See 4 generations of Block’s
Solomon Block
Joseph F Block & Fanny Levy Block 1924-1925
Solomon Block was my great great grandfather who was born in Bohemia, Austria in 1826. He was a very wealthy merchant (tobacco, liquor and later sugar plantation in Louisiana with his partner, Edward Fiebleman) and raised his family in Camden, Arkansas.He married Mary Levinson (born in Russia) of Washington, Arkansas in 1856. Their children were John Edward “Ed”, Lillie C, Joseph Friedman “Bompa/Bumpa“, Georgia, Lena Grace (1869-1871), Dr. Isidore, Sam and Charles Henry. Solomon Block purchased the ornate Benjamin T. Powell home and it is a National Historic Place; I’ve devoted a page to that house here.
His son, Joseph Friedman (‘Bompa/Bumpa‘ to his grandchildren) married Fanny Fay Levy and they had five children Raymond Emile, Samuel Alexander, Emma Marie, Jessie Grace and Lewis, all of whom who were born in Dallas, Texas; the family home was at 480 San Jacinto Street, Dallas, Texas.. Joseph F. Block settled in Little Rock (abt 1905) and “handled cigars and insurance’ before beginning his Real Estate business. He and his sons Samuel Alexander and Lewis Solomon started Block Realty Company of Little Rock, Arkansas. Sam, Lewis and Raymond Block carried on the business. Block Realty innovated in the Little Rock market by using yard signs, newspaper advertisements and the “open house” selling technique.
Raymond E. Block, Sr
Samuel Alexander Block
Emma (Block) Scharff
Lewisb S. Block Sr
Jessie Grace (Block) Scharff
Samuel Alexander, Emma Marie, Lewis Solomon, Jessie Grace & Raymond Emile Block1960s
L to R: Lewis Block Jr, Lewis Block, Frances Grace Block, Mary Louise Block, Mary Block, Samuel Alexander Block, Ben Levy, Lynton Scharff, Velma Pauline Block, Beatrice Wollstein Block, Emma Block Scharff,
Each of them married and settled in Little Rock, Arkansas. By 12 Sep 1918, Emma Marie Block had married John R. Bloom and they resided at 710 West Barraque Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. John’s mother, Grace completed the household. Raymond married Helene Eisenkramer of Pine Bluff, Ark. Samuel married Beatrice Goldie Wollstein. Lewis married Mary Harris. Grace married Lynton “Pappy” Scharff in 1920 in Little Rock, Ark. (they divorced) and “Pappy” married Emma in 1940.According to 1920 Census records, Joseph & Fanny Block were living at 1214 Rock St in Big Rock Township Pulaski County, Arkansas. Four of their children (Raymond, Lewis, Grace and Sam) also resided there. Additionally, Raymond’s wife Helen and son Raymond E. Block Jr were part of the household. Joseph also spoke German and Fanny also spoke French, her parents having been born in France.
John E. Block married Rachel Bloch and had two sons, Leonard Abraham and Solomon George. “Ed” was in the cigar business in Dallas with his brother Joseph; and that did not end well. Dr Isidore Block married Bella Marx, an aunt of Lynton “Pappy” Scharff, in Waco, Tx in 1898; Isidore and Bella had two children, Stanley Reeves Block and Harold M. Block. Isidore Block was an optician in Waco; Isidore later married Marion Kahn Stool.. Charles Henry Block married Stella Inez Cox and they lived in St. Louis, Mo. Charles and Stella had two daughters, May (or Mae) Rockwood Block and Elinor B. Block. Charles worked in the hat business. Lillie Block lived in Chicago, Il. in 1900 and 1910 and she worked as a piano teacher; sister Georgia, who worked as a stenographer for a publishing company and mother Mary joined Lillie Block by 1910. In 1916 in Chicago, Mary Levinson Block passed away. By 1920, Lillie C Block and Georgia Block had moved to Los Angeles, where Lillie still resided in 1930;. Lillie died in Little Rock, Ark. in 1942.
See A Corner of The Tapestry by Carolyn Gray LeMaster page 126
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