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Though many people owned property along Cross Street over the period of time that I was researching, from 1883 to 1938, two property owners in particular stood out from the rest: Mr. Selig Lipsky and Mr. Marks I. Cohen. Both of these men owned large, adjacent properties along this street for an extended period of time, from approximately 1895 to 1938 (G.W. Bromley, 1895-1938). Beyond the physical proximity of the property they owned, these men also shared a great degree of commonality: they were both Jewish immigrants who moved to Boston from Russia, they both worked in real estate, and they both contributed to local philanthropic organizations. Both did great work for Boston through their charity, and were undoubtedly beneficial to the Cross Street community as well.
An apartment block on my parcel listed as being owned by M.I. Cohen in 1916. (Sampson and Murdock Co.)
Listed in the 1920 census as being involved in “real estate” (United States Federal Census, 1920), Mr. Marks I. Cohen owned several properties along this stretch of Cross Street over the course of the early 20th century. This includes a parcel across the street at 43 Cross (Boston Daily Globe, 1917), as well as a collection of parcels on the corner of Cross and Endicott Street. The clipping pictured in this section, from a 1916 city directory (Sampson and Murdock Co.), is a testament to this ownership, as Cohen is listed as owning an apartment block on "32 Cross", which lies near the corner of Cross and Endicott. Beyond his real estate enterprises, Mr. Cohen was also a distinguished member of the L.O.B.B. Boston Lodge, a charitable Jewish order devoted to improving their communities through monetary donations (Boston Daily Globe, 1898). This affiliation fits squarely into a philanthropic mold that was shared by a Jewish gentleman that owned property next door, Mr. Selig Lipsky.
Mr. Selig Lipsky was another prominent Jewish philanthropist in Boston at the same time as Mr. Marks I. Cohen, and one who owned neighboring property along Cross Street for a remarkably similar period of time. Mr. Lipsky was primarily distinguished by virtue of his position as treasurer in the Boston Hebrew Free Loan Society, but he was also a real estate professional on his own merits (United States Federal Census, 1920). The Boston Hebrew Free Loan Society (BHFLS), was responsible for the funding of several major developments within this time period, of the late-19th century to the early-20th century. Some such examples were a Russian-Jewish sheltering home (Boston Daily Globe, 1896), a public school for Jewish children (Boston Daily Globe, 1899), and a relief fund for Jewish families (Daily Boston Globe, 1935). The BHFLS seemed to have a large presence in the Boston community, as yearly elections were regularly posted in the Boston Globe. The most recent example describes Mr. Lipsky’s twenty-fourth subsequent election to the position of treasurer (Daily Boston Globe, 1932), which is also corroborated by a section from a 1916 city directory (Sampson and Murdock Co.), pictured here. Mr. Lipsky’s picture is also included with this 1932 article, along with a more detailed description of what service the organization performed. The organization provided loans ranging from $5 to $200 to applicants “regardless of creed”. These loans were then gradually paid back, without any kind of interest (Daily Boston Globe, 1932). Thus, this organization was beneficial not only to fellow Hebrews, but also to the Boston community at large.
A listing of the Boston Hebrew Free Loan Society under "Hebrew Charities" in a 1916 city directory (Sampson and Murdock Co.)
Though there is little evidence that these neighboring realtors were ever in collaboration, their respective circles of influence overlapped to a significant degree. They both owned property in the North End, were both Jewish immigrants to the United States from Russia, and both used their fortune and their expertise in real estate to support local charitable organizations. In a couple examples that I found, these two were both listed as contributors for local charitable initiatives. Both men were part of a committee that was placed in charge of the establishment of a temporary home for Jewish children, the first of its kind to be funded and operated by local Jewish residents (Boston Daily Globe, 1899). Both men are also listed as contributors to a national fund created to provide relief for Russian-Jewish families (Boston Daily Globe, 1905). These men were pillars of their community, and the work that they did for those in need speaks volumes of their character, the kind of character that communities are built around.
Works Cited (APA)
REAL ESTATE MATTERS. (1917, Sep 13). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/real-estate-matters/docview/503268991/se-2
BOSTON LODGE, L O. B. B., DINES.: ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED THUS AND BY GIFTS TO CHARITIES. (1898, Jan 10). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/boston-lodge-l-o-b-dines/docview/498818357/se-2
OPENED BY MAYOR QUINCY.: FAIR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENOTH ISRAEL SHELTERING HOME STARTS UNDER AUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. (1896, Jan 07). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/opened-mayor-quincy/docview/498350150/se-2
JAMES H. POWERS TALKS ON RECENT WORLD EVENTS. (1935, Apr 02). Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/james-h-powers-talks-on-recent-world-events/docview/758560059/se-2
BOSTON HEBREW FREE LOAN SOCIETY HOLDS ITS ELECTION. (1932, Feb 28). Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/boston-hebrew-free-loan-society-holds-election/docview/849715709/se-2
CROWNED WITH SUCCESS.: OUTCONME OF THE EFFORTS TO SECURE A HOME FOR DESTITUTE JEWISH CHILDREN. (1899, Jun 20). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/crowned-with-success/docview/499117356/se-2
FOR VICTIMS.: BOSTON HEBREWS START RELIEF FUND. MONEY COLLECTED IN SYNAGOGS FOR JEWS IN RUSSIA. LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE IN OTHER CITIES. SUBSCRIBED SUNDAY FOR RUSSIAN JEWS NEED AID AT ONCE. COMMITTEE MAKES APPEAL TO ALL FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO ALLAY SUFFERINGS OF PRESECUTED JEWS. CARNEGIE SENT $10,000. FULLY $200,000 IS ALREADY RAISED IN AMERICA FOR RELIEF OF JEWS IN RUSSIA. QUICK RESPONSE TO CALL. HEBREWS IN LARGE CITIES THROUGHOUT COUNTRY RAISE MORE THAN $100,000 TO AID BRETHREN. (1905, Nov 13). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/victims/docview/500513868/se-2
Sampson & Murdock Co. (1970, January 1). Boston, Massachusetts, city directory : Free download, borrow, and streaming. Internet Archive. Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://archive.org/details/bostonmassachuse1916112samp/page/134/mode/2up
Bromley, George Washington. Atlas of the City of Boston. Philadelphia: G.W. Bromley & Co., 1895-1938. Boston Public Library, via Atlascope.
Year: 1920; Census Place: Boston Ward 16, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_733; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 423
Year: 1920; Census Place: Boston Ward 16, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_733; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 681
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