FRIEDLOB AND FELSENTHAL BURIALS
AT B'NAI ISRAEL CEMETERY,
JACKSON, TENNESSEE
By W. D. Bostic
Friedlob
A narrative history of this family is presented at http://www.tngenweb.org/madison/families/friedlob.htm. The patriarch was Julius Friedlob, described in the "Goodspeed Histories of Madison Count, Tennessee" (orignially published in 1888) pp. 861-2:
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Julius Friedlob, a prominent dry goods merchant of this city {Jackson, TN}, was born in Poland in 1841, and is the son of L. and Sarah Friedlob. In 1862, he emigrated to the United States, and lived in New York, peddling from that place about six months; then went to St. Louis, following the same business for about nine months; then went to Memphis, where he remained until the day after Lee surrendered; then he came to this city and engaged in the dry goods and clothing business, which has proven very successful. Mr. Friedlob began life poor, his possessions being gained by his own honesty, industry, and perseverance. He occupies his own house, and has other property also in a very desirable portion of the city. In 1868, he was united in marriage to Miss Bettie Felsenthal, daughter of Eli Felsenthal. She was born in Bavaria, Germany, and is the mother of six boys. He is a member of the I.O.O.F, K. of P., K. of H., A.O.U.W., and belongs to a Jewish society in Memphis, called the I.O.B.B., and belongs to the Jewish congregations both here and at Brownsville, Tenn. In politics, he is neutral, but Democratic. |
In this family burial plot are Julius' wife, the former Babette (Bettie) Felsenthal (1841-1897), his sons Sam (1869-1926) and Joseph (1879-1913), Sam's son, Sam Julius (1910-1916) and Joseph's wife, the former Willis Hatch.[1] Sam Julius ("Sammie"), much beloved son of Sam Friedlob and his wife Rosa Derry, died of complications form appendicitis while visiting his uncles (Hertz and Eli), then living in Chicago.
It is interesting that Sam, Sr., was buried at B'nai Israel. In 1908, Sam married Rosa Derry, a young Protestant girl who had clerked at the Friedlob store. Sadly, Julius disowned Sam for marrying outside of the faith. However, Sam and his father were reconciled later when Julius, aged and dying, moved in with Sam and Rosa. Julius must have witnessed the very real love that existed in the family.
Felsenthal
The Babette Felsenthal that married Julius Friedlob was born 1841 in Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of Israel Felsenthal, and the sister of Jacob Felsenthal who located to Cincinnati, Ohio. She was a cousin to the Felsenthals who immigrated from Bavaria and settled in Brownville, Haywood Co., TN, before the Civil War.[2] A contemporary cousin, also named Babette (1843-1928), lived in Brownsville. An article from the Commercial Appeal (11-Mar-1999) discusses about 30 Jewish families that settled in the Brownsville, Haywood County, TN area. It mentions a Babette Felsenthal coming to Brownsville in 1860 with her mother, Carolina Mandel Felsenthal, and brother Edward to join older brothers Jacob (who came to the US in 1840 from Munchweiler, Germany at the age of 16)[3] and Joseph (who came to the US in 1852). The Haywood County Babette married her cousin, Henry Levi [4]; her brothers Isaac, Joseph and Moses served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War under Nathal Bedford Forrest's calvary. Isaac was killed at Shiloh in 1862 and Moses was a POW.
Emanuel (Edward) Felsenthal (1845-1895), interred at B'nai Israel, was the youngest son of Joel Lyon and Carolina Mandel Felsenthal. Edward married Carrie Anker (1856-1927) on January 15, 1873, in Haywood County. The family moved in 1883 from Brownsville to Jackson, TN, where Carrie and Edward would raise 8 children.[5]
The 1908-9 Jackson, TN, City Directory lists:
Felsenthal, Carrie (wid. Edward) 331 Highland Ave.
Felsenthal & Tamm, grocers [6]
Carrie, born in Brownsville and educated in Philadelphia, died 13-April 1927, and is interred at B'nai Israel. Her will is recorded:
Abstr last Wills & Testaments, Madison Co., TN, 1927-1937, p. 4 (18). Mrs Carrie Anker Felsenthal, 21-Jun-1923 - 21-Apr-1927 (d. 13-Apr, 1927) to daus Mrs. Celia Felsenthal & Mrs Ruby F. Tamm, Mrs. Nell F. Levy. Homeplace 332 Highland Ave, Jackson.
Also, daughter Stella Felsenthal married Ludwig Hess. Thus, the connection to the Tamm, Levy, and Hess families, some of whom are also interred at B'nai Israel.
Many other Felsenthal kin are buried at Adas Israel Cemetery in Brownsville, Haywood Co., TN; see http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnhaywoo/cemetery/adas.htm
Cecilia Felsenthal, daughter of Carrie Anker Felsenthal, wrote a genealogical history (now out of print) entitled "The Felsenthal Family." A microfilm copy is available at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City UT. The narrative is somewhat difficult to follow, but is a great aid for researchers on the Felsenthal and allied families.[7]
Notes