Pearl Tanenbaum

Clothier
c.1935-c.1948


Spartanburg, SC

FAMILIES: Tanenbaum

As a young girl, Pearl Levy (1899-1988) made the long journey from Russia to the United States, presumably with her parents, Isaac Levy and Toby Gitel. By 1920, she moved to Augusta, Georgia, where she resided with her husband, Isaac “Harry” Tanenbaum (1896-1984), and their infant son, Joel (1918-2000). According to the 1920 Census, Pearl stayed at home, and Harry worked as a jeweler. By 1930, the couple added two more children to their family—a son, Ralph (1921-2008), and a daughter, Thelma (1927-1993). According to the 1930 Census, Harry worked as a retail dry goods merchant and Pearl worked as a dry goods saleslady, presumably with her husband. Soon thereafter, the family moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where Harry secured employment as a watchmaker for Rudolph Skalowski (1878-1950). According to the 1940 Census, Pearl operated a retail women’s ready-to-wear clothing store. Her store closed by 1949.

The Jewish Merchant Project is supported by the generosity of the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and the Stanley B. Farbstein Endowment at the Coastal Community Foundation.

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