Simon Selix
Born: Germany, 1840
Died:
Mrs. Lena Selix
Born: Germany, 1853
Died:
Marks “Max” Selix
Born: Germany, 1865
Died:
Anna Selix
Born: Germany, 1873
Died:
Joseph Selix
Born: France, 1875
Died:
Katie Selix
Born: France, 1878
Died:
Izza? Selix
Born: Denver, 1880
Died:
H. Selix
Born: Leadville, 1884
Died:
Infant Selix
Born: Leadville, January 6, 1885
Died: Leadville, January 6, 1885
The Selix family immigrated to the Untied States from Germany, via France, sometime between 1878 and 1880. [1] Simon ran a newsstand in Denver during 1880; this is the first documentation of the Selix family in the United States. [2] It is unclear if Max Selix was Simon’s son or brother. There are no records that identify this clearly, but the twenty-five year age difference between the two suggests that Max was Simon’s son from a previous marriage since his wife, Lena, would have been only twelve years old at the time of Max’s birth. [3] The Selix family likely made the move to Leadville in the latter part of 1881.
By 1882, the Selix family was established in Leadville and Simon had partnered with Max in the New York Tailor Shop located at 119 West Chestnut Street. In addition to tailoring, the store also bought and sold used clothes and offered cleaning, repairing, and dying services. [4] At some point in 1883, the Selix shop was relocated to 114 E. Chestnut [5] and again, in October, the Selix shop was moved across the street to a new location at 115 Harrison Avenue. [6]
In June of 1884, Simon was involved in a disturbance with Moritz Mankuss, [7] also a tailor with his own establishment, across the street from the Selix shop now located at 110 Harrison Avenue. The details of the incident are unclear, but Mankuss was arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace and brought before a judge to answer for his conduct. [8] Later that year Simon moved his tailoring shop back to 119 West Chestnut Street, while Max maintained a second location at 103 East 3rd Street. [9]
During 1885, the family relocated to Pitkin, CO, [10] situated about 70 miles southwest of Leadville. This is the only year between 1881 and 1888 that Simon does not appear in Leadville records. However, it can be assumed that the family spent at least the early portion of 1885 in Leadville as Lena gave birth to an unnamed infant on January 6. Unfortunately the child fell victim to the high mortality rate that shadowed the era, and lived only seventeen hours before dying on the same day. [11]
Early in 1886, the Selix family returned to Leadville, with the exception of Max, who moved back to Denver and found a position in the employ of former Leadville tailor [12] Louis Kantrowitz. [13] Simon reopened his tailoring shop at 110 Harrison Avenue, [14] which may still have been operating under his ownership as a second hand clothing and tailoring shop under the management of his former opponent, Moritz Mankuss, from 1884 to 1886. [15]
On February 17, 1888, Simon and Lena are involved in an altercation with J. Blomberg and all three were arrested and released on their own recognizance. [16] The following day, more details were provided on the incident: the wife of J. Blomberg and Lena became enraged with each other and the situation became volatile. It was then that the two men, Simon and Mr. Blomberg, attempted to calm the situation to no avail and all were arrested. The couples were arraigned the next morning, both Lena and Mrs. Blomberg were fined $5 while the charges against the men were dismissed. [17]
Simon, Lena, and their family relocated quite often and because of this they very often escape census enumeration. No documentation can be found for the family after they left Leadville for the second time in 1889. Max had a successful career in Denver, opening his own shop in 1890. [18] He and his wife, Rachel Loeb Selix, married on October 2, 1888, [19] and the couple remained there until 1899 welcoming sons Cecil in 1897, and Leon in 1899 [20] before moving on to Pensacola, Florida and opening a new tailor shop there in 1900. [21]
1 The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M158; NARA Roll Number: 7
2 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Eighth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Denver for 1880. (Denver, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers.1880). P240.
3 Year: 1900; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Page: 24; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 1240169
4 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Thrid Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1882. (Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers.1882). P254.
5 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fourth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1883. (Denver, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers.1883). Pp243 & 306.
6 News In A Nutshell. (Leadville, CO: Leadville Daily Herald.) October 31, 1883. P3.
7 For more information on Moritz Mankuss and his family, please visit: http://www.jewishleadville.org/mankuss.html
8 Business Picking Up. (Leadville, CO: Carbonate Chronicle). June 14, 1884. P10.
9 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fifth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1884. (Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1884). P220.
10 The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M158; NARA Roll Number: 7
11 Nancy Manly. Who’s Where In Leadville’s Evergreen Cemetery. (Leadville, CO; USA. Historical Research Co-operative.).1981.
12 JH Ballenger and Richards. Ballenger & Richard’s Fourteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Denver for 1886. (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Internet Archive. 2011). P614.
13 For more information on Louis Kantrowitz, please visit: http://www.jewishleadville.org/kantrowitz.html
14 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Thirteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Denver For 1885. (Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers.1885). P275.
15 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fifth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1884. (Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1884).
16 The Digest Of The Day. (Leadville, CO: Herald Democrat). February 17, 1888. P4.
17 The Local Days Reflex. Leadville, CO: Herald Democrat. February 18, 1888. P3.
18 JH Ballenger and Richards. Ballenger & Richard’s Eighteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Denver for 1890. (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Internet Archive. 2011). P1075 & 1444.
19 Denver Public Library. Colorado Marriages 1858-1939. Denver, CO. USA. The Colorado Genealogical Society. 2004. P18,778.
20 JH Ballenger and Richards. Ballenger & Richard’s Twenty-Seventh Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Denver for 1899. (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Internet Archive 2011). P1023. 21 Year: 1900; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Page: 24; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 1240169
Bibliography
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Eighteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Denver for 1890”. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Internet Archive.2011.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. Ballenger & Richard’s Twenty-Seventh Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Denver for 1899. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Internet Archive. 2011.
Business Picking Up. Leadville, CO: Carbonate Chronicle. June 14, 1884.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Eighth Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Denver For 1880. Denver, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1880.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1881. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1881.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Third Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1882. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1882.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbett, and Ballenger’s Fourth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1883. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1883.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fifth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1884. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1884.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Thirteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Denver For 1886. Denver, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1886.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Seventh Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1886. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1886.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. Corbet, and Ballenger’s Eighth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1887. Leadville, CO: Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1887.
Denver Public Library. Colorado Marriages 1858-1939. Denver, CO. USA. The Colorado Genealogical Society. 2004. P18,778.
The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M158; NARA Roll Number: 7
Manly, Nancy. Who’s Where In Leadville’s Evergreen Cemetery. Leadville, CO; USA. Historical Research Co-operative. 1981.
News In A Nutshell. Leadville, CO: Leadville Daily Herald. October 31, 1883.
The Digest Of The Day. Leadville, CO: Herald Democrat. February 17, 1888.
The Local Days Reflex. Leadville, CO: Herald Democrat. February 18, 1888.
The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M158; NARA Roll Number: 7
United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
Year: 1900; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Page: 24; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 1240169
To cite any of the information in this biography, please use the following reference.
AUTHOR: Jeffrey P. Grant
EDITOR: William Korn
SOURCE: Jewish Surnames/Selix
PUBLISHED BY: Temple Israel Foundation. Leadville, CO; USA. 2019.
STABLE URL: http://www.jewishledville.org/selix.html
