Jacob H. Rubin, a prominent business man of New Haven, was born in Russia on the 22d of February, 1866, and is a son of Hyman and Esther Rubin, also natives of Russia, where they spent their entire lives, both being now deceased. During his active business life the father engaged in mercantile pursuits. In the family were six children, of whom Jacob H. is the oldest son. He attended school in his native land and was twenty years of age on coming to America in 1886.

  Locating in New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. Rubin has since made his home in this city. In 1888 he embarked in his present business on a small scale as a dealer in leather findings but as his trade increased he enlarged his business, which was incorporated in 1907 with Mr. Rubin as president and treasurer and Lewis I. Prince secretary of the company doing a large wholesale business. Mr. Rubin is also president and proprietor of the Commonwealth Realty Company, engaged in a general real estate business with offices at 375 State street, and in this connection he promoted and built the Law Chamber building at 179 Church street.

  On the 3d of August, 1890, Mr. Rubin was married in New York city to Miss Annie K. Opolensky, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Max Opolensky, of Brooklyn, New York, but she died in New Haven in 1909 at the age of thirty-nine years, leaving five children, as follows. Louis Rubin, born in New Haven, May 22, 1891, was graduated from the academic department of Yale University and is now in business with his father. Mrs. Esther J. Kligeman, born in 1893, is a high school graduate. She is living in New Haven and has one child, a daughter, Hilda. Mrs. Gertrude Peltz, born in 1895, is also a high school graduate. She also has a daughter, Hilda. Nathan Rubin, born in 1898, graduated with the highest honors from high school and is now in his third year as a student at Yale. Miss Sadie Rubin, born in 1905, was graduated from the public schools of New Haven in 1917.

  Mr. Rubin is a Master Mason and has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for the past twenty-three years. He is also a member of B’nai B’rith and the B’nai Abraham synagogue. Politically he does not affiliate with any particular party but votes for the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices. Coming to this country a poor boy from Russia some thirty-one years ago, Mr. Rubin found himself a stranger in a strange land without the advantages of knowing either the language or business methods of the people, but he gradually worked his way upward, husbanding his earnings, and was at length able to embark in business for himself. The first few years he had to deny himself many comforts in order to succeed but close application and keen business judgment have made him one of New Haven’s successful wholesale merchants and also a promoter in real estate and in his modest way he has assisted in the upbuilding of the community. Today he is one of the best known and most prominent businessmen of the city.