Subject: Pennsylvania

Billhead - Circa 1860's...Simon Rice, Grocer...229 Penn Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was one of the first permanent Jewish settlers in Scranton, Pennsylvania and very active in all Jewish affairs. Simon Rice was a German-born Jewish merchant who became one of Scranton, Pennsylvania's most successful wholesale grocers during the late 19th century. Born in Germany on April 22, 1842, Rice immigrated to the United States as a young man and married Fannie Levy in 1863. He arrived in Scranton during the 1860s, a pivotal time when the city was experiencing a massive post-Civil War economic boom fueled by anthracite coal mining, iron manufacturing, and expanding railroad networks.Rice capitalized on this rapid industrial growth by establishing his mercantile enterprise, Simon Rice & Bro., at 229 Penn Avenue. Located in what was then the primary retail and trading corridor of downtown Scranton, the business quickly evolved from a neighborhood retail grocery into a massive regional wholesale grocery and provisions warehouse. The firm grew to become one of the largest food supply operations in Lackawanna County, distribution networks that handled immense quantities of canned goods, flour, and dried provisions to feed the region's rapidly growing immigrant labor force. Beyond his commercial success, Simon Rice's Jewish identity is thoroughly documented through his extensive leadership, civic involvement, and philanthropic records in Pennsylvania and Ohio. During the 1860s and 1870s, he served as a key figure in organizing Scranton's early German-Jewish immigrant community. His family heavily supported the establishment and growth of Anshe Chesed (later known as Temple Hesed), which was Scranton's very first Jewish congregation. While the synagogue was originally founded with Orthodox traditions, Rice and other community leaders helped align it with the American Reform Movement by 1880. Rice's legacy is also preserved today in the University of Pennsylvania's Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica, which holds original 19th-century trade cards from his Penn Avenue grocery business.Upon his death on August 4, 1901, Rice made national headlines for an extraordinary act of religious philanthropy. Having amassed a fortune valued near one million dollars—an immense sum for the era—his final will structured a massive trust for educational and religious purposes. As reported on the front page of The New York Times, Rice stipulated that one-third of his entire estate be given directly to the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati. This historic bequest provided monumental financial support to North America's first Jewish seminary, permanently cementing Rice's role as a major benefactor in the development of American Reform Judaism.

This vellum deed documents the transfer of a large tract of land, known as "Pleasant Valley" and comprising 336.75 acres, from Isaac Franks to his daughter, Sarah Eliza Hoofnagel, and her husband, John Hoofnagel. The land is located along Two Lick Creek in Armstrong Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The transaction, dated January 10, 1807, specifies the consideration as "love and affection" and "one Dollar specie." Isaac Franks originally received this land in a Patent Deed in 1788 for his services during the Revolutionary War. The document features both printed and handwritten entries, bold and legible writing, and is authenticated with two red wax seals and an Indiana County seal. The overall condition is excellent.

An 1854 copy of a land warrant issued by The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in December 1792. The warrant grants Hyman Gratz the right to a certain quantity of land in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, which was surveyed for Simon Gratz. The transaction involved payment of "fifty shillings" per hundred acres. The document notes Thomas Mifflin, then Governor of the Commonwealth, as a witness, and Daniel Brodhead as Surveyor General. The copy was likely made in 1854 for the settlement of Simon Gratz's estate. The item features an engraved depiction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's state seal at the top, along with ornate script and various handwritten annotations.

This deed records the direct purchase of one thousand acres of land from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by Moses Levy. The land is described as "Indian land East of the Allegheny river and Conawags creek." The document references several Acts of Assembly from 1784, 1788, and 1792, which regulated land sales and warrants. The deed is signed by Thomas Mifflin as Governor of the Commonwealth and Daniel Brodhead as Surveyor-General. The document features handwritten text in a formal script, a circular embossed seal (likely from the Land-Office), and a revenue stamp. 3.

This map, surveyed by Samuel Lewis and published by Matthew Carey for Carey's American Edition of Guthrie's General Atlas, depicts the state of Pennsylvania. It details distinctive geography and topography, including the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains, major rivers (Ohio, Allegheny, Susquehanna, Delaware), and the all-important sliver of land connecting the state to Lake Erie. The map delineates Pennsylvania's county structure, towns, cities, creeks, roads, and mineral deposits, forming a basis for civil administration. It is significant as the first map to show the full extent of Pennsylvania after independence, based on Reading Howell's 1792 survey. The map features an ornate compass rose in the top right corner, typical of period cartography, and was engraved by Smither. It notably includes Aaronsburg, the first town in the U.S. named after a Jew, Aaron Levy, who founded it in 1786.

A stereoscopic photograph by Webster & Albee depicting the aftermath of the Johnstown Flood on May 31, 1889. The image shows a devastated street scene, identified as Main Street from Clinton in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, with debris-strewn ground and severely damaged buildings. Several individuals are visible amidst the rubble, observing the destruction. One prominent storefront, still partially intact, appears to belong to "Cohen & Marx," a clothier. The stereoview card features a yellow border with text identifying "Webster & Albee, Publishers, Rochester, N. Y." on the left, and "Views of Johnstown, Pa." on the right. A caption at the bottom reads "Johnstown and Conemaugh Valley, Pa., Disaster. May 31, 1889." The verso of the card includes the number "#1033." 3.

