Mailing Address:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Library
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: Solomon family papers

Collection #: Mss 1004

Dates: 1910-1950

Size: .75 linear ft.

Biographical Note: Benjamin Solomon (1879-1947) and his wife Rachael (1876-1932) were born in Poland and immigrated to the United States. They lived in Charleston, South Carolina, and had eight children, several of whom married and lived in the Charleston area. Benjamin Solomon was a charter member of Beth Israel Synagogue and made his living as a furniture dealer.

Scope and Content Note:

Correspondence, photographs, photocopies, documents, scrapbooks, daybooks, clippings, ephemera.

The papers contain material related to three generations of the Solomon family, including family correspondence from the 1920s to the 1950s (letters, greeting cards, and telegrams), newspaper clippings, engagement and bar mitzvah announcements, invitations, and two daybooks. Notable in the collection is a group of photographs (predominantly from the 1920s but continuing into the 1950s) of Solomon family members and a photo albumn (1920s-1950s), compiled by Florence Solomon Bender, with images of family vacations at Folly Beach and farm trips.

Important documents include an original marriage certificate (1918) in English and Hebrew of the nuptials of Isadore Solomon (b. 1897) and Katie Coplan, and miscellaneous World War II-related items such as a 1942 Selective Service Registration certificate and tobacco rationing card.

Inventory:

  1. Correspondence

    2. Letters and postcards, 1930s-1950s 1/1

    Invitations, 1930s-1950s 1/2

    Cards, sympathy, birthday, valentines, 1930s-1950s 1/3

    Photocopies of congratulation telegrams for wedding of David Solomon, 1927 1/4

    Photocopies of congratulation telegrams for 25th wedding anniversary of David Solomon, 1952 1/5

    Photocopies of misc. telegrams, 1930s-1940 1/6

  2. Newspaper mentions of Solomon family members, 1930s-1950s 1/7
  3. Miscellaneous

    4. Menus from trips, family member business cards, copy of Isadore Solomon's Freemason membership application, 1920s; copies of genealogy charts for Sokol family 1/8

    Two daybooks, 1947 and 1956; appear to be from the same compiler; possibly Florence Solomon Bender; contains information on compiler's daily schedule, social engagements, family member birthdays, etc. 1/9

  4. Photographs

    5. Identified loose photographs of Solomon family members, 1920s-1950s 1/10

    Unidentified loose photographs of Solomon family members, 1920s-1950s (two envelopes) 1/11

    Photograph album compiled by Florence Solomon Bender, 1920s-1950s (has been photocopied and taken apart); bulk dates 1920s; images of Solomon family and friends, Folly Beach and farm trips 2/1

    Original photographs from album (#1-100) 2/2

    Original photographs from album (#101-208) Misc. negatives exist in JCC negative binder; do not seem to correspond to any photographs 2/3

  5. Scrapbook # 1; compiled by Florence Solomon Bender 1920s-1950s; has been taken apart

    6. Correspondence, 1940s-50s (letters, cards, etc) 2/4

    Invitations, 1910s-1930s(weddings, bar mitzvah's) 2/5

    Misc. photos of Solomon family homes, selective service card, advertisements for Solomon's Bike shop 2/6

    Photocopy of entire scrapbook 2/7

  6. Scrapbook #2; compiled by Florence Solomon Bender 1930s-1950s; has been taken apart.

    7. Correspondence, 1940s, most related to death of Benjamin Solomon 2/8

    Invitations, 1930s-1940s (weddings, commencements) 2/9

    Misc. (photos, tobacco rationing card, 1953 calendar with birthdays, holiday, etc., newsletter from Charleston Section, National Council on Jewish Juniors, 1934, etc.) 2/10

    Photocopy of entire scrapbook 2/11

  7. Oversize marriage certificate (English/Hebrew) from marriage of Isadore Solomon and Katie Coplen (spelled Koplin on certificate), August 6, 1918; (invitation to wedding exists in folder 2/5) 2/12