A Period of Growth: Jewish Arrivals in the Upper Miami Valley in the Late 19th Century

By 1875 the number of Anshe Emeth members had grown to 12 adults, and the congregation relocated to a new building on West High Street at the northwest corner of Public Square. This building, which was owned by Aaron Friedlich, was three stories tall and the congregation met inside one of the upper halls. It was also in this same year that Congregation Anshe Emeth was first incorporated with the State of Ohio. Newer Jewish residents in the Upper Miami Valley around this time included Julia and Samuel Epstein, Jeanette and Louis Hebel, Marcus Lebensburger and Meyer Newhoff. Julia and Samuel lived in Greenville while the Hebels, Marcus and Meyer resided in Piqua. All of these individuals were involved in some aspect of the clothing business. Samuel Epstein owned part of Bachman’s in the late 1870s and for a time he was a business associate of Charles Bachman. In 1874, he ran a branch of Charles’ Elephant Clothing Store in Versailles. Louis Hebel was associated with the Bee Hive [sic] clothing store. This shop appears to have been an early example of a chain store since other Bee Hive clothing establishments existed across Ohio by the late 1800s. Marcus and Meyer did business together at a clothing shop on North Main Street. During the late 1870s, the Jewish population of the Upper Miami Valley appears to have remained fairly homogenous in terms of ancestry and religious belief. Most, if not all, Jews in the area were recent immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe or the children of these immigrants. Almost everyone also practiced the more liberal form of Judaism taught at the recently established Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati.

This teaching, which was known as Reform Judaism, emphasized Judaism’s ethical precepts over religious laws and sought to make Jewish practice more compatible with the realities of life in the United States. Liturgical changes advocated by many Reform Jews during the late 1800s included mixed seating in synagogues, the introduction of organs and other instruments into religious services, and the abolition of head coverings during services. Congregation Anshe Emeth was among the pioneers of Reform Judaism in America. In 1873 the congregation became a charter member of the newly organized Union of American Hebrew Congregations. This organization, now known as the Union for Reform Judaism, continues to exist well into the 21st century and Anshe Emeth has maintained its membership. Anshe Emeth was also among the first congregations to host visiting student rabbis from Hebrew Union College, a tradition that continues as of 2021. Most religious Jews living in the United States in 1880 believed Reform Judaism to be the future of American Judaism. Back in Europe, however, events in the Russian Empire were about to usher in the largest wave of Jewish immigration to the Americas yet seen. These immigrants would change the course of American Jewish cultural and religious life. Some eventually found their way to the Upper Miami Valley, where they would contribute significantly to Jewish history in the area.

Beginning in 1881, increased violence against Jews began to occur in many areas of Eastern Europe due to political turmoil combined with longstanding prejudices. This violence sometimes took the form of organized riots which became known as pogroms. Many Jews were killed during these violent outbursts and thousands of families were made homeless. Violence, compounded by oppressive laws, eventually compelled over two million Jews to immigrate to the United States by 1924. While more wanted to leave Europe after 1924, the Johnson-Reed Act, which was passed by Congress to limit further immigration from eastern and southern Europe, caused a sharp decline in the number of new Jewish immigrants. Relations between the new Eastern European Jewish immigrants and the older, more established German-American Jews were not always cordial. Much of the disagreement was caused by differences in religious practice and economic status. Specifically, Eastern European Jews tended to practice Orthodox Judaism and most were also poor. Some native-born Jews in the United States feared that the religious conservatism of Eastern European Jews and their impoverished state would lead to an increase in anti-Jewish sentiment locally. In an effort to avert this, Jewish organizations such as B’nai B’rith and Hebrew Union College sought to provide some forms of financial relief and education services to Eastern European Jews, but these efforts were often seen as paternalistic by the immigrant communities.

One letter published in the American Israelite by Abraham Herzstam, a clothing merchant in Sidney, Ohio, in 1909 touches on some aspects of the interactions between Reform and more orthodox Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Abraham was an immigrant from Baden, which is located in what is now southwestern Germany, and he lived in Sidney since the late 1870s. During the 1880s and 1890s, most new Jewish families arriving in the Upper Miami Valley continued to come from German-Jewish, Reform backgrounds. These families included Harmon and Sarah Bornstein, Betty and Gus Felheim, and Herman and Julia Sternberger. Both Harmon and Gus owned businesses in Greenville. Harmon managed Bornstein's Barrel House, a liquor store located at the back of Kipp's Drug Store on Public Square. In 1886, Harmon sold the store to Max Ostheimer of Cincinnati, who may also have been Jewish. Gus, who was a member of the Masons for 48 years, was associated with the Cincinnati Cheap Store, which sold dry goods. In 1887 Gus sold his store to John Martin and Frank Gorden and went into the clothing business. He also developed interests in the tobacco business. Sixteen years later the Felheim family moved to Cincinnati. Herman Sternberger, who was a resident of Piqua by 1883, co-owned a music hall in town and he was involved in other properties. These real estate interests included a mattress factory on West Water Street and a portion of Fountain Park and the Forest Hotel. Herman was also active in the Democratic Party and he served as an elector for the State of Ohio in the 1892 presidential campaign. Julia Sternberger was the daughter of Isaac and Regina Horkheimer, who were connected with the Jewish community in Wheeling, West Virginia. By 1897, Julia and her husband relocated to that city.

