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

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: Breibart-Lazarus family papers

Collection #: Mss 1032

Dates: 1890s-1990s

Size: .25 linear ft.

Biographical Note: South Carolina families connected by the marriage (1941) of Bertha Lazarus to George Breibart. Bertha Breibart's parents, Louis and Rose Lazarowitz (later shortened to Lazarus,) emigrated from Russia and moved to Charleston in the early 1900s, where they ran a shoe repair shop. In the early 1920s, the family moved to Summerville, SC. Sam and Ida Breibart (originally Breitbard,) also emigrated from Russia and moved to Charleston in 1914, where they made their livelihood as grocers. Their second son, George, eventually took over the family business, Breibart's Grocery.

Scope and Content Note:

Collection includes correspondence, photographs, photocopies, legal documents, ephemera, and realia.

Collection contains papers of the Breibart and Lazarus (Lazarowitz) families. Breibart material includes Sam Breibart's original U.S. Certificate of Naturalization and photocopy (1960) of his 1913 New York marriage license; George Breibart's report cards (1932-1933) from High School of Charleston and Bertha Lazarus Breibart's report cards (1926-1932) from Summerville Public School. Breibart photographs (b/w) include portrait of Jacob and Sarah Goldberg (ca. 1915), and wedding portrait of Sam Breibart and Ida Goldberg (1913).

Miscellaneous candid photographs of Jack, Mildred and Sidney Breibart (ca. 1940s), George Breibart's grammar school graduation picture (1929), Bertha L. Breibart as a toddler, and her 4th and 6th grade class pictures (1927, 1929); photographs (1941) from George and Bertha Breibart's wedding and miscellaneous images (1944) of George Breibart's military service in Fordingbridge, England.

Lazarus family papers include Louis Lazarowitz's receipt book (ca. 1910) from the United Garment Workers of America (in Hebrew and English), his document (photocopy) of intent to seek U.S. Citizenship (1906), and correspondence (in Yiddish) from the Naturalization Aid League; misc. letters (1919-1946) written to Louis Lazarowitz (Hebrew and Yiddish) from relatives in Palestine. Photographs (b/w) include Louis Lazarowitz's mother (ca. 1890s), Herman and Mars Lazarus (ca. 1915), Rose Sachrevitz Lazarus and Louis Lazarus (ca. 1920s).

Misc. material includes photographs of relatives (Sylvia Lazarus Kirshstein, ca. 1960s) and family friends (Annie Posner, ca. 1920s), a katubah (Jewish marriage contract,) ca. 1880s, and group of Jewish New Year cards (ca. 1990s) from Bertha Breibart's cousins in Israel. Collection also contains a square blade knife (ca. 1920s) used by Louis Lazarowitz to slaughter koshered chickens, while living in Summerville, SC.

Inventory:

     
Box#/Folder#
I.   Breibart Family Papers    
         
  A. Samuel Breibart Papers: photocopy (1960) of Sam Breibart and Ida Goldberg’s State of New York Affidavit to Marry (1913); original copy of Sam Briebart’s U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (1920)  
1/1
         
  B.  George Breibart Papers: report cards from High School of Charleston (1932-33); photocopy of 1933 High School of Charleston commencement program; James Simmons School graduation photograph (1929), by Marion Studio, Charleston; wedding photograph (1941); military photos of Breibart and friends, Fordingbridge, England (1944).  
1/2
       
  C. Bertha Lazarus Breibart Papers: report cards from Summerville Public School (1926-28, 1930-32); clipping re. Bertha Lazarus as Miss Summerville for 1935 Azalea Festival; photographs of Bertha Lazarus as a child (1922), with her 4th and 6th grade classes (1927, 1929) at Summerville Public School, with friends (ca. 1928) on her wedding day (1941).   
1/3
         
  D. Breibart Family Photographs: Jacob Goldberg (1854-1930) and Sarah Lipshitz Goldberg (1862-1954), taken at Furchgott Studio, Charleston (ca. 1915); Sam Briebart (ca. 1913); wedding portrait of Sam Breibart and Ida Goldberg, (1913); misc. candid photos of Jack Briebart, Sidney Briebart, Mildred (Mickey) Briebart (ca. 1940s).  
1/4
         
II.   Lazarus Family Papers    
         
  A. Papers: Louis Lazarowitz (Lazarus) Receipt Book, 1910-1914 (in English and Hebrew) from the United Garment Workers of America; photocopy of Louis Lazarowitz’s intent to seek U.S. Citizenship, Kings County, New York, 1906; letter (1918) written to Louis Lazarowitz (in Yiddish) from the Naturalization Aid League, re. citizenship information; correspondence (1919-1946) written in Hebrew and Yiddish, from first cousins and nephews in Palestine and Argentina (sent to Louis Lazarowitz)  
1/5
         
  B. Photographs: Louis Lazarowitz’s mother (ca. 1890s); Herman and Mars Lazarus (ca. 1915); Rose Lazarowitz (1923); Louis Lazarowitz (ca. 1929); Chick Lazarus (ca. 1940s); New Year’s card, photograph of two unidentified women (ca. 1940s).  
1/6
         
III.   Misc.    
         
  A. Photographs: portrait (ca. 1920s) of unidentified toddler (taken at W.B. Austin Studio, Charleston); photograph (ca. late 1920s) of Annie Posner (taken at Marion Studio, Charleston); house in Summerville, SC (George and Bertha Breibart’s first house?), 1944; Sylvia Lazarus Kirshstein, ca. 1950s-60s.  
1/7
       
  B. Papers: katubah (Jewish marriage contract), ca. 1880s, in Hebrew (needs to be translated); group of Jewish New Year cards (ca. 1990s) from Bertha Breibart’s cousins in Israel.  
1/8
         
  C. Knife (ca. 1920s): Square blade knife used to slaughter koshered chickens by Louis Lazarowitz in Summerville, SC; makers mark, "J & D Miller, NY."    
         
    Note: Bertha Lazarus Breibart gave an audio interview to the Jewish Heritage Project in 1997. Sol Breibart, brother of George Breibart also gave a taped audio interview in 1997.