Bromberg Family Papers

Edward J. Bromberg was born on July 20, 1864 in Boston, Massachusetts to Levi and Bertha (Macofsky) Bromberg, who had immigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1840s. The Brombergs lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and Levi owned a popular tobacco shop. Levi was a Civil War veteran and became a United States citizen in 1876. He was also one of the founders of Temple Mishkan Tefilah.

Edward attended Roxbury High School, and then Boston Latin, for high school. After graduation, he opened a variety store not far from his father’s tobacco shop and taught Hebrew at Temple Mishkan Tefilah, where he met his future wife, Henrietta Livingston, daughter of Louis and Augusta Livingston. They married in 1886 and two years later had their first child, Pauline. In 1891, they had a son, Arthur, who lived for twenty-four days. They had two more sons, Justin and Bertram, born in 1893 and 1897 respectively. Due to the ill health of one of their children, doctors suggested the family move out of the city, which they did, settling in Roslindale. At the time, this area was considered the country and was much less densely settled than Roxbury. Roslindale was fairly ethnically diverse, but the Brombergs were the only Jewish family in the neighborhood at the time.

Edward attended Harvard University for one year, and then Boston University Law School. He worked at a law firm in Roslindale and quickly became involved in local politics. He worked his way up in the government from Ward Committee Member to Common Councilman, despite being Republican and Jewish in a predominately Democratic and Christian area. The Brombergs were well-liked in the community, and Edward was a popular speaker. He was a member of several social groups, including the Freemasons, Oddfellows, and Knights of Pythias. He was also a founding member of the Boston City Club and the New Century Club of Boston, and he was the first native German-American President of the Deutsche-Bundt of Boston.

This popularity led to Edward’s election to the Board of Aldermen in 1903. He was the only Republican alderman on the board the following year. In 1907, Edward was elected to the Massachusetts Senate. He was a political opponent of future Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, though they later reconciled and became early leaders in the American Zionist movement. Later in life, Edward was appointed as the Deputy City Collector and worked as a probation officer. He died in Boston on June 12, 1930, preceding his wife Henrietta by two years.

Their daughter Pauline Bromberg was also prominent in the community for her work in health and physical education in the Boston Public Schools. She was a teacher for over forty years and the head of the Department of Physical Education for thirty-six years. Pauline served in many volunteer capacities, including as an official in women’s athletics and secretary of the New England Amateur Athletic Union. She was given the Honor Award by the Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1980.

Pauline was also active in the arts and at her synagogue, Temple Mishkan Tefila. She conducted the orchestra and directed stage productions at the University of Wisconsin. Within the Boston Public Schools, she worked with students to perform variety shows for charity. Pauline founded the Golden Age Club at Temple Mishkan Tefila, and she served as vice president of the New England Regional Hadassah. The Business and Professional Group of Boston’s Hadassah named her “Woman of the Year” shortly before her death in 1991.

Justin L. Bromberg was an electrical engineer who was working on the Boston Elevated Railway when he enlisted in the military in December 1917. He served in the 55th Artillery C.A.C. (Coast Artillery Corps) during World War I until he was honorably discharged in February 1919. Justin married Alice Goldstein in 1932 and worked as a manufacturing agent at Lewisburg Chair & Furniture Co. Eventually he bought another furniture company, which he renamed Justin L. Bromberg & Co. He died in 1951.

Bertram F. Bromberg was a salesman and also served in World War I from June 1918 until his honorable discharge in February 1919. He married Anna Insoft in 1924 and died in 1987.

1836

Levi Bromberg is born

circa 1837

Bertha Macofsky is born

1864

Edward J. Bromberg is born

circa 1865

Henrietta Livingston is born

1876

Levi Bromberg becomes a U.S. Citizen

1886

Edward Bromberg marries Henrietta Livingston

1888

Pauline Bromberg is born

1891

Arthur L. Bromberg is born and dies

1893

Justin L. Bromberg is born

1895

Bertha Bromberg dies

1897

Bertram F. Bromberg is born

1901

Edward J. Bromberg is elected to the Common Council

1903

Edward J. Bromberg is elected to the Board of Alderman

1903

Levi Bromberg dies

1907

Edward J. Bromberg is elected to the Massachusetts Senate

1917

Justin L. Bromberg enlists in the military

1918

Bertram F. Bromberg enlists in the military

1919

Justin L. and Bertram F. Bromberg are discharged from the military

1924

Bertram F. Bromberg marries Anna Insoft

1930

Edward J. Bromberg dies

1932

Justin L. Bromberg marries Alice Goldstein

1932

Henrietta Bromberg dies

1951

Justin L. Bromberg dies

1980

Pauline Bromberg receives the Honor Award from the Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation

1987

Bertram F. Bromberg dies

1991

Pauline Bromberg dies