Poliakoff family papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 1180

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Assorted papers of the Poliakoff family of Abbeville, South Carolina. Materials consist of financial ledgers, invoices, receipts, and store signage relating to the D. Poliakoff department store as well as assorted World War II memorabilia including Jewish Welfare Board prayer books, issues of The Huddle newsletter, a war ration book folder with ration books, and two diaries kept by Abram Ellis Poliakoff detailing his time aboard the USAHS Jarrett M. Huddleston, a trans-Atlantic hospital ship.

Dates

Creation: 1896-1995

Creator

Poliakoff family (Family)

Language of Material

Materials in English.

Access Restrictions

This collection has been minimally processed, but 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

David Poliakoff (1872-1940), was born in Minsk, Russia, and immigrated to the United States in 1893. In 1900 he opened D. Poliakoff, a department store, in Abbeville, S.C. In 1904, he married Elka Rachel Axelrod (1877-1956). The couple had six children, Abram Ellis Poliakoff (1906-1970), Marion Poliakoff (1907-1969), Meyer Poliakoff (1911-1985), Eva Poliakoff Goodman (1913-2002), Arthur Poliakoff (1916-1998), and Samuel Robert Poliakoff (1919-1989). During World War II, their eldest son, Abram Ellis Poliakoff, was a captain in the army medical corps and served on the USAHS Jarrett M. Huddleston, a trans-Atlantic hospital ship. D. Poliakoff closed permanently in 2000.

Extent

3.75 linear feet (4 document boxes, 1 slim document box, 1 oversize flat box, 2 oversize paper folders, 3 oversize volumes, 1 flagpole)

Additional Description

Abstract

Assorted papers of the Poliakoff family of Abbeville, South Carolina. Materials include World War II memorabilia, including two diaries kept by Abram Ellis Poliakoff detailing his time aboard the USAHS Jarrett M. Huddleston and materials relating to the D. Poliakoff department store including financial ledgers, invoices, receipts, and store signage.

Collection Arrangement

Materials are described at the box level.

Acquisitions Information

Materials donated in 2018 and 2023 by Edward E. Poliakoff.

Processing Information

Minimally processed by Josh Minor, June 2024. At the point of acquisition, this collection contained no original order. For preservation purposes, the collection was re-housed upon receipt by transferring materials into acid-free boxes and placing loose materials into acid-free folders. In order to create a preliminary inventory, box titles were created based on the contents contained in each box. This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.