Geography: Memphis

This pamphlet contains the constitution and by-laws of the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Memphis, Tennessee, instituted September 1st, 1850. This copy belonged to Reverend Isaac Leeser and represents the earliest organized Jewish association in Tennessee. The document details the society's structure, rules, and objectives, offering insight into the early development of Jewish communal life in Memphis.

Invoice from Walker Bros. & Co., wholesale and retail dealers in Fancy and Staple Dry Goods, Clothing, Boots, Shoes, and Plantation Supplies, located at Clay Building, No. 229 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Dated October 1, 1866. The bill lists an itemized purchase made by T. F. Titus for “White Flannel by Lady”, “Linen”, “Sacque”, and “p Glens.” The invoice includes a total amount and a revenue stamp.

Billhead from the Menken Brothers, a dry goods and clothing business established in Memphis, Tennessee in 1862. The billhead, dated March 19, 1874, lists their address as 261 & 263 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee.

Billhead from B. Lowenstein & Bros., wholesale dealers in dry goods, gents furnishing goods, and notions, located at 242, 244, & 246 Main Street, New York, and 53 Leonard St, New York. Dated March 23, 1897. The bill lists several items purchased by M. A. Weber & Co., and includes an itemized list of the transaction. The billhead has a printed header, ornate lettering, and clear details of the business address, transaction, and terms. The billhead includes a visual representation of a building, likely the business’s location, with the address printed below.

A handwritten note on a letterhead for the Manhattan Bank located in Memphis, Tennessee, and New York. The note is dated June 6, 1870 and is addressed to A. L. Willoughby, Esq., Sec. The note mentions the receipt of an “avail” on the 31st, an “orig. bill for Interest Scrip,” and an enclosed $25 to cover a stamp for a transfer. The letterhead also notes that the Manhattan Bank has a branch at Levy & Borg in New York.

Billhead from B. Lowenstein & Bros., a dry-goods, gents' furnishing goods, and notions store, located at 242, 244, & 246 Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Dated July 26, 1894. The billhead shows an image of a building likely owned by the business. The bill is for an item purchased from the store by A. Weber & Co. and includes a detailed list of items and prices.

Invoice from A. Just, located at 245 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Dated October 19, 1865. The bill lists the purchase of a boy's cap sack and pants from the business by S. M. Bush, guardian of B. H. Adams. The billhead displays ornate lettering in a Victorian style and lists the business as “Wholesale & Retail Dealer in Gents’ and Boys’ Fine Clothing.” The company name is framed in a decorative border.

Billhead from A. Seessel, located at 259 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. The billhead is dated October 20, 1865, and includes a revenue stamp. The billhead is part of the 'E' collection.

Bill from D. Loveman & Co., a dry goods and ladies' furnishing house in Memphis, Tennessee. The bill was purchased by E. D. Hicks on November 6, 1884, and lists a “Cloak” and “Remnant - Size” for a total of $7.00. The billhead includes a framed header section with the company name and address and a separate box highlighting the “Mourning Department.” The billhead has ornate Victorian-style lettering.

A billhead from L. & H. HERZOG, dealers in staple and fancy dry goods, boots, shoes, and plantation supplies. Located at 296 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee, the store is noted as being “next door to Wasson’s Drug Store”. Dated May 18, 1864. The bill records a purchase of “2 yd Ribbon” and “1/2 yd Elastic”, totaling $2.15. The buyer, L. James, likely paid cash for the goods. The billhead has simple lines and an elegant printed header with the name and address of the business and the type of items sold.

Invoice from Zellner Shoe Co., located at 319 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Dated June 3, 1896. The bill lists the purchase of an item(s) by Mrs. A. Webb. The billhead features an ornate Victorian-style font and an image of the store front. The bill includes the statement “Our Name On Shoe Is A Guarantee of Excellence” and the business specialty is “ARTISTIC FOOTWEAR”.

Invoice from Menken Brothers & Co., importers and wholesale dealers of planters' goods, located at No. 237, Corner Main & Court Streets, Memphis, Tennessee. The bill is dated June 7, 1864, and lists a purchase of Dry Goods by Lou James. The transaction is recorded at a price of 4.20. The billhead features the company's logo and address in ornate red lettering.

Billhead from Zellner & Co. in Memphis, Tennessee, dated August 30, 1894. The billhead features a lithograph of a high woman's shoe.

A commercial letter dated June 6, 1884, sent from Menken Brothers in Memphis, Tennessee to the Eagle & Phenix Manufacturing Co. in Columbus, Georgia. The letter displays elaborate letterhead featuring a vignette. The content pertains to business matters. This letter is part of a larger collection spanning from 1864, showcasing the growth of the Menken Brothers' business.

Two related financial documents from Memphis, Tennessee dating to March 20, 1861 and March 22, 1862. The first is a check for $25.00 payable to A. S. Levy & Co. The second is a printed notary document from the Confederate States of America, filled out on March 22, 1862, related to an attempt to collect a debt from A. S. Levy & Co. A. S. Levy & Co. were auctioneers and commission agents who advertised "money on loan on all kinds of personal property."

