in high school, and George is 12. He’s in the fifth grade.

In 1942 Frederick (age 44) registered for the World War II era draft. They had a telephone, at a time when not every one did.

In 1950, the family continued to live in their home on Colonial Road. Frederick worked 40 hours in the week prior to the census taking at the bakery/restaurant that he co-owns with his brother John M. Jahn. Adele is not living with them. George, age 22, is single, a baker’s helper at the Bakery and has earned $3,000 in the past year (about $38,000 in today’s money.)

Around 1951 or 1952 Frederick applied for a social security card. It’s not been possible to determine when he retired from the business, if he sold his share to his brother, or if they both sold it outright.

Frederick died May 16, 1970 at the age of 73. His social security death benefit indicates his last residence was Westlake, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA 44145. This was probably at or near his daughter Adele’s home.

Their son George was living in Maryland and Frederick was interred on May 19 at Baltimore National Cemetery. Plot Section P Site 1848. The note on the Find A Grave memorial says: “Cook Us Army World War I”.

Frederick’s estate was probated in Kings County. (I’ve tried to get a copy of the probate record, but haven’t been able to do so online and received no response to my email request. )

Frederick’s wife, Anna (née Martin) Jahn, died December 29, 1981. She is also buried at Baltimore National Cemetery.

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Their son, George J. Jahn, died on Sep. 29, 1984 in Rockville, Montgomery Co., Maryland. George and his wife Dorothy Helen Jahn are buried at Saint Marks Episcopal Church Cemetery, Silver Spring, MD.

Their daughter, Adele Marie Jahn married Eugene Paul Wroblewski (aka Eugene Walker) on November 12, 1943 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn. Adele was a bank teller.He was an instructor of shipfitting mechanics. His parents were Stanley A. Wroblewski and Helen B. Daviszkowski. Eugene died April 5, 1999 in Cleveland, Cuyahog, Ohio. Adele died May 7, 2023 in Rocky River, Cuyahoga Co, Ohio.