Due to the continued growth of the Jewish community in the Upper Miami Valley, a Sunday School was established by the members of Anshe Emeth by 1880. In this same year, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations estimated that 20 students were enrolled in the school and that Piqua’s overall adult Jewish population stood at 26. It is likely, based on activity at other Ohio congregations, that the ladies of Anshe Emeth took a leading role in organizing the Sunday School. No record of a formal Jewish women’s organization in the area exists, however, until 1901 when a chapter of the Council of Jewish Women, a national organization, was formed in Piqua. The group, which met monthly, was composed of 21 women in its first year, and it was formed with the help of supporters from Cincinnati. Caroline Flesh, the wife of Henry Flesh, served as the group's first president, and Irma Louis, the wife of Abraham Louis, was elected as the first vice president. The executive board was completed by Flora Wendel, who served as treasurer, and Nannie LeBolt, the first secretary. Other members included Isabelle Lazaron, Rose Louis, Rita Marks, Bernice Silberberg, Minnie Silberberg, Bertha Urbansky, and Esther Urbansky. Council members helped to raise funds for the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society in Denver, which built a hospital to treat patients from all backgrounds, and supported other charitable causes.

Around 1882 members of Anshe Emeth began to organize weekly Shabbat services in Piqua. Never before had Jewish religious services been held so frequently in the Upper Miami Valley. In 1893, Anshe Emeth moved its location once again. The congregation was now operating out of a rented hall located at 266 West High Street above Beck’s Commercial College. Anshe Emeth remained here until 1923 when the synagogue on Caldwell Street was constructed. Young Jewish adults in Piqua were also finding ways to connect with each other, and with other Jews from surrounding towns. Among the social events organized in the 1880s were dances that drew guests from various communities, including Bellefontaine, Delaware, and Springfield. Individuals from small towns outside the Miami Valley were also affiliated with Anshe Emeth. During the mid-1880s, it is known that some Jewish families from Delaware traveled around 75 miles one way to attend holiday services at Anshe Emeth. This not only demonstrates the challenges Jews in that community underwent to attend public religious services on holidays, but also the rarity of synagogues in the wider region. It should be noted, however, that Jews in Springfield formed a religious community in 1866. Construction on Lima’s first synagogue, however, did not begin until 1914.

Among those who contributed to the development of communal, economic and Jewish religious life in the Upper Miami Valley by the 1880s were the children of the earliest Jewish residents of the region. One of the most notable households was the Flesh family. In 1863 Henry Flesh married Caroline Friedlich, the eldest daughter of Emma and Moses Friedlich, and the couple had at least three children. Their names were Leo, William, and Joel. While William eventually moved to New York, Leo and Joel remained in Piqua and entered into various business interests associated with their father. As mentioned previously, Henry Flesh began his time in Piqua as a clothing merchant, and his store became well known throughout Miami County. By the late 1860s, Henry’s business interests had expanded to include banking and furniture manufacturing. For over 50 years, Henry was involved with Citizens National Bank. This involvement included serving as the bank’s president for many years. Henry was also associated with the Border City Building and Loan Association, which was established in Piqua in 1882. He would serve as this company’s president for over 30 years. Henry’s role in local furniture manufacturing stemmed from his work with the Cron-Kills Company, which he also served as president for several years. Leo followed his father into the clothing and banking business and eventually, he too would serve as president of Citizens National Bank. Leo was also the president of the Atlas Underwear Company from 1900 to 1928. Atlas, which was founded in 1899 as the Piqua Underwear Company, would grow to become one of Miami County’s largest employers by the mid-20th century. Its plant, located at the corner of Downing and Rundle Avenue, was the largest in the world devoted exclusively to the manufacture of union suits. Joel went into the furniture manufacturing business and served as vice president of Cron-Kills.

