An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 287-288
	
	HON. JOSEPH A. KUHN, a resident of Port Townsend and a representative in the
development of that city, was born near Gettsburg, Adams county, Pennsylvania,
September 1, 1841, and was the fourth in a family of six sons born to Colonel
Joseph J. and Jane (McCabe) Kuhn, natives of the same State.
	Colonel Kuhn descended from Holland ancestry, who emigrated to Pennsylvania
about 1650, and the two elder Kuhns were soldiers of the Revolutionary war. At
the age of twenty-two Joseph was elected Colonel of State militia, and in
subsequent life was elected Associate Judge of Adams county, and was completing
his third term of service at the date of his death.
	Joseph A. was reared upon the farm, and attended the public schools until
his eighteenth year. He was then sent to Calvert College, Maryland, and remained
until 1859, when he determined to strike out for self-support. In June, 1860, he
arrived at Omaha, Nebraska, which city was his headquarters for the following
six years, he being engaged in the arduous and adventurous business of
freighting to various points in the Rocky mountains,-- Denver, Salt Lake, Fort
Laramie and Virginia City. In 1866, with a mule train, he crossed to Stockton,
California; thence by steamer to Portland, Oregon; and then across to Olympia
and down the sound to Port Townsend, for the purpose of shipping before the
mast. The vessel not being ready, Mr. Kuhn opened a small photographic gallery,
and at the same time began reading law in the office of Judson & McFadden. He
was admitted to the bar in 1870, and engaged in practice in the offices of his
preceptors.
	In 1872 Mr. McFadden was elected to Congress, and the firm then became
Judson & Kuhn, which was continued until 1876; then changed to Kuhn & Burke,
with Judge Thomas Burke, of Seattle, as copartner; and in 1880 the firm
dissolved, and Mr. Kuhn continued alone up to 1890; then retired from active
practice.
	He has also been closely identified with the development of the city, and to
him and Mr. Eisenbeis, who were associated, is the city indebted for the
enterprise of building 1,320 feet of sea-wall between Taylor and Van Buren
streets, thus adding materially to the appearance of the city, and improving the
water front. He has also erected some of the finest improvements of the city, in
residence and business property, -- the Chetzamoka block being his latest
investment. He was one of the incorporators of the Commercial Bank in 1890, and
served two years as president. He was one of the organizers of the Merchants'
Bank, and is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank. He was
active in organizing the Port Townsend Southern Railroad Company, and served as
president to the time of the sale of the road in 1890. He aided in organizing,
and is president of the Point Hudson Foundry, Port Townsend Construction &
Street Railway Company, and vice-president of the Port Townsend Gas & Fuel
Company, besides owning valuable timber lands in contiguous counties of the
sound.
	As a Democrat he has held a high rank in his party. In 1872 he was elected
to the Legislature of Washington, and by re-election has filled seven terms,
serving in both houses. He served twelve years on the School Board of Port
Townsend; ten years Justice of the Peace; four years Probate Judge; two terms
Mayor of Port Townsend; three terms Commissioner of Emigration; and has served
as Chairman of Territorial and County Democratic Committees; and from 1884 to
1892 was a member of the National Democratic Committee.
	As a Mason Judge Kuhn has received the thirty-second degree and Mystic
Shrine -- Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction. He is Past Grand Master of the
Lodge of Washington, and special duty of Supreme Council for northern counties
of Washington and Alaska.
	
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
	
	
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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
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