Letter from District Grand Lodge No. 7 of the B'nai B'rith to its members, dated May 27, 1889, in Memphis, Tennessee. The letter includes minutes from a convention held in New Orleans and notification of a move of the headquarters. It lists approximately 40 officers' names, primarily from Southern states.

Billhead from Nathan & Oppeheimer, wholesalers of wines, liquors, cigars and tobacco, located at 325 Front Street, Memphis, Tennessee. The billhead is dated March 3, 1892, and was sold to J. T. Terry. The business is identified as the sole agents for Original Budweiser and Anheuser bottled beer. The billhead features ornate lettering, a grapevine motif, and decorative lines.

Commercial letter from B. Lowenstein & Bros., a dry goods store located at 242-246 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee, to G. Gunby Jordan in Columbus, Georgia, dated March 11, 1884. The letter discusses business matters, likely related to dry goods.

Billhead from Seessel & Ashner, general commission merchants and wholesale dealers in grain and produce, located at 336 Front Street, corner of Union, Memphis, Tennessee. Dated October 7, 1887. The bill is addressed to John Freeman and includes a handwritten entry. The billhead features the business name prominently in large, decorative lettering and lists the terms of the transaction as 'cash.'

Billhead for a transaction from Rice, Stix & Co., dealers in dry goods, boots and shoes, notions, and furnishing goods, located at 207 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. The date of the transaction is October 21, 1864. The bill lists several items, including a balance, a quantity of

Trade card advertising Levy & Katzman, a national clothing brand sold by Leubrie Brothers in Memphis, Tennessee. The card depicts two boys dressed in men's clothing, circa 1885.

Invoice from Fibelman & Elson, wholesale and retail dealers in dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes, hats, etc., located at No. 277 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Dated April 19, 1865. The bill lists a series of items purchased by S. A. Walker, with quantities, prices, and a total amount due. The billhead features a decorative border and a company logo with the company name and address in ornate Victorian-style lettering.

Broadside bulletin issued by the Planters Insurance Company of Memphis, Tennessee on August 3, 1869. Lists officers, directors, and stockholders, including several Jewish merchants: E. Meyer (Wholesale Dry Goods Merchant), A. Seesel (Dry Goods Merchant), Isador Rosenbach (Wholesale Dealer in Whiskies), and Henry M. Loewenstine (Wholesale Dry Goods Company). Notes that the first Planters Insurance Company was founded in May 1867 and declared bankrupt in March 1868.

Billhead from Zellner & Co., dealers in fashionable custom-made boots and shoes, located at 389 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. The bill is for one pair of “Pebble Goat side lace shoes” for the buyer, C. B. Schroeder. The bill was dated March 30, 1876. A hand-drawn image of a boot appears at the top of the billhead. The billhead displays a formal, elegant design and ornate text.

This archival collection contains two legal documents pertaining to a debt dispute. The first document, dated October 10, 1867, involves the Memphis German Savings Institution as plaintiff and Henry Nathan and Jacob Sartoris as defendants. The document concerns an unpaid promissory note signed by Nathan on February 19, 1867. The second document, dated September 7, 1870, and filed in the Second Circuit Court of Shelby County, Tennessee, continues the case. Jacob Sartoris pleads bankruptcy (declared December 4, 1868), claiming inability to repay the debt. The final notation on this document is December 6, 1870.

This archival collection contains two related legal documents pertaining to bankruptcy cases in Memphis, Tennessee. The first document, dated September 3, 1870, involves the Memphis German Savings Institution as plaintiff and Henry Nathan et al. as defendants. It details the bankruptcy of Henry Lyons on November 30, 1868, and includes a statement by Lyons acknowledging his discharge from debt to the bank. The second document appears to be an attorney's brief, mentioning Lyons, Henry, Nathan, Henry, Sartoris, Jacob (1823-1884), and Jacob Fies (?). These documents are connected to a separate set of legal documents (item 18.434), which involve similar parties and debts. One of the documents within the related set (item 18.434) is from October 10, 1867, concerns a note signed by Henry Nathan, and Jacob Sartoris, and the other document within that set, dated September 7, 1870, was handled by the Second Circuit Court of Shelby County, Tennessee. Jacob Sartoris's bankruptcy declaration on December 4, 1868, is also mentioned in item 18.434.

Writ of Certiorari Bond for $960 against B. Sharff, W. M. Loeb, and Morris Cohen regarding a property at 92 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. This legal document, dated October 14, 1871, is a surety bond accompanying a writ of certiorari, ensuring the defendants' payment of costs associated with the writ. If the defendants fail to pay, the court can claim against the bond.

This trade card advertises Levy & Katzman, a Memphis, Tennessee business, with a focus on ladies' slippers and gaiters. The front of the card features an illustration of two young boys playing in a boat. One of the boys is diving into the water. The card lists a variety of shoe styles, including hand-sewed slippers and gaiters, white slippers and sandals, Louis XV heeled slippers and gaiters, and men's embroidered and plain slippers. The back of the card is blank.