Levinson Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: P-984

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

The James Levinson Family Papers contains records relating to the activities, education, and achievement of various family members, with the bulk of the materials primarily focusing on James Levinson and his immediate relatives. There are several family artifacts, such as photographs, largely from the first half of the 20th century, a scrapbook, a photo album, awards, and a commemorative plaque. The “Scribe and Scroll” is a publication from the Temple Shalom Religious School, in Newton, Massachusetts, and showcases compilations of student work.

Dates

undated, circa 1900-1969

Language of Materials

The collection is in English and Hebrew.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for researcher use. Please contact us to request access or to make an appointment to view this collection at jhcreference@nehgs.org.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of this collection. For more information contact jhcreference@nehgs.org.

Biographical Note

During the second half of the 19th century, the Levinson family lived in Zidikai, Lithuania. Mendel and Ada (Medalia) Levinson had nine children, and their oldest three (Nathan, Charles, and David) emigrated from Lithuania, arriving in Boston around the turn of the 20th century. Charles and David established a chain of men’s clothing stores, Charles & David, and later brought the rest of their family, including siblings Hyman, Julius, Edward, Samuel, and Rose, to Boston.

One of their younger siblings, Hyman, managed a Charles & David store in North Station. Hyman married Mollie Sandler, whose family also originated from Eastern Europe. Mollie’s father, Jacob Sandler, had a scrap metal business based initially in Boston, then in Plymouth, which the family was forced to sell during the 1930s when Jacob died. Mollie was an active member of Hadassah and served for a term as the Roxbury Chapter’s President. With Hyman, she had three children, Sumner, Leon, and Mendel.

Hyman and Mollie’s son, Mendel, took over the management of the North Station Charles & David, where business was flagging by the 1950s. The store closed when Mendel died in an automobile accident in 1954. Leon became a doctor, specializing in internal medicine, and married Muriel Rosalie (Stone) Levinson. The Stone family had emigrated in the mid-19th century from Posen, in what was then Prussia and is now Poland. Muriel’s grandfather, Mark Stone, was a lawyer, actively involved with Temple Ohabei Shalom and the Home for Jewish Children. His son Leo, Muriel’s father, was a civil engineer whose projects included the Sumner Tunnel in the early 1930s.

Leon and Muriel had two sons, James William Levinson and Mark Leo Levinson, and were married until Leon’s death in 1955. In 1964, Muriel married her second husband, Herbert Hess. James resides in Massachusetts and works as a Development Researcher at Brandeis University. Mark lives in Herzliya, Israel. He is married to Leah (Mizrachi) Levinson and they have one son, Shakhal.

References

Material from the collection

Chronology

1888
: Leo Solomon Stone born
circa 1890
: Hyman Saul Levinson born
1894
: Mollie (Sandler) Levinson born
circa 1900
: Nathan, Charles, and David Levinson immigrate to Boston, MA., and established the Charles & David clothing stores
1915
: Sumner Levinson born
1919
: Leon Levinson born
1920
: Muriel (Stone) Levinson born
1925
: Mendel Levinson born
circa 1930
: Jacob Sandler dies and his scrap metal business is sold
1946
: James William Levinson born
1948
: Mark Leo Levinson born
1950
: Julius S. Levinson dies
1954
: Mendel Levinson dies in an automobile accident
1954
: Charles & David closes in North Station
1955
: Leon Levinson dies
1959
: Hyman Levinson dies
1964
: Muriel Levinson marries Herbert Hess
1967
: Susan Eve Axelrod (adoptive name, daughter of Mendel Levinson) married Peter Lemkin
2009
: Muriel (Stone) Levinson dies

Extent

0.5 linear feet (1 manuscript box)

Additional Description

Abstract

The Levinson family has its origins in Eastern Europe, though the majority of its members immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. Members of the family were active in Boston business, science, and law. The material in the collection includes publications, photographs, a scrapbook, a photo album, and awards.