BERNSTIEN, MORRIS, Henrietta, and daughters Sophie, and Lilly

File 1—Morris and Henrietta Genealogical Article, Morris Siddur, Prayer Book and Candelabra

• Vignette and inventory

• Vignettes -- Morris Siddur (Prayer Book) and his Candelabra

• Ancestry Library World Tree Project – information from the notes of L.B. Goldsmith, Sr.

File 2—Ancestor Chart, Family Tree and Location Map and Chart • Ancestor Chart and Family tree

• An early map with locations of Jewish significance

File 3—Additional Genealogy information on Morris Bernstein and the Jews of Hanover, Germany

• An Article by Lawrence Goldsmith on the Bernstein and Goldsmith Families

• Print out from the Museum of the Diaspora on the Jews of Hannover Germany

File 4— Morris Bernstein apprenticeship, Marriage Records, and Early Directors of the First National Bank

• A copy of a document written in German from George Hunhtock declaring that Morris Bernstein apprenticed under him during 1843 and 1844 doing watch repair work and recommended him as a good and industrious worker.

• 1809-1899 List of Htsv. Madison County marriages including Morris and Henrietta Bernstein 7/5/1855. Henrietta is misnamed Jenetta on the census record

• Early Directors of the predecessor of the First National Bank File 5— Alabama 1819 Map showing location Morris Bernstein’s watch repair shop, photograph of south side of the Court House Square, and photograph of Morris Bernstein with wife Henrietta and daughter Betty

• Huntsville Alabama 1819 Map showing location of the early (Braham-Goldsmith House) 206 Gates Avenue.

• Several early photos of Morris Bernstein’s watch repair shop during the time he occupied the building and one photo of the building when it was rented to Blake Plumbing after he died.

• A photograph of the south side of the Court House Square. Morris’ building is the third from the corner.

• Morris Bernstein photo with wife Henrietta and daughter Betty. File 6—Issues of Alabama Heritage, Spring 1995, “Jewish life in Alabama: The formative Stages,” the cover of the issue a color copy of a daguerreotype photograph of Morris Bernstein

• Copies of Alabama Heritage Spring 1995 issue published by the University of Alabama. On the front cover is a daguerreotype picture computer colored of Morris Bernstein as a young man. Morris immigrated to Baltimore during the 1840’s and settled in Huntsville prior to 1852 when he married Henrietta Newman. The entire issue is devoted to the Jewish communities of Alabama. The article titled “Jewish life in Alabama: The formative Stages,” by Henry and Marsha Marks Page 6 includes information on the Huntsville Jewish community. The original daguerreotype picture was donated to the National Museum of American Jewish History in 2011

File 7— photo of the Bernstein building at the corner of West Holmes and Jefferson built by Morris Bernstein. Building located at the edge of the white and black neighborhood. Building on the North Side of the Courthouse Square, the Trade Palace, owned by Bernstein and Herstein, used by Herstein for his dry goods business, and information on Morris Bernstein and the Johnstown, PA flood at which time he lost his leg. • A 1969 photo of the Bernstein building at the corner of West Holmes and Jefferson built by Morris Bernstein. Building located at the edge of the white and black neighborhood.

NOTE : The Bernstein-Herstein Building located at the corner of North Side of the Court House Square purchased by Morris Bernstein and Robert Herstein for Robert’s dry goods business, The Trade Palace. The Herstein’s paid rent to the Bernstein’s for the Bernstein’s 50% interest in the building until the building was acquired by the Bernstein heirs from the Herstein heirs. Note that there is a large file at the University of Alabama-Huntsville Archives on this building that is known as the Bernstein - Herstein Building

• A newspaper article about Bonheim Newman of Johnstown PA who married Miss Lee Hardey of Huntsville. A second article - a letter addressed to Mr. O. Goldsmith from Bonheim Newman (Henrietta was a Newman before marrying Morris). The letter references Brother Morris (Morris Bernstein) who was on a trip to Pennsylvania to visit family that coincided with the Jonestown Flood of 1889. The letter describes an injury to Morris’ leg during the flood. It resulted in Morris having lost his leg and having a peg leg according to my grandfather Lawrence B. Goldsmith Sr.

File 8— Morris Bernstein’s Business and Slave Recipes • Copies of a number of documents that belonged to Bernstein donated to The National Museum of American Jewish History in 2011. The copies include two slave receipts, dated 1859 and 1861, plus business receipts dated: 1866, 1867, 1874, and 1884.

File 9—Deeds to the watch repair shop, South Side of the Square, and other Bernstein downtown Huntsville properties, map of the George Steele estate properties purchased by the Bernstein Family located on Steele and Clinton Streets, promissory notes and business receipts mentioning Van Valkenburg, Home Protection of North Alabama Stock Shares (1871)

• 1875 Deed of property to Henrietta and Morris Bornstein

• A number of old deeds including Morris’ purchase of the building he used as a watch repair shop on the South Side of the Square in 1859 which was then called Commercial Row. Also copies of business documents , promissory notes ,from the 1870’s, the deed to the property he bought at the corner of Holmes and Jefferson dated 1866 where he later constructed a building. Also property at the corner of California and McClung and an interesting map backed with fabric that shows his purchase of property at the corner of Steele and Clinton where he constructed houses that exist today and have historic markers in front with his name.

