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Deborah Mezey Hirsch papers

 Collection
Identifier: IWA0986

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Scope and Contents

The Deborah Mezey Hirsch papers date from 1912 to 1988 and measure approximately 5 linear inches. The papers are arranged into three series: Biographical, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The Biographical series (1912-1963) contains items related to family history, such as: a Boy Scout membership card for Solomon Mezey; membership and identification cards; a wedding invitation; a notice of election to receive degrees of Symbolic Masonry for Solomon Mezey; and an article about George Roffman working in a store in Omaha before he married Fanny. This series also contains property warranty deeds, bank documents, vehicle papers and operator licenses, and cards sent by customers of Lincoln Market when Ruth and Sol Mezey had a child in 1948. Finally, this series contains clippings of visitor and wedding announcements, clippings of Sol Mezey’s involvement with the Food Dealers Association, an ad poster for Lincoln Market, and a magazine article about the opening of Lincoln Market.

The Photographs series (1938-1988) contains wedding photographs and photographs of the family, the family store, Sol Mezey as a child and schoolboy in Bronx, New York, and of the family at Locust Lodge House.

The Artifact series includes a pair of baby booties, Sol Mezey’s Mason pin, and a small baby doll.

Dates

  • Creation: 1912-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

Deborah Mezey Hirsch was born into a Jewish family that had lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa since the 1920s. Her grandparents, Fannie and George Roffman, and parents, Ruth and Sol Mezey, owned and operated The Lincoln Market and The Beehive Grocery in Council Bluffs. Hirsch and her sister attended Sunday school at the local Jewish Community Center. Her mother and grandmother were active members of local Jewish women's organizations and the family attended B'Nai Israel Synagogue for holidays and social events.

Hirsch attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs before pursuing a career in entertainment and moving to New Jersey.

Extent

5.00 linear inches

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Council Bluffs family that owned two grocery stores and attended B'Nai Israel Synagogue.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Deborah Mezey Hirsch papers (donor no. 1475) were donated by Deborah Mezey Hirsch in 2016.

Title
Deborah Mezey Hirsch papers
Author
Katie Gandhi, 2017
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Iowa Women's Archives Repository

Contact:
100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5068
319-335-5900 (Fax)