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1853 |
Harris Kempner left Poland at age 16 and arrived in New York where he worked as a day laborer and studied English at night. |
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| 1858 | He traveled to Cold Springs, Texas, and first peddled goods to outlying farms and then opened a small general store; he continued to perfect his English, develop his business skills, and build a strong reputation for integrity and dependability. |
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| c.1868 |
After his service in the Confederate Army, he moved to Galveston, the commercial distributing center for all of Texas, and founded a mercantile enterprise. |
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| 1872 | He married Eliza Seinsheimer of Cincinnati and continued to expand his interests to include banking, farm and timber lands, and cotton. |
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| 1873 | The first of his eight surviving children was born. |
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| 1894 |
Mr. Kempner's early death left a widow with eight children, aged 1 to 21. The oldest, Isaac Herbert, took over responsibility for the family and the various commercial endeavors. In succeeding years, the four sons (Isaac Herbert, Daniel Webster, Robert Lee and Stanley Eugene) joined together to expand the businesses their father began and develop others. Three of the daughters married (Hattie to Henry Oppenheimer of San Antonio; Sara to David Westheimer of Cincinnati; Fannie to Louis Adoue of Galveston). Gladys, the youngest, lived with her mother and joined in her numerous charitable activities. |
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| 1947 | Eliza died at the age of 97. | ||
| 2001 | Living descendants of Harris Kempner number 84 (ranging in age from 2 months to 93 years). They live all over the nation and the world. Many share in the philanthropic work of the Fund and/or carry out their own philanthropic endeavors. |
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| 2007 | Living descendants of Harris Kempner number 95 (ranging in age from 3 years to 98 years). | ||
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In characterizing his parents' legacy, Isaac (Ike) Herbert Kempner wrote the following in his Recalled Recollections: "We can be thankful for the larger vision of our parents which bid us try to emulate their wisdom, their benevolence, their reverence for God and devotion to their country." |
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| Harris & Eliza
Kempner Fund 2201 Market Street Suite 601 Galveston, Texas 77550-1529 Phone: 409.762.1603 FAX: 409.762.5435 Copyright ©2001 Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund. All rights reserved. Another website by The Ad Factory |
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