A trade card for B. Merzbacher, a dealer in ready-made clothing and gent's furnishing goods located at 413 Penn St., Reading, PA. The card features an illustration of a young boy in a cap, peeking through a stylized torn hole, holding a flower bouquet. The text advertises "Quick Sales and Small Profits" and provides the business details. The card's aesthetic is characteristic of late 19th-century advertising, utilizing color lithography.

A trade card for B. Posner, a Scranton, PA-based business located at 219 Penn Avenue opposite Baptist Church, offering "Second-Hand and New Clothing," "Ladies Dresses, Carpets, Boots and Shoes," and "ALL KINDS OF FURNISHING GOODS," advertising items as "SELLING VERY CHEAP." The card features bold, ornate lettering for the business name and product categories. The verso of the card features a colorful lithographic illustration for INTERNATIONAL BAKING POWDER, depicting three children in a grassy field; one boy sits playing a horn, while another boy and a girl are dancing. The baking powder is manufactured by Queen City Chemical Company.

This trade card advertises B. W. Levy, a Philadelphia business specializing in fine furnishing goods for men, with a particular emphasis on umbrellas. The card features a colorful illustration of blue flowers, possibly forget-me-nots or blue bells, with a bee or insect near them. The business is located at 2120 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia. 3.

This trade card advertises Fleishman Bros., a business specializing in trimmings, millinery, and fancy goods, located at No. 92 Market Street in Pittsburgh, PA. The card notes that "KID GLOVES A SPECIALTY." The visual features include a vibrant chromolithographic illustration of blue and white flowers with green foliage surrounding a central rectangular panel that contains the business information in ornate text. This decorative style is typical of late 19th-century advertising. **3.

This trade card for Julius Cosel, a New York Clothier, advertises his businesses located in Youngstown, Ohio; Warren, Ohio; and Newcastle, Pennsylvania, dating to approximately 1885. The card features a black and white illustration showing a man (likely a tailor or salesman) fitting a young boy's trousers, while a woman (presumably the boy's mother) stands by. A cat is perched on a table in the background. The caption "THAT JUST SUITS YOU." is prominently displayed at the bottom. The card also notes "Compliments of JULIUS COSEL. New York Clothier" with the branch locations. The imagery and text are characteristic of late 19th-century advertising trade cards.

A colorful trade card for Kaufmann & Bro's, "The One Price Clothiers," located at 83, 85 & 87 Smithfield St., Pittsburgh, PA. The front features a charming illustration of two young boys, one appearing as a salesman holding a coat and the other, elegantly dressed in a top hat and coat, contemplating the garment. The back of the card serves as a detailed advertisement for their "Reliable One Price. Men's, Boy's and Children's Clothing House," offering coats, caps, gents' furnishing goods, and specializing in merchant tailoring. The advertisement notes they deal in both wholesale and retail, emphasizing "Fair Dealing, One Price to All." Some damage is visible on the card, particularly on the verso.

This trade card advertises Phillip J. Cohn's Fashionable Millinery, located at 5009 Main Street in Germantown, with a branch at 244 N. Second Street in Philadelphia. The business specialized in trimmed and untrimmed bonnets and hats for ladies and children, and also offered mourning goods as a specialty. The front of the card features a color illustration depicting a mother holding a baby, surrounded by four other children, one of whom is reading. The verso displays the business advertisement with "Fashionable Millinery" rendered in ornate script. **3.

This trade card, dating from circa 1885, features an illustration of a woman in a pink dress with a red floral embellishment, holding a fan, standing in an interior setting. The verso advertises S. Hirschberg's Great American Watch Depot, located at 230 North Eighth Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in 1860, the business promoted itself as offering the "Largest assortment of Ladies' and Gents' Gold and Silver Watches in the World." The text on the verso uses decorative Victorian-style lettering for the business name. 3.

This trade card advertises Brownold Bros. & Co., dealers in dry goods, located at 68 Market Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The front of the card (image 1) features [NOT ENOUGH INFO from image]. The back of the card is NOT ENOUGH INFO. A second image (image 2) is included in this record, but a description is NOT ENOUGH INFO.

This trade card advertises David Cohen's One Price Shoe House, located at 31 North Eighth Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features a whimsical illustration of a grasshopper riding a mouse. The style of the illustration suggests a light-hearted and humorous approach to advertising. The business's name and address are clearly printed on the card. The back of the card is blank. There is a second image in this record, but no further information is available on it.

This record contains two trade cards for Rose the Hatter, located at 223 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton, Pennsylvania. The cards likely date to around 1885. One card (Image 1) depicts a comical man holding an advertising board. The other card (Image 2) is NOT ENOUGH INFO. The backs of both cards are blank. [Note: The donor indicates that “Rose the Hatter” may have been a shared business with the Rosenberg brothers.]