Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-11-12

AS we promised, we continue our series
| of photographs, giving to-day those of the
leading members OF three OF our principal
dry goods stores. Next Sunday we will
| give others, and so continue until we have
given to the public the biographies of the
men who, as the architects OF their own
fortunes, may be considered the builders
of our city. We will to-day first intro
duce
Mr.. ABRAHAM sEEssEL.
He has been In business in Men,
phis for fourteen years, having
come here from Nstchez la 1857.
He is one of our oldest merchants. A uR-
tive of Germany, he looks like well pre-
served Englishman of days agone; and,
although he is fitty-five years old, most of
which time was spent in the activities OF
business, he presents q robust appearance
which promises future of usefulness that
may be rounded of by about four or Ave
more decades. He was born at Worms,
in Bavaria, town celebrated as the birth
place of the grest Protestant reformation,
and for long time the hsbitstion OF Lu-
ther. 1t is said to contain the oldest syn
sgOgue in the world. He left Ger
many In 1875, and came to Oincin-
natl, where he went into business. He
subsequently removed to Hatchez, Missis-
sippi, and in 1857 came to Memphis, where
he has built up great trade and an en-
visble reputation. He was married before
he left Germany. He has two SONS and
three daughters; ons of the latter having
married, Mr.. Seessel now enjoys the
honor of being grandfather. Owing to
the difficulty of attending to two depart
ments-wholesale and retsil-ths Seessela
have concluded 70 drop one branch of the
business, and run purely wholesale es-
tsblishment. The subject of our brisf
sketch remains principally In New York
purchasing for the house in Mem phis,
while his son Henry manages affairs here.
BENEDICT LowENsTEIN
is another of our very successful
merchants. The chief feature about
him and the firm OF brothers
head, is the steady, perssYering business
habits which have achieved success that
the most ambitious might envy. There
are i've brothers of the LoWensteins, but
three of them form the firm at the corner
of Main and Jefferson streets. The sub
iscts OF this little sketch, aiiss and Ber-
nsrd Benedict, il now about thirty nine
years old, was born in Germany, came to
the United States nineteen years ago, aud
stopped not until he, in company with
his brothers, arrived in the western part
OF this State, Unlike numbers OF other
successful business men, he glories
in acknowledging the fact that he was
once poor, ,andthst he peddled for living.
The foundation of the splendid fortunes of
the house OF Lowenstein Brothers was laid
in that toilsome pursuit. He carried 6
pack on his back through Upton and
other counties Of Weat Tennessee four
teen or dfteen years ago. At the time the
war broke out the brothers conducted
small establishment in town of Upton
county; but owing, perhaps, to the troub.
led condition Of The country, they moved
to the city, and went into business IN q
store under Odd-Fellow's hall. They
opened this in 1868. Two years afterward
they purchased the property at ths corner
of Jefferson and Main streets, and moved
in there, where they have Ipsde llrst-
class name in the business commu nifty,
and stand A-Ho.-l as 9 commercial Arm. 1
Benedict remains principally In New
York, purchasing goods. The other two
brothers manage the business here-ope
in the wholesale, end one In the retail de-
partment. Success with thsm was the
outgrowth of supreme business abilities,
and not mere matter OF luck,
MENKEN.
The name of Menken is linked with the
drygoOds progress of Memphis. In this
1rm there are three brothers, who have
been SO Intimately associated with each
other in all their business transactions
that it would be difficult to say anything
of one which would not be applicable TO
the others, except that they were born at
different times, and did not marry on the
same day. The father Of the brothers was
one OF the pioneer merchants of
Cincinnati. He settled there in 1916, hay
ing emigrsted from Prussia. He married
q Kentucky lsd7 first, and On the second
occasion he married q French lady, of the
Dsme of Morange, whose father was an
officer in the army of the first emperor,
and was decorated with the grand cross OF
the legion of honor. There are three
brothers, Julian A. Menken, Nathan Ds-
Wis, and Jacob StanWood. The first named
is the eldest, and is principally In New
York purchasing goods. He was born in
New York in 1885. Our "N. D." was born
the following year in Cincinnati. and Ja-
cobS. was born in Cincinnati in 1888 Ma
than Davis, af tr be left college, studied
law for while, but went back TO business
in the course OF syesr, managing depart
ment of silk lace and straw goods, in, his
fathers house. At the breaking out of the
war, the brothers were in business In
Cincinnati, but owing TO certain disturb
ances in the course Of trade the house
failed. In short time sfterwsrd, they
entered on business career In Memphis,
at the corner Of Court and Main streets,
which has been entirely successful. Their
business has increased to such sn extent,
that the upper stories of the adjoining
house had TO be added to their already
large establishment. Shortly after COM
to this city, the Menken Bros. made
settlement with the4I former creditors, on
basis of fifty cents on the dollar; but in
1855. when prosperous course OF busi-
ness had made them not only very sol
vent, but also very solid frm, they called
meeting Of their creditors in New York,
and paid up the remaining fifty cents ON
the dollar, with interest. This Ii rare
thing in business, snd reveals glimpses Of
that spirit and principle which has raised
the firm TO first place smong the mer-
camille community. AL three brothers
are married. Our N. d. Menken seems to
have been peculiarly blessed in having
married Into family that inherited
the valuable characteristic of extra
ordinary longevity. A little son of his
who is toddling around had tbs rare
good fortune Of beholding the face Of his
great grest-grandmother, who Is now liv-
ing in Philadelphia. During the very busy
years Immediately succeeding the war,
there were two young men In this city
who were considered the hardest workers
In 1t. One of these was J. 8. Menken, who
was compelled to take European tour 10
recupersie, the other msp, Charley Norris,
died. The unsnimity of those brothers in
their energetic and weli-direeted efforts Is
remarkable. Until recently they had Q
common purse as well as common OBJ
ject, which was the establishment OF
tirst-clsss dry goods house. In this they
hsYe succeeded. They employ seventy
five assistants, and trrn over ss much
moneys worth in year as any other
house In the atty, perhaps. In addition to
the labors OF the elder Aenken, purehss-
ing In New York, this fsll they had tive
agents engaged, who vent from here to
the east to assist Julian A. in his labors.