Simon Schwob was born the 25th of October, 1886 in Hattstatt in Alsace-Lorraine, then at part of the Germany Empire. According to the obituary published in the Bulletin de nos communautes, Simon Schwob was born into a family of modest means, and made his way through work, intelligence and perseverance. He quit school at the age of 14, learned tailoring in Mulhouse, and immigrated to the United States where by 1902 he was working in a dress shop in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1912 he opened a tailor's shop in Columbus, Georgia. Within a few years he had created a clothing factory with a dozen stores selling only the products of his factory . By the time of his death, he was owned Schwobilt, the main factory, plus three other factories and 28 stores, besides being a director of the National Bank of Columbus. In addition to his commercial affairs, he was actively involved in social and civic activities. In 1949 he and his wife Ruth formed the Simon Schwob Foundation which supported many charitable societies, including helping poor students continue their studies. After World War II, he undertook the restoration of the cemetery of Hattstatt-Herrlisheim where his parents were buried, as well as paying monthly pensions to a number of the poor in the town of Colmar. He died on August 8, 1954, leaving his wife as the president of the company.