Jacob Dresner collection

Overview

Scope and Contents

Biographical Note

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Dresner Papers

Dresner Papers

Gordon Papers

Gordon Papers

Gordon Papers

Dresner Papers

Helen Dresner Plaque

Certificates

Black Binders with Jacob Dresner's recorded thoughts, quotations, and biblical passages.

Black Binders with Jacob Dresner's recorded thoughts, quotations, and biblical passages.

Black Binders with Jacob Dresner's recorded thoughts, quotations, and biblical passages.

Black Binders with Jacob Dresner's recorded thoughts, quotations, and biblical passages.

Black Binders with Jacob Dresner's recorded thoughts, quotations, and biblical passages.

Ledger of Frances R. Gordon

Ledger of Frances R. Gordon

Checkbook of Robert M. O'Brien, Testamentary Executor of the Estate of Frances R. Gordon

Lawyer's Desk Book

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Title: Jacob Dresner collection, 1850-1980

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 674

Primary Creator: Dresner, Jacob.

Extent: 6.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: The Jacob D. Dresner Collection (1900-1980) consists mainly of correspondence , legal papers concerning the successions of Jean, Kate, and Frances Gordon, and assorted volumes. The first section of the collection (Boxes 1 & 2) contains the Dresner material while the second section (Boxes 3, 4, & 5) contains papers relating to the Gordon sisters. The law partnership of Jacob and Mayer Dresner handled the legal affairs of the Gordon sisters. The collection consists of 6 boxes, 9 volumes, and two oversize items. It is 7.5 linear feet.

Date Acquired: 10/00/1982. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Dresner, Jacob., Dresner, Joseph., Dresner family., Gordon, Frances R., Gordon, Jean., Gordon, Kate., Gordon family., Jews -- Louisiana -- New Orleans --  History., Lawyers -- Louisiana -- New Orleans., New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 19th century., New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 20th century., Philanthropists -- United States., Sports -- Louisiana -- New Orleans -- History.

Languages: English, German, Polish

Many of the Dresner items concern Jacob (1883-1976), while there are a few documents concerning his brother , Joseph (1885-1967). The brothers, sons of Helen Glass and Henry Dresner, were natives of Przemsyl, Austria. Jacob, a practicing New Orleans attorney, graduated from New Orleans Boys High School (later Warren Easton High School) in 1900 and Tulane University Law School in 1906. His first wife, Irene Tedesche predeceased him and he later remarried . Joseph also graduated from New Orleans Boys High School, class of 1902, studied business at Tulane University, and married Helen Dalrymple. Joseph, a superb athlete, was a member of Jerusalem's Champion Basketball and Baseball teams (1922-1923). In 1909, Joseph formed the Greater New Orleans Homestead Association of which he was president and Jacob was vice president . Active in several organizations, Joseph held the following offices: charter member of the Sugar Bowl, secretary and later president of the Boxing Committee of the Southern Association of the AAU, and president of the Kiwanis Club.

The correspondence in the collection chiefly relates to family matters; there are several letters from Jacob Dresner to [Joseph Greenfield] in Cincinnati, Ohio in which Dresner discusses the specifics of Greenfield's loan to him (January-July, 1934). (Joseph Greenfield was Irene Tedesche Dresner's uncle , brother of her mother, Jennie Greenfield Tedesche.) Particularly interesting are Dresner's statements of faith in President Franklin Roosevelt's ability to rectify the country's economic malaise. He also describes the vital role of the Home Owners Loan Corporation in the beginnings of economic recovery for both New Orleans and Louisiana (April 5, June 5, & June 27, 1934). Other noteworthy topics of the correspondence include Dresner's reference to Rabbi Feibleman's invitation by the West German government to visit and to observe the social, economic, and religious conditions of the country (January 15, 1955) and Dresner's election as Man of the Year, the annual award of the Temple Sinai Brotherhood (1962).

Additionally, there are three folders of correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs which relate to plans for and Jacob Dresner' s participation in the several reunions of the New Orleans Boys High School, class of 1900 and of Tulane University Law School, class of 1906.

Other items include newspaper clippings, business correspondence, certificates, invitations, announcements, a few legal papers, miscellaneous items, genealogical material, and family photographs. Especially interesting are the photographs of: Walter Newcomb Music School, class of 1900, of Irene Tedesche at the American Israelite Office [Cincinnati, Ohio], of Joseph Dresner and other unidentified gentlemen arranging bouts for the Warring Boxing Show (September 26, 1931), of Jerusalem's Champion Basketball and Baseball teams of 1922-1923 (reprints), and of Joseph and Jacob Dresner receiving plaques, commemorating 50 years since their establishment of the Greater New Orleans Homestead (June 26, 1959).

Furthermore, the three pieces of genealogical material are noteworthy; the documents include the birth certificate of the Glas [Glass] child, daughter of Majei and Malie Glas (August 30, 1850; In German), the birth record of Josef [Joseph] Dresner (March 2, 1885; In German and In Hungarian), and the certificate of United States citizenship for Henry Dresner (September 7, l899--Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans).

Some of the assorted volumes of the collection are "Megilleh Chodesh" (Holy Megilleh), special prayers said on the Jewish holiday of Purim, Harry Loeb's "Gullibles' Ravels", Julian Feibleman's, "A Social and Economic Study of the New Orleans Jewish Community", and Jacob Dresner's Lawyer diaries (eight daily journals).

However, the bulk of the papers pertain to the settlement of the estates of Frances R. Gordon (d . 1939) and of her sisters, Jean (d. 1931) and Kate (d. 1932) Gordon, New Orleans suffragettes and philanthropists. These papers are arranged chronologically and include estate inventories, judgements of possession, provisional final accounts, receipts, bills, income tax returns, cancelled checks, and a few pieces of correspondence. Of particular note is Folder 6 of Box 5 which contains a photograph of Kate and Jean Gordon, two Unitarian bulletins, one with a tribute to Kate and Jean, the other with a note of the dedication of a memorial window to the Gordon sisters (September 18 and December 11, 1932), and a newspaper clipping entitled "Minister Lauds Charity Work of the Gordon sisters" (May 22, 1938). There are also a few letters from Frances R. Gordon to Jacob Dresner, discussing legal, business, and personal matters and a memorandum by Mrs. Walter Parker regarding the Orleans Tuberculosis Hospital in which she outlines the monetary problems of the hospital. Parker states that Kate Gordon was an idealist not a good business woman, who depended unwisely upon sustained and increased public subscriptions as a means of financing the hospital (February, 1939).

Dresner, Jacob.
Dresner, Joseph.
Dresner family.
Gordon, Frances R.
Gordon, Jean.
Gordon, Kate.
Gordon family.
Jews -- Louisiana -- New Orleans --  History.
Lawyers -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 19th century.
New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 20th century.
Philanthropists -- United States.
Sports -- Louisiana -- New Orleans -- History.

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Accruals: Several additions made to the collection.

Alternate Extent Statement: 7.5 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Mrs David Spizer

Acquisition Method: Gift

Preferred Citation: Jacob Dresner collection, Manuscripts Collection 674, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118

Other Note:

For an inventory to the collection, please click on the "On-line Images/Records" link above for a PDF.

OCLC Number: 472678187