2 2, 1946

Friday,

March 22, 1946

Page Three

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

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HISTORY OF JEWS
IN MICHIGAN

Hank Sho e
ant of the
rat ers' As.
ng a pos i •
r, Nathan 1
)t

By IRVING4. KATZ

L 9

rose
Gom.
ni I

Biographical Sketches
of Detroit Jews

p honored
terms in

Article VIII
1850-1860

SIGMUND ROTHSCHILD

MONG THE earliest Jews to arrive in Detroit, and the first to
achieve great commercial success, were the three Rothschild
1-
brothers: Sigmund, Feist and Kaufman. They were the first
merchants to develop a great business in leaf tobacco in the West.
e
They all came from Frankfort-on-the-Main in 1854, and recognizing
the potential growth of the tobacco trade in Detroit, both from the
standpoint of demand from local manufacturing and of distribution
to other centers, proceeded to build up Detroit as a jobbing market,
alines and
particularly for foreign tobacco from Sumatra and Cuba. They had
lo vies will
branch houses both in Amsterdam and Havana and for years their
ilar meet.
Importations of tobacco furnished a very high percentage of the rev-
ed cal Aid
enues of the Detroit Customs district.
1 p.m. at
'enter.
Born in Germany
Sigmund Rothschild was born in Germany July 1, 1837, and came
19, Mrs,
ia . les Al-
to the United States at the age of 16. He was one of a family of five
an, Mrs.
'ft ..,, children, whose parents were Mr.
ihewitz,
and Mrs. Samuel Rothschild. Prior
he i m
)
to his corning to Detroit, Sigmund
at Percy 1
had business experience as an ap-
prentice to the dry goods trade, as
a travelling salesman, and he also
spent a year in learning the trade
of cigar-making in New York. Up-
on his arrival in Detroit in 1854,
he took charge of the cigar stand
in the old National Hotel, which
later became the Russell House.
His business enterprise and ambi-
tion, however, prompted him to
enter larger fields and he estab-
lished a wholesale tobacco house
with his brother, Feist, as a part-
ner. In 1865 they were joined by
)N
their brother, Kaufman S.
Sigmund was a man of sound
business judgment and studied
closely the conditions of the trade
and anything relating to the growth
of their business. In fact, he be-
came one of the largest and most
daring buyers of leaf tobacco in
the world and conceived the idea
of buying tobacco directly from
1 the farmers in Cuba. Several
SIGMUND ROTIISCIULD times he stayed in the field when
dealers were driven out by yellow fever and he rendered signal service
to the Cubans by purchasing their crops which were piled ,up and
spoiling. Business demands took him to all parts of this country and
to various other countries on the face of the globe and it is said that
he was almost as much at home on the train or on the steamboat as
in his own dwelling.
1.00
Rendered Aid on Maine
PES
A contemporary writer has said of him: "Mr. Rothschild's connec-
IL EPS
tion with affairs immediately attendant upon the historic explosion of
re 1
the battleship 'Maine' should not be permitted to pass unnoticed in this
all•too-brief tribute to his memory for at the time he showed in a
3
most significant way how strong was his humanitarian spirit, charity
Inc I
and sympathy. Early in 1898 he went to Cuba to protect as far as
possible his plantation Interests against the event of any possible war.
Weyler, the notorloas Spanish officer, had issued orders to the effect
n I i that no cameras were to be taken onto the island, but with character-
istic daring Mr. Rothschild had carried one along. He arrived in the
port of Havana on the night of the 15th of February and was sitting on
the deck of his steamer looking at the battleship 'Maine' and viewing
—
with gratification the stars and stripes of his homeland, when there
occurred the great explosion whose result was the ultimate wiping-off
MN=
of Spanish power on the western hemisphere. Mr. Rothschild was one
of the first citizens of the United States to render aid to the injured
' 1:100tit`j,
men of the lost ship, working arduously all night in attending those
who were brought to the vessel on which he was a passenger, supply-
NO W
ing funds to secure necessary facilities and comforts for the unfor-
tunate men and even donating his own extra clothing to meet the re-
quirements of the case. In the morning he secured the first photo-
graphs taken of the wreck, and later he received letters of thanks
from many of the naval officer's and other officials who wished to
manifest their appreciation of his benefactions and tender and sym-
pathetic ministrations. In his photographs he was able to bring home
priceless mementos of the wreck.
"Mr. Rothschild was essentially a business man, and his strong
character was moulded in the school of experience and broad associa-
tion with business affairs. The Concern of which he was the founder
was one of the largest in the country and therefore one of Detroit's
valued industries. He was a man of alert and powerful mentality, and
his personality was one which gained and retained to him inviolable
confidence and esteem. His local interests were not hedged in by his
personal affairs, business or social, and he was ever ready to
lend his
his aid and influence in the promotion of enterprises or under-
takings projected for the general good of the community. He was
conspicuously identified with the organization and upbuilding of the
Detroit Board of Commerce, in which he was one of the original of-
ficers, and he gave no little time and energy to this body, which has
done much In advancing the greater industrial Detroit. He had various
capitalistic interests of importance in addition to those represented In
his tobacco business. He was a stockholder In various corporations,
including financial institutions and in the '70s he was concerned with
the development of the Michigan pine lands, having been prominently
identified with the lumbering industry for a number of years. He was
a strong man, a worthy citizen, and he filled a large and secure place
in the business world."
Mr. Rothschild was a leading spirit of Temple Beth El, serving
secretary In 1863, as vice-president in 1865, and as a trustee for

