David Eisman (1891 - 1956)
David Eisman is the main author of this collection. Born in Reading Pennsylvania, David is a butcher who works at C Otto Kaiser's butcher shop on the northside of Chicago. He is a veteran who never saw active duty but kept post within the city during World War I, and an active freemason working towards his "Third Degree".
Freda Eisman (1889 - 1990)
Freda is David's sister. She lives with her parents in Reading, Pennsylvania. She appears to be David's closest family memberh and comes to visit him for an extended time period in late 1919, as chronicled in the letters. Freda eventually moves to Chicago herself and is the longest living member of the Eisman family, making it to 99 years young before passing.
Theresa Hammel Eisman (1952 - 1928)
Theresa Eisman is David's mother. Born in Baden-Wutemberg, Germany (potentially in the town for Freistett), she works as a housekeeper in the spa town of Baden-Baden before emigrating to the United States between 1880 and 1882.
Morris Eisman (1850 - 1931)
Morris Eisman is David's father. Born in "The Netherlands" (potentially Zutphen), Morris supposedly moved with his family to Nancy, France where his siblings were born.
Isadore Eisman (1886 - 1959)
Isadore Eisman is David's brother.
Bertha Eisman (1893 - 1965)
Bertha Eisman is David's sister and is a hatmaker who takes care of her mother and the family house in Reading. In 1911, Bertha is working at Dives Pomeroy and Stewart
Tante (Aunt)
Tante is a relative of David Eisman's who lives in Chicago and is likely David's bloodtie to the city. Tante means "Aunt" in both French and German. This may be Rose (nee Hammel) Kahn, who we believe was a relative of Theresa (nee Hammel) Eisman's, potentially a sister or close cousin. Tante may also indicate that it is Fanny Heymann's
Flora Kahn (1892 - 1979)
Either a member of the extended family or a close family friend who, at one point, had a romantic interest in David.
Rose Hammel Kahn & Jacob Kahn (brother of Henry, Max and Moritz) (letter 11/28/19)
Fanny B Kahn (1901 - 1994)
Either a member of the extended family or a close family friend
Fanny Heymann (1895 - 1975)
Fanny Heyman is David Eisman's inamorata. She is a popular socialite and singer of an infamous furrier family within Coffeyville, Kansas. She is in Chicago studying voice and spending time with relatives when she re-meets David. It appears, from the letters, that the two had met four years beforehand at another family function but had not paid attention to each other.
Leo L Heymann (1856 - 1928)
Leo L is Fanny's father and a very prominent business man in Coffeyville Kansas. He is in the fur trade and runs a large, well known outlet with several locations that are managed by his children.
Clara Heymann (1856 - 1942)
Clara is Fanny's mother
Ben Heymann (1897 - 1959)
Ben Heymann is Fanny's young brother
Richard Heymann (1892 - 1976)
Richard is Fanny's older brother who lives in Coffeyville and is working for his father's furrier business in 1920. Fanny B and Richard have a small flirtation during this time period which can be seen through several of David's letters but it is not certain if this dalliance was ever more than via correspondence. Richard eventually marries a Kansas girl by the name of Rosalind Lesem in September of 1920.
Jack
Jack is David Eisman's best friend. At one point they were roomers in the same boarding house.
Uncle Gus
"The Love Sick Man"
Mr HB Judy (1883 - ???) Born in Ohio
Mrs Maude White (1870 - ??) Born in Illinois
David Mlasky & Helen (Hom) Mlasky
Hellen and David Mlasky are a couple and friends of David Eisman's. They often play cards together.
They live at 1842 W Waveland Avenue. David is a Salesmen in Loom Janitor work. He was born in Illinois, his parents are Russian. Helen was born in Nebraska and eventually gives birth to a daughter named Gertrude Adeline Mlasky (Jan 11, 1920).
Dr. Jerome J Weil
Jerome is an acquaintance of David Eisman and is the father of someone that David was courting before he met Fanny. He is a well reknowned doctor who lives until the ripe old age of 93 and had four daughters (Judy Volk and Ruth Klein)
Albert (1855-???), Hattie (1881-???), Helen (1905-????) & Gerald (1910-????) Schorman
Mrs Litman
Alvin and Ethel (1888 - 1935) Findeisen
