Edward Zahn, organizer and proprietor of the Zahn Dry Goods Company, has continuously been at the head of this business which is now one of the important commercial enterprises of the city. It was organized in 1898 and through the intervening period of eighteen years has been developed in accordance with modern commercial methods.
Edward Zahn was born in Walworth County, this state, on the 3d of April, 1865, and is a son of Edward and Eliza Zahn. The father, a native of Germany, was born in 1823, and came to America in the year 1841, settling in Cincinnati, where he lived until 1843. The succeeding two years were passed in Racine and in 1845 he removed to Vienna, Wisconsin, where he established one of the first flour mills of the place. There he continued his residence until his death, which occurred in 1895, while his wife survived him until 1913.
Edward Zahn obtained a high school education in Racine and when his textbooks were put aside began clerking in a dry goods store so that he made his initial effort in business along the line in which he is now engaged. In 1898 he organized the Zahn Dry Goods Company, establishing his store at No: 428 Main Street, where he occupied two floors of a building twenty-five by one hundred and ten feet, carrying there a large line of general dry goods, carpets, rugs and draperies, together with ready to wear clothing. He is now located at 436-438 Main street in a new modern store thoroughly equipped. He has added a millinery department and his business occupies three floors. Each department is well equipped. He has an attractive line of goods and the business methods of the house as manifested in the courtesy of employees and in the honor that is evidenced in all trade relations have been factors in bringing about his continuous prosperity.
On the 21st of April, 1895, Mr. Zahn was united in marriage to Miss Hattie E. Eason, a daughter of Captain James Eason, one of the early settlers of Racine and today the oldest living pioneer of the city. He served in command of a number of lake vessels and as such made the fastest time between Chicago and Buffalo. He was well known along the lake route and enjoyed the high regard and confidence of all with whom he came in contact. To Mr. and Mrs. Zahn were born two sons-Edward James and Russell Victor, aged respectively twenty and fifteen years.
The family attends the Baptist church and Mr. Zahn gives his political support to the Republican Party. He belongs to the Commercial Club and puts forth every effort in his power to further the development and promote the progress of the city along commercial lines and to extend its trade relations in other connections. He is interested as well in those concerns which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride and he neglects no obligation of citizenship while at the same time he most carefully and wisely conducts his private business affairs.