Cabinet photograph of Truman Elwell Rickard (1881-1948) in winter attire. In 1904, as a University of Minnesota student, Truman Elwell Rickard (composed the music and wrote the original words for "Hail! Minnesota," which became the Minnesota state song in 1945. Rickard later married Grace Larson, a daughter of L.W. Larson, a prominant early Fosston settler.
George Gordon began his life-long career as a Jewish educator at the first Hebrew Free School on Minneapolis's North Side, where as a twenty-year old, he helped teach the Hebrew alphabet to young students. He earned an M. D. degree in 1900, then devoted the rest of his professional life to promoting all aspects of Jewish education. Dr. Gordon taught at Hamline University, and created and oversaw adult, collegiate, high school and Hebrew education classes at the Minneapolis Talmud Torah.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Joe Numero and his business partner, Fred Jones, were responsible for the creation of the first refrigerated truck. Their invention, financed by Numero and engineered by Jones, revolutionized interstate commerce. A trucking company could deliver perishable products to far-flung markets without fear of spoilage en route. The invention happened at a fortuitous moment--the beginning of WWII, when the country had need of moving large quantities of produce and meat across long distances to feed hungry troops.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Joseph Schanfield was born in Romania, and became successful in Minneapolis' booming turn of the century real estate and insurance markets. At 23, he became the head of the Adath Jeshurun congregation on Minneapolis's South Side. During his years of service to the community, there were few leadership positions he did not hold, including president of the Jewish Sheltering Home and the Jewish Home for the Aged, as well as the Adath Cemetery Association.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Judge Mendow sits behind his desk at his law office. The desk had previously belonged to Governor Bob Lafollette of Wisconsin. Judge Mendow continued to practice law until the age of 102.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Leonard Levy, better known as "Butch", was a football and wrestling standout at the University of Minnesota. He served in the Navy during World War II, and afterwards played football for the Los Angeles Rams. His athletic versatility enabled him to wrestle professionally during the off-season. When his athletic career ended, he went on to be a successful insurance agent and securities salesman.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
A man, possibly photographer Cook Ely, sitting in his room interior with furnishings, photographs, fireplace, rugs, and personal belongings including a G.A.R. item, IOOF items, fraternal photo, family photos, Christian Endeavor medallion, probably 1904, and possibly a link with First Presbyterian church.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Etta Zrive and Abraham Bearman were born in different Lithuanian shtetls in the 1870s. Their clothes and home furnishings suggest they were economically comfortable by the time that this photo was taken in the early 1900s.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Harry Goldie posed in fighting stance wearing boxing uniform. He was an exceptional boxer; the first boxing coach for the University of Minnesota; and the developer for the Calhoun Beach Club, a Minneapolis architectural landmark.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Portrait photograph of Ida Cook sitting in a chair. The Cook family, headed by Rabbi Isaac Cook and his wife Ida, arrived in Duluth in the 1880s from Lithuania. They organized minyans and their home served as a welcoming center for new immigrants coming to the city. Ida Cook spearheaded the establishment of Duluth's first Hebrew school.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Portrait of Irene E. Olson (1926 -2023of Roseau. Irene's family moved to Roseau in 1962. She was the secretary for Mr. Oscar Almquist, principal of Roseau High School for 9 years and worked at Polaris for over 13 years. In 1991 she co-chaired the Central Committee that produced the Roseau County Heritage book for the Roseau County Historical Society. In 1994, Hazel Wahlberg and Irene co-chaired the committee that produced the Roseau County Centennial 1995 book. Irene loved history and kept her personal journals since 1960. She did the research for the pictures “Remembering Roseau County” in the Roseau Times Region since 1991 and the radio program “Looking Back in Time”, stories of Roseau County settlers for 13 years. She was on the Roseau County Historical Board, being President, Vice President and serving on the board since 1990. Irene died on September 15, 2023.
Jacob Dieter is photographed in his Civil War uniform. He enlisted in 1862 and served in company F of the Ninth Minnesota Regiment. His family accompanied him to Fort Ridgely, Minnesota and returned home when his unit was sent to another location. Jacob Dieter was reported missing after the battle of Guntown. He had been captured by the Confederate forces along with twenty-six other Olmsted County men. The group was transferred to Andersonville Prison. On June 22, 1864, he wrote his last letter from Andersonville Prison. He jumped off a train while being transferred to another prison, but was re-captured. He died in Salisbury Prison in 1864 at the age of thirty-eight.
Martha Muir (Dieter) was born in Glasgow, Scotland on August 16, 1824. When she was about eighteen years old, she immigrated to the United States with her sister's family and settled in Ormo, Wisconsin. She married Jacob Dieter on July 21, 1859 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She lost her husband during the Civil War and she died on January 17, 1904.
A portrait of Robert Lazarus, who played violin with both the Chicago and Oakland (CA) Symphony Orchestras during the 1920s. After his professional playing career ended, he opened a violin repair shop in downtown St. Paul.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Jonathan, Judy, and David Lebedoff stand behind a display of folded paper animals. Judy holds an instruction book on how to make the paper animals. Martin and Mary Lebedoff lived on the North Side of Minneapolis. The triplets were born in April of 1938.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives