Born in Austria, Jacob Turteltaub (1873-1926) immigrated to the United States in 1899. The 1900 Census recorded him living in New York City, where he worked as a men’s clothing salesman and boarded with a Jewish family, the Altmans. In 1901, Jacob’s wife, Rosalie (1872-1917), and three oldest children, Annie (1894-1963), Samuel (1896-1918), and Max (1898-1949), immigrated from Austria and joined him in America. Within three years, the Turteltaub family had moved south to Charleston, SC, where Jacob and Rosalie welcomed two more children into the world and Jacob continued in the clothing industry.
Upon moving south, Jacob opened retail clothing store J. Turtletaub & Co. at 540 King Street. During its years of operation, the store relocated several times. Charleston City Directories reveal the store’s location over the years:
1905-1906: 540 King Street
1906-1907: 428 King Street
1908-1915: 455 King Street
1916-1927: 401 King Street
1928-1931: 403 King Street
1934: 339 King Street
The store ultimately closed around 1936.