Samuel Arnstein [1]
Born: November 4, 1862
Died: February 14, 1924
Married to: Matilda Arnstein (née Raunheim)
In Leadville: 1880

Samuel Arnstein was a native of New York who made a brief appearance in the frontier city of Leadville during the summer of 1880. The sole evidence of his presence in the Carbonate city was an entry in the 1880 United States Federal census, in which an enumerator recorded his residence as 109 West Chestnut Street. He lived at the location with another young man of documented Jewish heritage; 20-year-old Louis Posnanski. Louis was one of three brothers who owned and operated a clothing store and saloon on the northwest corner of State and Harrison that same year. [2] Because his birthday was in November of 1862 and the census was taken in June 1880, Samuel was 17 at the time of his residence in Leadville. [3]

The structure where Samuel made his home was a single-story wood frame store with a grocery business in front and several dwelling rooms in the rear (front pictured here). In addition to Louis and Samuel- who were documented as one “household” within 109 West Chestnut- 4 other young men shared separate quarters in the rear of the building. [4] Most commercial structures functioned as both residence and business during Leadville’s early years. Interestingly, in many cases such as this one, residents were not involved or associated with the business where they lived.

Prior to arriving in Leadville, Samuel was a resident, as well as native of Manhattan. According to the 1870 United States census, he and his sizable family were residents of “2nd Avenue betn 42nd and 43rd Streets”. [5] Both his parents were German immigrants; in many ways likely typical of the sizable German-Jewish cohort who relocated from the German principalities to the United States in the mid-19th century. While no newspaper records mention Samuel during his summer in Leadville, and he was not documented in the city directory of 1880, he was enumerated as a “cigar merchant” by the 1880 census taker; as was his roommate Louis Posnanski. Interestingly, the city directory listed Louis as a barkeeper at the Posnanski brother’s saloon at 205 Harrison Avenue. It is likely that in addition to working as a barkeeper, Louis- and perhaps Samuel- sold cigars either independently, or as part of their duties at the Posnanski saloon. [6] Like Samuel, the Posnanski brothers were natives of Manhattan, and their connection likely was a result of familial ties in that city. It is probable that this is the reason Samuel came to live and work in Leadville.

Beyond these small tantalizing glimpses into Samuel’s brief time in Leadville, further evidence of his movements, lifestyle or other details in the city are not available. Samuel returned to New York shortly after his foray in Leadville during the summer of 1880. He spent his remaining life in New York and passed away in Manhattan in 1924. [7]

Samuel lived with Louis Posnanski in the back of this grocery store during the summer of 1880.

Photo by L. K. Oldroyd. Courtesy Denver Public Library Western History Collection.