Jacob Leiser – Missoula’s 1st Jewish Citizen
Jacob Leiser – Missoula’s 1st Jewish Citizen
Jacob Leiser Passes Peacefully Away
Jacob S. Leiser died at 2 o’clock this morning. With varying conditions he has been ill for ten days. An attack of acute bronchitis that then caused him to take to a bed of illness developed the more serious disorder, pneumonia. Within the week that this has prevailed his condition has been serious, but at times slight improvement has given hope to the anxious family and watching friends that life was to be spared. But their hopes proved disappointing.
By death has an active and well spent life been closed. Mr. Leiser was born in West Prussia, 61 years ago. In 1857 he emigrated to America. Spending a year in California, he went to Colorado. There he remained until 1866, when he moved to Helena. In Helena he conducted a merchant tailoring business, thriving in this line until 1870. A fire that year destroyed his store and stock, requiring that a new location be obtained. For this he came to Missoula. With his finances low by reason of his recent loss, his business career in Missoula was on a basis most modest.
With a small stock of notions he opened a store on West Front street. By strict and intelligent application to business he prospered. His stock, by increased patronage, was of necessity made larger. Within a brief time larger quarters were demanded. He filled the requirements by erecting a brick building which for the early time was an investment extraordinary, but demonstrated the confidence the builder had in the city’s future. Later he erected a two-story brick building. If there was nothing more to stand as a memorial for a good citizen, these would be adequate.
In 1875 Mr. Leiser was married to Miss Fannie Lebensberger of Deer Lodge.
The faithful wife now survives, and with Isaac and Miss Esther, son and daughter, is called to mourn the demise of a kind husband and father.
Mr. Leiser was a member of the Odd Fellows. With the order in Missoula his counsels were ever valuable, he being a charter member of Covenant lodge that was established nearly thirty years ago.
The above obituary appeared in The Missoulian on April 10, 1902
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Mrs. Francis Leiser
Few were aware of the serious illness of Mrs. Francis Leiser, whose death occurred early yesterday morning. She was a frail woman, but seemed to have a long lease on life. Deep regret will be felt by all who knew Mrs. Leiser, and she had an extensive acquaintance, especially among the old timers, being a pioneer woman. She and her husband, the late Jacob Leiser, came to Missoula when it was a straggling village and here they lived until summoned. Mrs. Leiser was a helpmeet for her husband. She was a good wife and a fond mother. She lived a life of usefulness, making bright and cheerful the home she loved. She was a modest, retiring little woman, simple in manner and tastes, a pleasant companion and a good friend. She leaves two children, Miss Esther and Mr. Isaac Leiser, who have the sincerest sympathy of a large circle of warm friends in their loss, which is also a loss to the community.
The above obituary appeared in The Missoulian on October 18, 1903.
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I. L. Leiser Dead At Seattle
Prominent and Well-liked Young Man Is Taken After Short Illness.
News of the death of Isaac L. Leiser in Seattle Monday night came as a sad shock to his many friends in Missoula. Miss Esther Leiser went Saturday night to be with her brother in response to a telegram telling of his illness, which began as ptomaine poisoning and developed into pneumonia. She is the only surviving member of the family. The body will be brought to Missoula Thursday and the funeral will be held Friday morning at the Elk’s temple. Interment will be in Missoula cemetery by the side of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Leiser, both of whom died in this city 10 years ago. Isaac Leiser was born in Missoula 36 years ago. He was reared and educated in this city and was established in business here until he went about six years ago to be with the Burdett Brothers’ Jewelry company at Seattle. His last visit in Missoula was at the time of the state convention of Elks last summer.
The above obituary appeared in The Missoulian on March 25, 1914.
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Retired Librarian Esther Leiser Killed Instantly While Crossing Broadway
Miss Esther Leiser, 80, retired librarian, was killed apparently instantly Monday shortly after 5 p.m. when struck by a truck while crossing the intersection of East Broadway and Pattee street.
