Louis Levi

As a young man, Louis Levi (1867-1938) worked in his father Moses Levi’s (1856-1899) general merchandise store in Manning, South Carolina. In addition to working for the family business, Louis served as intendant of Manning from 1895 to 1896. The following year, to the “regret” of his many friends, Louis left his father’s store to work as a farmer near St. Paul, South Carolina in rural Clarendon County. After his father’s death in January 1899, Louis returned to Manning and opened a general merchandise store. Known simply as Louis Levi, the store primarily sold clothing, shoes, accessories, and groceries. Later that year, Louis married Corinne D’Ancona (1875-1905) of Chicago, who passed away six years later. In 1912, Louis married Irene Rosenberg (1888-1980), daughter of Abbeville merchant Philip Rosenberg (1855-1921) and Cecilia Visanska (1862-1938). Louis operated his store in Manning until a fire in 1916 destroyed practically all his merchandise. Although he did have insurance on slightly more than half of his stock, the combination of the fire and his poor health led him to close the store. Afterwards, Louis and Irene moved to Irene’s parent’s home in Abbeville, South Carolina. Louis moved back to Manning by 1930.