Harris Family Papers and Tin Cup Records

Collection

Identifier: B411

Staff Only

Abstract

Solomon Hirsch and Hannah Levi Hirsch had six sons who immigrated to the United States and changed their last name to Harris. They were born in Fordom, Posen (Poland) and settled in New Jersey. Solomon Harris and his brother Eli went out west and settled in Virginia City, Colorado. The two brothers opened the Harris Bros. Beehive dry goods store by 1880 when Solomon became the town's treasurer. Because of confusion with Virginia City in Nevada and Montana, the town was reincorporated as Tin Cup in 1882. Tin Cup came from Tin Cup Gulch which was named in 1859 when a prospector found gold and carried it back to camp in a tin cup. By the mid-1880s, Solomon Harris returned to Bloomfield, New Jesey and opened another Harris Bros. Behive store. Eli Harris moved to Denver, Colorado. The collection consists of a framed envelope and two accounting pages signed by Solomon Harris and a framed document and envelope. There is also a photograph of the six brothers in New Jersey and an image of Hannah Levi Hirsch.

Dates

Other: circa 1875-1884

Creator

Harris, Solomon, 1857-1954 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Solomon Hirsch and Hannah Levi Hirsch had six sons who immigrated to the United States and changed their last name to Harris. They were born in Fordom, Posen (Poland) and settled in New Jersey. Solomon Harris followed his brothers to the United States at the age of 13. He settled in Orange, New Jersey with his brother Julius Harris, who had established a dry goods store. Sol was a peddler in Bloomfield, New Jersey until he had saved enough money to go west. He and his brother Eli went out west and settled in Virginia City, Colorado. The brothers opened the Harris Bros. Beehive dry goods store by 1880 when Solomon became the town's treasurer. Because of confusion with Virginia City in Nevada and Montana, the town was reincorporated as Tin Cup in 1882. The name of Tin Cup came from Tin Cup Gulch which was named in 1859 when a prospector found gold and carried it back to camp in a tin cup. By the mid-1880s Solomon Harris returned to Bloomfield, New Jesey and opened another Harris Bros. Behive store. He married Clara Goodman of the Goodman Matzos. Eli Harris moved to Denver, Colorado.

Extent

3 Linear Feet (In two flat boxes and one half letter document box.)

Additional Description

Scope and Contents

The collection contains two framed documents and two photographs. One frame has two pages of ledgers for the town of Virginia City, Colorado created by Solomon Harris who was the town's treasurer and an envelope from the U.S. Census Bureau to Solomon Harris, treasurer. The other frame contains an envelope from the Gunnison County Clerk and a document from the Town of Tin Cup appointing Solomon Harris treasurer of Tin Cup until his successor can be qualified. There is also a photograph of the six Solomon brothers and a image of their mother Hannah Levi Hirsch.