File 10—Information on a ladies store maintained by Mrs. M. Bernstein in 1867, and historic information on Morris from his obituary

• A note to Margaret Anne Goldsmith from Henry Marks, Temple B’nai Sholom historian. The note references a ladies store maintained by Mrs. M. Bernstein in 1867. Copies of newspaper articles referencing her business are attached but difficult to read. Henry’s note on Morris Bernstein mention that after he immigrated he lived in Baltimore for several years and then traveled to Huntsville where he settled prior to 1852, when he married Henrietta Newman who was living in Huntsville with her family.

File 11— A photograph of “The Bernstein House,” articles on Bernstein properties including 206 Gates

• Times Article, 1996-Bernstein House

• A photograph “The Bernstein House. “ The house was originally built in 1818 –then enlarged in the 1830’s. Morris and Henrietta bought it in 1875. Note that both the Hersteins and Bernsteins lived in houses that long after their deaths were placed on the National Historic Register.

• A copy of The Historic Huntsville Quarterly on the cover a photograph of a house built by Morris Bernstein for investment that as of 1998 had been restored and enlarged. On the back of the cover is written at the bottom --- “The Bernstein-Charlton House, 110 Steele Street, Ca 1881. Originally a two storied house with one room on each floor, the house had fallen into extreme disrepair in recent times and was regarded as a lost cause. The house now shines as a perfect example of creative restoration undertaken by its imaginative architect.” Note that Morris built several small brick cottages for investment on this block that face Clinton Street at the corner of Steele. These houses have all been restored and renovated and today command a handsome price. Today they are in the Old Town Historic District. A red brick building that Morris built at the southeast corner of Jefferson and Holmes was also for investment. At the time it was built it had a metal sign attached to the side exterior that spelled “Bernstein”. My father took the sign down and stored it in his basement when the building was sold from the Bernstein estate. I removed it and attached it to the wall of my apartment on the third floor of the Schiffman Bldg when I moved there in 1998. In 2011 I donated the sign to the National Museum of American Jewish History. It will be interesting to see what they do with it. Across the street on Homes going west, Morris built a number of buildings for investment. These buildings were rented by African Americans when I was a girl and during the segregation era they provided a downtown area for the black community, All these small buildings were taken down during urban renewal.

• The Historic Huntsville Quarterly, “The Bernstein House: A Case Study”

File 12— Bernstein Home on Monte Sano in the town of Viduta

• The Historic Huntsville Quarterly 1994, mentions the Bernstein Home on Monte Sano

• Photos of the house and Oscar Goldsmith in front of the Monte Sano house

• Morris and Henrietta Bernstein’s summer home located on what is now Lookout Drive on Monte Sano in the town of Viduta. A horse is grazing in the front yard.

File 13—Letter from Betty Bernstein Goldsmith to sister Lilly Bernstein Lichtenstadter and information on Lily

• A letter dated 5/13/1898 from Betty Bernstein Goldsmith to her sister Lilly Bernstein Lichenstadter including a note from Lilly’s father Morris Bernstein.

• Information on daughter Lilly who married a Larry Lichtenstader-genealogy

File 14— Morris Bernstein’s will, obituary, and funeral information

• Morris Bernstein’s obituary that notes he came to Huntsville in 1852 and lived here 48 years. It is interesting to note that next to the obituary is a long article by Rabbi Nathan Michnic who was the Rabbi for Congregation B’nai Sholom at the time of Morris death. I assume it was the eulogy/sermon spoken at Morris’ funeral and was reprinted in the paper following the service... The article titled “Consolation” was dedicated to Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Goldsmith.

• Will of Morris Bernstein. Note that Morris left the income from his estate to his three daughters; Betty, Sophie and Lilly. After the last to die, the estate was to be divided among his grandchildren. This required managing his estate and keeping it intact for a number of years.

File 15—Sophie Bernstein’s Will

• Daughter Sophie’s will. She never married. Her assets including 8 pieces of jewelry valued at $20,000. She left her estate to her great nieces Betty Grosser and Louise Lichtenstadter.

• List of her property by her executor, her brother in law, Oscar Goldsmith. Note that during her life Sophie lived first with her parents and at their death with her sister and brother in law, Betty and Oscar Goldsmith.

File 16— Circuit Court Records regarding the Trusteeship of the Bernstein Estate, 206 Gates and division of all Bernstein Estate properties, 1937

• Circuit Court Records regarding the Trusteeship of the Bernstein Estate

• Document regarding LBG occuping 206 Gates for his services to the Bernstein Estate

• Partition of the Bernstein Estate Properties 1937 between Theresa Grosser and Lawrence Goldsmith, with Mortie Lichtenstadter