Members of the Flesh family were also involved in a variety of civic and community organizations. Caroline Flesh was active in an interfaith organization known as the Associated Charities, which held its first meeting in 1904. At the meetings, she represented Anshe Emeth. Henry served on Piqua’s City Council for 25 years and for part of this time was the body's president. Henry also served terms as president and treasurer of the Piqua Board of Trade, a precursor to the contemporary Chamber of Commerce, secretary of Anshe Emeth and master of the local Masonic lodge. Additionally, among the projects Henry worked on were creating the Piqua-Troy rail line, helping to bring electricity to Piqua and organizing the Piqua Electric Company, and establishing the Piqua Memorial Hospital, which opened in 1905. Leo and Joel Flesh were active in various community organizations, including the Elks and Masons. Leo was also a supporter of public education. This interest was expressed most notably through his support of the Schmidlapp Free School Library, which was renamed the Flesh Public Library in 1931 following a major donation by Leo.

While most of the Lebolt children moved away from Piqua shortly after reaching adulthood, one son, Meyer, remained in town long enough to have a family of his own. Meyer, who was also known as May, was married to Rebecca Lebolt and the couple had at least two children, Alice and Irma. Both daughters were students at the Anshe Emeth Sunday School. Like his father, Charles, Meyer was involved in the grocery business and he may have operated the same business on College Street. In 1907, however, Meyer sold the grocery store to Calvin McCracken and the family seems to have left Miami County soon after. Two years later, Rebecca died and was buried at Cedar Hill. During Meyer’s time in Piqua, he served terms as president of the Retail Merchants Protective Association and as Nobel Grand of the Odd Fellows.

David and Regina Louis had five children, Abraham, Leo, Meyer, Raphael, and Rose. Abraham married Irma Volmer of Cincinnati in 1898, and, around this same time, he managed a clothing store named Flesh & Louis, alongside Leo Flesh. It is also of note that Irma’s brother, Leon, who was a rabbi in Charleston, West Virginia, occasionally visited Piqua to see family and conduct services at Anshe Emeth. In 1910 Irma died, and Abraham eventually moved to New York City where he represented the Atlas Underwear Company in business dealings. Leo followed his father into the grocery business and eventually associated his store with the national chain, Piggly-Wiggly. He also expanded his business to Sidney. Leo was married to Blanche Wallbrunn, who was an active leader in the local Jewish community. Meyer and Raphael were the oldest children of David and Regina and the two brothers partnered in business for much of their lives. Early in their working years, the brothers owned a jewelry store, and later they formed the Louis Metal and Iron Company, which sold scrap metals. Their most notable business achievement, however, came in 1908 when Meyer and Raphael established the Piqua Paper Box Company, which continues to exist well into the 21st century.

Before moving into the 20th century, it is worth noting that a number of Jewish families in Auglaize County had personal or professional ties to members of Piqua’s Jewish community during the late 19th-century. While located outside the Miami Valley, these ties to Piqua merit mention. By the mid-1870s Lena and Sol Bamberger were living in St Marys with their children. It is likely that the family was supported by a clothing business. Twenty years later, another member of the Bamberger family, Herman, who may have been a brother of Sol, lived in Greenville with his wife Matilda and their six children. Around this same time, Sol was active in creating a telephone company in St Marys. Most of the Bambergers appear to have left St Marys by 1910, but one, Louis Bamberger, remained until at least the late 1920s. Louis was the son of Lena and Sol and he was married to Elsie Spier, a native of Connecticut. In addition to serving as president of the local Retail Merchants Association, Louis was also active with the Ohio Retail Clothiers and Furnishers Association.

To the east of St Marys in Wapakoneta lived Moses and Rosa Hirsch, Abraham and Rose Kahn, Frederika and Nathan Kusel, and Adolph and Henrietta Steinberg. Moses and Rosa lived in Wapakoneta with their son, David, by 1880. The family was supported by Moses’ work as a clothier. Abraham Kahn was an immigrant from Alsace who came to the United States in 1869. Shortly after he arrived in Wapakoneta, where he was likely met by relatives, including a sister-in-law named Sarah Kahn. Abraham at first worked as a dry goods merchant and later began a manufacturing business that produced farm tools and handles. In 1888, Abraham married Rose Friedlich, a daughter of Aaron and Theresa, at a ceremony held at Friedlich home in Piqua. Rabbi Mayer Messing of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation officiated. Frederika and Nathan lived in Wapakoneta by the late 1870s and the couple supported their family through Nathan’s work as a cattle dealer. Nathan’s life was cut short, however, in 1883 after he was struck by a train. Following Nathan’s death, Frederika worked to support her five children. Frederika died seven years after her husband and her two youngest children, Leon and Albert, went to live at the Jewish Orphan Asylum in Cleveland. Adolph and Henrietta, who were both immigrants from Central Europe, were wed in 1867 and they made their first home together in New Bremen, Ohio. Here Adolph operated a clothing business and later sold produce. The couple also had six children. In 1893 the family moved to Wapakoneta, where Adolph opened a hotel by 1900. While Wapakoneta’s Jewish population was never more than a handful of families, more Jews would find their way to the town in the early 20th century.