LEVY Family


 In 1878, Abe Levy was born in Rogova, Western Russia. His forbearers had come to Russia from France sometime after the French Revolution, and they were destined to change homes,names and modes of living for years thereafter. Eventually, they came to America, the haven for the forlorn but not the hopeless.

 Max Labau, Abe’s father, came to New Jersey in the 1800’s and worked hard so that he could bring his family to join him. Labau was not an easy name to have in this new country, so Max took the name of his sponsor, a brother-in-law, and became an American citizen as Max Levy. His wife, Hattie, died in Russia before Max could bring the rest of the family to his new country. Abe, the oldest son, came early to join his father. Abe’s first job was in the New York area; his salary was $2.00 a week.

 Later, Ike, George, Yettie, Rose and Tillie arrived. The family moved to Seguin, Texas and  established a business. Seguin and nearby New Braunfels had many German-speaking residents, and German was a language the Levys spoke and understood, which made for easier living. There, they lived for many years with business and marriages taking various sons and daughters to different parts of the country.


 Abe and Ike ventured into West Texas in a covered wagon as peddlers of merchandise to isolated areas, eventually establishing a mercantile > business in Ballinger, Texas. In the early 1900’s, the Texas and Pacific, the Santa Fe and the Orient railroads came to West Texas, all three lines crossing at Sweetwater, a small town with sandy streets and plank sidewalks, making Sweetwater a railroad center. Seeing the town as opportunity with an open door, Abe and Ike opened a second store in 1910, The Sweetwater Dry Goods Company, whose slogan was “The Price is the Thing”.


 In 1907, Abe married Annie Rosenwasser, daughter of Eva and Morris Rosenwasser, who came to this country from Bavaria. Annie had four sisters and a brother, Herman, who became a rabbi and a distinguished biblical scholar. He testified in the Darwin-Scopes trial as an > expert on the Bible.

 Abe and Annie had three daughters, Fannie and Hattie (born in Ballinger) and Helen (born in Sweetwater), after Abe moved there in 1913 when the Ballinger landlord raised the store rent. The first family home was at the corner of Oak and Fifth Streets; the store was at the corner of Oak and Broadway after a move from West Broadway. Good friends and sometime neighbors were the Pitzer and Wight families.

 By 1920 when Annie died, the family lived at 501 East Broadway. A few years later, Abe married Freda Horwitz Ruttenberg of San Antonio, and she and her daughter, Esther, became a part of the Levy family and a part of Sweetwater history. Through the years the store withstood three major additions and remodelings, and the name was changed to Levy Brothers. It was the first refrigerated air-conditioned department store between Dallas and El Paso.

 The Levy family became business and town builders. Since they were of Jewish faith, they had no local church affiliation but kept memberships in Dallas and Abilene congregations. Abe was a member of the first city commission, a charter stockholder and director in the National Bank of Sweetwater, which later became the First National Bank, and a charter member of the Rotary Club. Ike was active in Shrine, Elk and Rotary clubs, a staunch supporter of all sporting events and all school projects in which many of his nieces were participants. He made his home with Abe’s family.

 Through the years the brothers were partners and expanded their holdings to Colorado City, Big Spring, Midland, Abilene, Commerce and Sherman, Texas.

 Freda was interested in cultural advancement in Sweetwater and was active in the store, maintaining working relations with buying offices in New York City and Los Angeles. The four girls graduated from Sweetwater High School, and all went to the University of Texas at Austin.

 Fannie’s husband, Irving Loeb, an engineering graduate of the University of Texas, joined the partnership (store and properties) in 1934. He, too, participated in Sweetwater’s growth, serving on the school board, area Girl and Boy Scout boards, was president of the Child Welfare Association and Rotary Club, and was a charter director of the First National Bank.

 Hattie married Bill (W. H.) Sheridan, the son of Ave and Ney Sheridan, who was engaged in oil distribution in this area. Bill became a partner of his father, served on many local boards, was an early president of the Sweetwater Country Club and served on the city commission for several years, including a term as mayor.

 Helen married Morris Siegel and moved to San Antonio. Esther married Irving Bock and moved to Dallas.  Both Fannie and Hattie were active in civic work in Sweetwater. They took part in youth work, Young Women’s League, the County-City Library and the Women’s Forum. Both were charter members of the American Association of University Women.

 Levy grandchildren who lived in Sweetwater through school years: Ann Loeb (Mrs. David Sikora, Dallas), Betty Loeb (Mrs. Frank Bouchett, Charlotte, VE), and Ann Sheridan (Mrs. Greg Glazner, Missoula, Montana).

 The Texas adventure, begun in 1901 by Abe and Ike Levy, became the Sweetwater adventure, and the Levys and their progeny have enjoyed a place of respect, influence and prosperity in a town they are proud to call “home”.
 

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From FIRST 100 YEARS NOLAN COUNTY TEXAS, Page 259 (published 1985 by the Nolan County Historical Society, no longer in print, transcribed with permission.)

Submitted by: Janie Davis