Grayson County TXGenWeb

Grayson County TXGenWeb

Samuel Star

1839	Born Ermanshausen, Bavaria
1853	Immigrated to the United States
Sep 1873	Samuel Star arrives in Denison, Texas.
Apr 25, 1874	Samuel Star & Emma Eppstein are married in the synagogue in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Apr 1, 1875	Denison Daily Cresset Thursday, April 1, 1875 C. Waterman, Sam Star and Max . Grundstein These gentlemen have the largest stock of dry goods, notions, hats and caps, boots and shoes, carpets, etc., in northern Texas. Goods describable, goods too handsome for description. Everything wholesale! and retail! Will duplicate St. Louis and Galveston bills. Grand opening in a few days. Stock complete - prints in all the latest styles. See tomorrow's issue for full description of their stock.
1872 - 1877	Max Grundstein is partner with Charles Waterman & Samuel Star in Waterman, Star & Co., 203 West Main Street, Denison, Texas - dry goods, clothing, gents furnishing goods. Max Grundstein is a boarder at the Alamo Hotel, Denison, Texas.
Feb 1877 (The Denison Press, Feb 8, 1939)	The Denison Press Wednesday, February 8, 1939 DENISON, 62-50-35 YEARS AGO February 8, 1877 - On the dissolution of the firm of Waterman, Starr & Co., of this city, Charles Waterman went to New York to engage in business there. Yesterday the employees of the old firm sent Mr. Waterman, by express, an elegant gold watch as a token of their kind remembrance and esteem. The watch was purchased of Mr. Woodyard of this city, who ordered it from the north especially for this occasion. It is an elegant, full jeweled, Swiss time piece, the works covered with a crystal face. The cases are massive and in the latest style of workman ship. On the cap is engraved "Present to Charles Waterman by his employees, Denison, Texas, Feb. 5, 1877." There is no one who can better appreciate such a handsome token of friendship than Mr. Waterman, an d he will prize it the more, coming as it does, from young men who have been with him so long and in such close business relationship. The watch was accompanied by a letter signed "Your Obedient Servants, A.G. Lendenheim, L.C. Kone, H. Waterman, I. Star, C.C. Allen, E. Atcheson, C.P. Bayne, F. Carse."
1878	Mr. Ike Star states that the branch house of the Star Store in Whitewright will be moved back to Denison. (The Denison Daily News, Friday, Oct. 11, 1878)
Apr 1879	Max Grundstein weds Theresa Eppstein
Denison Daily News January 8, 1880 Pg. 1	MAMMOTH The Great Star Store, the Pride of North Texas The Boss Dry Goods Establishment of Denison. One of the largest establishments in Texas and the largest outside of Dallas, is that of this well known firm. The proprietors are gentlemen of immense capital, splendid business habits, experience and vim, and the stock of goods carried is one that rivals the palace stores of metropolitan cities. They have in the jobbing trade alone $250,000 and $50,000 in the retail department. A walk through their immense building, two stories in height, and of great depth and width, will convince the observer that master minds run the business. With a small army of gentlemanly clerks, cash boys and other employees, the most perfects system prevails, business runs like clock-work, and with sales aggregating from two to five thousand dollars a day during the business season, all is order, regularity and skill. The lower story is devoted to the retail trade, and here may be found everything to be had in that line in the country, from the tiniest article to the most costly, while above stairs is devoted to wholesale goods, carpets, clothing, hats, trunks, boots, shoes, blankets, valises, and other articles belonging to that branch of trade. Every department of this immense establishment is fitted with goods suited to all tastes and all purses. In many respects it is the most fashionable house in Denison. It is especially a favorite with the ladies, and in their shopping excursions they invariably bring up at the Star Store. This is not surprising, in view of the fact that the Star Store carries the fullest assortment and most endless variety of fashionable dress goods to be found in the market. Their long and intimate acquaintance with the tastes of their customers, and their exquisite skill in selection, has made their house the fashionable rendezvous for all the belles, not only of Denison, but of the country. It seems to be a generally understood fact among the ladies that the latest styles and the most attractive goods are always to be found at this house. Acting upon the conceded