John J. Jacob

John Jeremiah Jacob (October 20, 1778 – 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.

Early life and career John J. Jacob was born in Baltimore, Maryland. 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 newfound partner, he established Prather & Jacob, a merchandising company in Louisville. 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 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.

His papers are held by the Filson Historical Society's Special Collections in Louisville.

Marriage and family In 1811 John J. Jacob married Anne Overton Fontaine, sister-in-law of his partner Thomas Prather and developer of Hurstbourne, 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) & 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 & Edith Bullitt Lucy Anderson Jacob (1840–1870)