Jacob Friedrich Kuhn was born in Eschelbach, Germany. He emigrated with his parents to America at age 14. The family settled in Buffalo, New York. In 1851, When he was 21, Kuhn married Elizabeth Rudolf and they immediately got to work starting a family of their own. A large one.  According to family research he and his wife had 25 children.

Jacob had a long career as an assistant tax assessor.  Nonetheless, at age 40 he bought in to a partnership with one of the breweries he had been tasked with assessing. The firm was that of Messner & Shamel, who were in need of a partner upon the departure of brewery founder Anthony Messner. The firm continued under the name Shamel & Kuhn until 1874 when Michael Schamel left. By this time Kuhn's kids had grown up, and had joined the family business.  The manufactory was operated as such for the next 16 years. Jacob Friedrich Kuhn died on April 15th, 1915 at the age of 84 years. By that time the brewery had been closed for eleven years.