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Pearlstine-Strauss family papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 1062

Collection Overview

Bulk of collection is photographs (1860s-1970s) of the Pearlstine and Strauss families. Images include: I.M Pearlstine (1860s-1890s); Hyman Pearlstine (1880s-1920s); Esther "Edie" Strauss Pearlstine (1880s-1930s); group images (1890s-1900s) of Hyman Pearlstine family; Edwin and Milton Pearlstine as children; photographs of Edwin S. Pearlstine (includes photos from World War I training camp); images (1904-1970s) of Mary Pearlstine Hornik and Gerald and Jane P. Meyerson family. Includes photograph (1961) of Pearlstine Distributor's staff; carte de visite album with images of the Hyams, Cohen and Pearlstine family; photographs (1860s-1960s) of Fannie and Benedict Weinberg, A.A. Strauss, Blanche Baer Strauss, I.C. Strauss, Fannie Strauss Pearlstine, Lucien Strauss and Samuel Cohen; miscellaneous photographs of other Pearlstine and Strauss relatives including several relatives from France. Collection includes genealogical material (marriage certificates, family trees, obituaries, etc.) for the Pearlstine, Strauss, Hyams, Weinberg, Hornik and Felsenthal families. Correspondence contains letter (1896) to I.M. Pearlstine re. bill to exempt manufacturers from taxation; letters (1897-1929) to/from Hyman Pearlstine re. his marriage and sons (includes misc. correspondence (1929) from Julia Peterkin re. poem written by an African American man); letters (1902-1937) to/from Edwin S. Pearlstine, majority sent from Camp Sevier, Greenville, S.C., and France during World War I. Milton Pearlstine correspondence contains several telegrams (1918) re. his military training and letters (1970s-1980s) re. family history. Other correspondence includes letter (1945) to Mary Pearlstine Hornik re. the whereabouts of relatives in France; letter (1919) to Hattie Strauss from a sister touring France just after World War I (contains details of the devastation.) News clippings include obituaries for I.M. Pearlstine, Hyman and Esther Pearlstine, A.A. Strauss, Benedict Weinberg, John Hornik Jr., and John Hornik and Samuel Cohen. Includes clippings (1950s-1970s) re. I.M. Pearlstine & Sons; Edwin Pearlstine's military service and 1928 automobile accident; Milton Pearlstine's life and career. Miscellaneous material includes paper token from I.M. Pearlstine Dry Goods, Forsyth, Georgia; Edwin Pearlstine's World War I material contains enlistment record and field journal kept while in Europe; photocopies of documents re. transfer (1935) of property at corner of Queen and Church streets; misc. booklets and programs, including program from dedication of Pearlstine Hall at KKBE.

Dates

  • Creation: 1860-1980
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1880-1930

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical Note

In 1885, Hyman Pearlstine and his brother, Shep, moved the general store (I.M. Pearlstine & Sons) their father, Isaac M. Pearlstine, founded in 1865 from Colleton County, South Carolina, to Charleston, S.C. Later (1897), Hyman Pearlstine married Esther Strauss of Florence, S.C. The couple had three children, Edwin (b.1898), Milton (b.1899) and Mary (b.1903). In 1950, I.M. Pearlstine & Sons liquidated its grocery and hardware departments and expanded its capabilities as a beer distributor. Milton and Edwin Pearlstine carried on the family business, and today, Pearlstine Distributors, Inc. is one of South Carolina's largest beer distributors and oldest family owned businesses.

Extent

1.5 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Acquisitions Information

Materials donated by Jane Pearlstine Meyerson.

Related Material

Related materials in Special Collections include an oral history interview with Hanna Pearlstine (Mss 1035-088).

Title
Inventory of the Pearlstine-Strauss Family Papers, 1860-1980 (bulk 1880-1930)
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by: Special Collections staff; finding aid created by: Special Collections staff
Description rules
Dacs
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)