Rhetta A. Mendelsohn collection

Louis Leopold Block (1868-1940), from the Black Forest of Bavaria, arrived in Camden, South Carolina, in the late 1880s where his cousins, the Geisenheimer family, lived. He went into business with Jake and Gus Hirsch, and married their sister Rosa Hirsch (1862-1902). Hirsch Brothers & Block grew into the biggest store in Camden. The Block's had three daughters: Bella Block (1896-1987), Henrietta Block (1897-1985), and Rosalie Carolyn Block (1900-1977). In March 1920, Bella married Keeve Marks of Richmond, Virginia, and a month later, Henrietta married Lipman Rich (1894-1968), son of Philip Rich (1862-1911) and Rosa Platchek Rich (1871-1935), of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Rosalie remained single, living with her father until he died in 1940, afterwards splitting her time between her sisters' homes in Richmond and Orangeburg. Lipman Rich, who in 1911 took Philip as his middle name in memory of his father, operated two stores in Orangeburg, South Carolina—an Army surplus store and a ladies' ready-to-wear shop. His businesses fell victim to the Great Depression and he took a job as an insurance agent for Metropolitan life. He later became a consultant to the company and retired five years before his death in 1968. Their one child, Rose Louise Rich (1922-2004), was instrumental in organizing Temple Sinai, Orangeburg's Jewish congregation.

Solomon Samuel Aronson, or Sam, emigrated from Kovno Gubernia, Russia, circa 1900, when he was about thirteen years old. He joined the family in Charleston, South Carolina, that sponsored his immigration, and worked for various merchants before opening a dry goods store in Lane, South Carolina. Henrietta Furshman (1897-1985), his wife, was the daughter of Russian immigrants. Born and raised in New York City, she met Sam through her sister, who married his older brother Aron. Sam and Henrietta's sons, Albert Aronson (1916-1990) and Harold Marion Aronson (1919- ), were born in Lane before the family moved to Bayonne, New Jersey, where they had relatives. In New Jersey Doris Aronson (1924- ), was born. In 1937 the family moved back, this time settling in Kingstree, South Carolina. During World War II Harold served as a B-17 pilot, conducting weather reconnaissance missions out of England. Reassigned to the States, Harold married Rose Louise Rich in 1944. After he was discharged, they settled in her hometown, Orangeburg, South Carolina, where they established a successful aluminum awning business. Rose and Harold had two daughters, Rhetta Aronson Mendelsohn (1946- ) and Carol Aronson (1949- ).