1

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Michigan Democrats Prepare for the
Annual Jackson Day Dinner Friday

Michigan Democrats will hold
their annual Jackson Day Dinner
Friday evening, March 29, at the
Book-Cadillac Hotel, it was an-
nounced recently by Publicity Di-
rector Benjamin Levinson.

David M. Martin, chairman of
the Democratic State Central Com-
mittee and managing director of
the Jackson Day Dinner commit-
tee, is being assisted by co-chair-
men, Cy Bevan and Clara Van
Auken, and other local Democrats.
Jackson Day dinners were can-
celled throughout the country last
year in respect to the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt, whose death oc-
curred one day before the Dem-
ocratic event. The nation at large
will celebrate Jackson Day on
March 23. On that day, President
Truman will personally attend a
Jackson Day Dinner in Washing-
ton. His speech will be heard by
dinner groups assembled In every
state. Michigan Democrats decided
to stage their dinner on March 29
because many, of them wanted to

USO-JWB to
Celebrate Fourth
Annual Luncheon

Serve-A-Camp group of the
USO-JWB Detroit Army and Navy
Committee will hold its 4th An-
nual guest luncheon Tuesday,
March 26, 11 a.m., at the Jewish
Community Center for represen-
tatives of all local organizations
for the—purpose
program
purpose of planning its
the coming year.
Mrs. Henry Meyers, chairman, will
preside and report its activities
for the past year. Mrs. Samuel R.
Glogower, Fred M. Butzel and
Samuel H. Rubiner are expected
to address the guests.
The Serve-A-Camp Committee
is looking forward to a full
strength attendance so that prep-
arations could be completed for
meeting the needs of our occu-
pation and garrison troops sta-
tioned in the Pacific which area
we are serving.
Organizations can still send or
phone in their reservations to
USO-JWB, 8904 Woodward, Madi-
son 8400.

participate in the Washington
dinner.
The principal speaker at the
March 29 dinner in Detroit will
be U. S. Senator Kilgore of West
Virginia. Helen Douglas Mankin,
Congresswoman from Georgia, will
also speak. Robert Hannegan, U.
S. Postmaster General, is tenta-
tively scheduled to take part In
the program.
Congresswoman M a n k in will
add interest to the Jackson Day
dinner here because of her private
and political background. An am-
bulance driver in World War I,
she went on to become a success-,
ful Atlanta lawyer. After serving
five terms in the Georgia Legisla-
ture, she defeated 17 male oppon-
ents to win her election as repre-
sentative from Georgia.
Mr. Levinson has stated that
tickets for the dinner will be
available next week in the down-
MRS. SIDNEY HILLMAN
town area at the Book-Cadillac
Mrs. Sidney Hillman, wife of
Hotel office of the dinner com-
mittee.
thejabor leader, Judge Joseph M.
Prirskauer, president of the
American Jewish Committee; Rab-
bi Herbert Goldstein, president of
the Synagogue Council of Ameri-
Substantial sums of money for ca and Dr. Robert Gordis, presi-
the Child Rescue Fund for Pales- dent of the Rabbinical Assembly
tine were raised at the Agree of America, are among the spon-
sors of this year's national spring
Memorial Society dinner held clothing drive of the Women's Di-
March 17 at the Hotel Detroiter. vision of the American Federation
Shurley Agree was chairman of for Polish Jews. The clothing Is
being collected for Jews in Po-
the affair.
land.

Dinner Success

Because of the
Clothing Shortage
Make Your Garments
Last Longer With
Cleaning

Give your clothes the best care to make them

last longer. Be wise ... Vitalize ... because Vi-
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of

DETROIT

WILL

GIVE

TO

THE

RED CROSS

DID YOU KNOW .

That Mrs. C. S. Rosenberg, who was head

cook and had direct management of the kitch-

en at the Lachar Catering Co. for eleven

years, is now the owner of and enjoys the

same capacity with

ROSENBERG'S

ny years.

Aye

Many Notables Are
Sponsors of Drive

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Baths

Kosher Catering Company

FOOT OF SECOND, Opposite D & C Boat Line

Caterers of Distinction

MINERAL OR TURKISH BATHS

Under the supervision of the

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Arthritis, Neuritis and Sciatica
10 BATH COURSE TICKET, $15.00
pi.. 50c attendanre. fee ea.h bath
RA. 674
Open Day and Night

Detroit Council of Orthodox Rabbis

Al Rosenberg, Manager

TYler 4-9490

SEPARATE DEPT, FOR MEN AND WOMEN

00

1 10

'54

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