Blumenfeld and Fried papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-98

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Business papers of the Bernhard Blumenfeld (1853-1923) and Simon Fried (1843-1912) families, including deeds, promissory notes, stock certificates, (including two from John M. Stone Cotton Mills) and letters from Mena Blumenfeld concerning life in New York, a World War I celebration, and other. Items added by Henry Meyer include photographs of family members and homes. Places documented include Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, and New York City.

Dates

1889 - 1955

Creator

Fried, Simon. (Creator, Person)

Access Restriction

Open to all researchers.

Use Restrictions

Any requests for permission to publish, quote, or reproduce materials from this collection must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian for Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Mississippi State University as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Biographical / Historical

Simon Fried and his family settled in Starkville in 1880. Originally from Bavaria, he came to Pennsylvania in 1857 and was naturalized in 1865. In addition to running a dry-goods store, Simon Fried served as an alderman and was a member of the Knights of Pythias for 42 years. Fried had the honor of serving as the Grand Warden of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1894, a global altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization that had a strong presence in Mississippi during the 19th century.

In 1888, Simon’s daughter, Carrie Fried, married Bernard Blumenfeld, a senior partner of the firm Bernard Blumenfeld. The marriage initiated a long-term business partnership between the two families in Starkville, Mississippi. Because there was no temple in Starkville, their wedding took place in the local Methodist church. The two families opened a dry good store in the 1890s, and it grew to be a successful wholesale grocery business.

The following details the genealogical history of these families: Simon Fried (b. 4-1843; d. 1912, buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Starkville). Sophie Fried (wife of Simon; b. 11-1848, d. 1927). Simon and Sophie had 2 daughters, Carrie (b. 9-2-1869, d. 7-1-1956) and Nellie.

Bernard Blumenfeld (b. 1853, d. 1923) had a son Simon Blumenfeld (5-24-1889, d. 12-12-1935)

Carrie and Simon married and had a daugther, Mena Blumenfeld (b. 8-20-1892, d. 7-6-1965)

[Ref. https://www.isjl.org/starkville-mississippi.html]