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

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: Dora Altman collection

Collection #: Mss 1006

Dates: circa 1880-1998

Size: .5 linear ft.

Biographical Note: Dora Altman's parents immigrated to the United States from Poland in the late 1890s and settled in South Carolina. Relatives include the Brown and Mendelsohn families. Miss Altman was engaged to Lt. Samuel D. Turtletaub (1896-1918) who died in France during World War I.

Scope and Content Note:

Includes photographs, photocopies, correspondence, address books, autograph books, and ephemera.

Collection consists of material related to Dora Altman's immediate family and relatives, including obituaries and family genealogy notes. Also included are a personal autograph book (1920s) and several address and memo pads with notes on family birthdays and death dates. Material of the related Brown family consists of correspondence and publications (1980s-1990s).

Collection includes candid family photographs (1890s-1990s) that document life in Charleston, fashion trends, Altman family vacations and relatives. Among the photographs are several framed portrait photos (1920s). The majority of the images are of Dora, Cecile, and Annie Altman (1940s-1990s). A final group of papers document the death of Lt. Samuel D. Turtletaub, Miss Altman's fiancé who died during World War I. Included are portrait photographs and ephemera related to his death in 1918.

Inventory:

  1. Biographical information (obituaries), 1970s-1990s: Altman relatives and friends including Cecile Altman, Annie Altman Wilensky, Moses J. Mendelsohn, Anne Clingham Gill, Hannah Brown, Ann Brown Poss. 1/1

  2. Photographs of Altman family and relatives, 1880s-1990s

    3. Two envelopes of b/w photos from an album compiled by Dora and Cecile Altman; images, ca. 1880s-1940s; includes image photocopies. 1/2

    Two envelopes of color photos, 1970s-1990s 1/3

    Two framed portrait photographs of young women, ca. 1920s (possibly Altman cousins) 1/4

  3. Personal Papers, Dora Altman

    4. Autograph book 9/27/1923; signed by friends in Toronto 1/5

    Address/Memo books (3 items); memory book (ca. 1930s-1990s) includes birthdays, death dates, mentions injuries incurred, (ex. sprained ankle, Dec. 1939); notepad includes addresses, daily activities log from Canada vacation; poetry entries. 1/6

  4. Brown Family: letter from Sam Brown to cousin Dora Altman, 1998; article re. Sam Brown’s retirement from Virginia Power, 1987; invitation to Ann Brown Poss MFA exhibit (with picture of artist) 1989; several Brown family photos in folder 1/3, envelope 2. 1/7

  5. Samuel D. Turtletaub Papers: portrait photos of Lt. Turtletaub in uniform (one has negative); photocopies of obituary (1918); funeral card and invitation to service at Brith Sholom Synagogue; original program from1919 USC (Columbia) memorial service for students and alumni who died in WWI. 1/8

NOTE: Miss Dora Altman gave a taped audio interview for the Jewish Heritage Project in 1995.