The truck, a freight delivery type, was driven by Morris Ulrigg, 600 W. Kent Ave. Coroner Ralph W. Simmons quoted the driver as saying he had started up with a green light, but stopped the westbound truck in the middle of the west pedestrian lane because of a stopped car in front. When the car moved, he eased the truck ahead, not knowing the woman had stepped in front. Simmons said the woman was dragged about three feet by the vehicle.
The truck is a cab-over design, said Simmons, making it nearly impossible for the driver to see anyone approaching the vehicle from the right side, which is the driver’s blind side.
Coroner Simmons will meet Tuesday with personnel from the county attorney’s office to decide about an inquest, he said.
Miss Leiser, who lived at 312 E. Broadway, was born in Missoula Oct. 14, 1876 to Mr. and Mrs. Ike Leiser. Her father was a pioneer clothing merchant in Missoula. She attended Central Grade School, Missoula County High School and Montana State University. She worked many years at the Missoula Public Library before her retirement.
Miss Leiser was a charter member of the Montana State Library Assn. and attended the organizational meeting in Missoula in 1913. She had been in library work all her life. In 1894, when the Missoula Public Library was established in the Higgins Building, she helped the librarian, Mrs. She Rhinehart. When the present library building was built in 1903, Miss Leiser helped to catalogue the books. The second story was added to the present library in 1913, and reference material was put in the new addition. In 1916, Miss Leiser became the assistant and in 1920 she became the reference librarian. She held that post until her retirement on July 31, 1945. Miss Leiser was presented with an honorary lifetime membership in the Montana State Library Assn. in 1956.
The body is at Squire-Simmons-Carr Mortuary.
The death raised Montana’s 1957 traffic toll to 142, compared with 180 on the same date a year ago.
The woman’s death was the second within the city limits in 1957. The first victim was 8-year-old Delores Boushele who died June 27, after being hit by a car June 26 at the Urlin avenue underpass. Prior to the 1957 accidents, Missoula had not had a fatal accident since 1953.
The accident was the third fatal accident in Missoula county this year. Mrs. Mabel Wold, 66, died June 29 from injuries received when she was struck by a car while crossing U.S. Highway 10 at Milltown.
The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on September 10, 1957
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Leiser Home – 314 E. Broadway
A photograph of the large Leiser home appeared in The Missoulian on November 26, 1958. The article misstated the address of the home as 314 W. Broadway, rather than E. Broadway. A caption stated the house was built in 1886 and was being torn down to make way for a 35-unit two story motel with swimming pool and restaurant.
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Another article appearing in The Missoulian on January 16, 1901 (see below), stated that the Leisers lived on E. Cedar (Broadway) – now East Broadway.
For Twenty-Five Years.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Leiser Have Gone Life’s Road Together.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob S. Leiser, on East Cedar street, was the scene, Monday evening, of one of those happy events that warm the heart and cheer us on that rugged journey of life. For a quarter of a century the loving couple had breasted life’s storms and enjoyed its sunshine together, and in commemoration of the fact, a number of their friends conceived a pleasant surprise. Invading their home, they bore with them not only congratulations over the past and good wishes for the future, verbally expressed, but presented as well in a handsome silver service. The presentation speech was made by Judge F. H. Woody, whose happy faculty in such efforts is widely known. Not content with this, a lunch was also inserted in the program that was not the least enjoyable event of the evening. Mr. and Mrs. Leiser are among the earliest pioneers, having been bride and groom in Missoula, and the hours sped rapidly in recalling the incidents of former days. Among those who joined in attesting their regard for their friends were Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Woody, Mr. and Mrs. John Rankin [Jeanette’s parents], Mr. and Mrs. Geo. F. Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Cave, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Kohn, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Reinhard, Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Kline, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Kennedy, Mr. and Mrs. Ferd Kennett, Mrs. C. A. Pearson, Dr. W. P. Mills, G. A. Wolf, J. H. T. Ryman.
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An article in The Missoulian on October 20, 2019, dealt with the history of Jewish people in Missoula. The article stated that Jacob Leiser was the first Jewish citizen in Missoula when he arrived in 1870.
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