Henry Jacobs, First Mayor of Butte, Montana
Henry Jacobs
Values Codes I – E – L – P
Henry Jacobs was born in 1835, in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.
Along the way . . .
Henry Jacobs came to America with his family in 1844, at 9 years of age.
In 1866, after roaming the South and West, the family settled in Virginia City, Montana.
Henry Jacobs established a clothing store called H. Jacobs and Co. with his partner Leopold Marks in Diamond City.
Butte, Montana
In 1876, Henry Jacobs moved to Butte and opened a new version of H. Jacobs and Co. with business partner, Herman Ganz.
H. Jacobs and Co. was one of the first mercantile establishments in the new mining town.
Civic
Jacobs served as Mayor of Butte, from 1879-1880.
He also served as City Treasurer and School Trustee.
Fraternal
Henry Jacobs was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows.
Community
Jacobs was President of the Hebrew Benevolent Association.
Family
Jacobs married Adele (1839-1928).
Henry Jacobs died in 1887.
He is buried in the B’nai Israel Cemetery in Butte.
Adele Jacobs died in 1928.
Home of Henry Jacobs, Butte Montana, today
Sources
- Julie L. Coleman, Golden Opportunities: A Biographical History of Montana’s Jewish Communities (Helena, MT: SkyHouse Publishers, 1994).
- Moses Morris papers, 1894-1932, Montana Historical Society Research Center – Archives and Photographs Archives. http://184.168.105.185/archivegrid/collection/data/420247227
- Montana Women’s History, http://montanawomenshistory.org/using-quilts-as-a-window-into-montana-womens-history/#more-2082
Samantha Silver is our curator for this Henry Jacobs exhibit.