opinion, the Star Store spares no pains to keep the fullest and most complete stock of fancy, plain and elegant dry goods that money can purchase or taste select. They also carry a full line of linen, laces, gloves, hosiery, ribbons and indeed every conceivable article of fabric which can in any way form part of a lady’s toilette. These facts of course, became known, and they contribute in an important degree to form that extensive custom which throngs the Star Store establishment every hour in the day. Without going to the trouble of repeating the names of the endless variety of dry goods, clothing, carpets and oil cloths carried by this enterprising firm, it may be safely said that whatever is wanted can be found at the Star Store.
1881	Original Star Store built at 129-131 West Main Street, Denison, Texas.
	125 West Main at corner of Austin Avenue Sunday Gazetteer April 24, 1887
1887 - 1892	Waterman, Star & Co. moved to 129-131 West Main Street, Denison, Texas. Grundstein resides at 321 West Gandy Street.
1893 - 1894	The store name changes to Star & Grundstein. Max Grundstein lives at the corner of Gandy & Rusk Streets (301-307 West Gandy). Sam Star live at 229 West Gandy. The surname Waterman is not listed in the Denison City Directory.
Jan 18, 1895 (The Sunday Gazetteer, Jan 27, 1895)	The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, January 27, 1895 pg. 4 DEATH OF CHARLES WATERMAN On Saturday of last week Mr. Sam Star of this city received a telegram from New York stating that Mr. Charles Waterman had died very suddenly on Friday night. The telegram did not give particulars of the death, but stated that full information would be forwarded by mail. As yet, however, the information has not arrived. Mr. Waterman is a brother-in-law to Mr. Sam Star, and is well and favorably known here. He and Mr. Star were engaged in the mercantile business in Chitopa, Kansas, before the arrival of the M. K. & T. in Denison, but on the completion of the road here the main ho use was moved to this city, and a branch was maintained for 2 or 3 years longer at Chitopa. In the spring of 1 892 he severed his connection with the firm, and since then has resided continuously in the east. The deceased was born in Bavaria 53 years ago and came to America in 1856. He was married to Miss Susan Star in St. Joseph, Missouri; one child was born, a girl, Mrs. Brand of New York. The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, January 30, 1910 LITTLE STORIES OF DENISON, #8 The most prominent business house in the pioneer period at Denison was the Star Store. It was named after Sam Star, who came here in 1873 from Kansas. The original firm was Waterman, Weil & Star, at present all dead. The senior member (Mr. Waterman) left the firm in 1880s and located in New York where he committed suicide in rather a romantic manner. Dressed in his best, he stood before a mirror in a hotel in Broadway and placing a pistol at his forehead, blew out his brains. Mr. Weil was the next to withdraw from the firm. Max Grundstein, who was long the leading spirit of the firm, became a member and it was known as Star & Grundstein.
1896 - 1897	Star & Grundstein store is still in operation. Max Grundstein lives at 307 West Gandy. Sam Star lives at 231 West Gandy.
1898 - 1899	Star & Grundstein store is still in operation. Max & Elizabeth M Grundstein live at 307 West Gandy. Sam Star lives at 229 West Gandy. Harrison & Fannie B. Tone live next door to the Grundstein's at 311 West Gandy. W. B. & Mary Ella Munson also live on West Gandy.
1899	Samuel Star dies.
	GRUNDSTEIN RESIDENCE 307 WEST GANDY DENISON, TEXAS

1899 - 1900	Max Grundstein is manager of the "Golden Rule" Dry Goods Store - notions, shoes, etc. - at 203 West Main Street. The Golden Rule Dry Goods Store is owned by Henry Friedenheit (married) who boards at the Union Depot Hotel. The Grundstein's still reside at 307 West Gandy.

	About this time, the residence at 307 West Gandy becomes the Denison Elks Club. The Denison Elks Club dates back to the 19th century, occupying this location since 1905. A newer Denison Elks Club building stands on the same site at 307 West Gandy.
	Postcard is postmarked 1912.

1901 - 1902	The following surnames & businesses are not listed in the Denison City Directory: Golden Rule Dry Goods Store Grundstein Star Henry Friedenheit is a traveling salesman for L. Eppstein & Son - wholesale liquors, wines, cigars. He rooms at the A. H. Coffin residence, 516 West Gandy. L. B. Eppstein is head of the Denison Elks Club.

sources:
Denison City Directory

Biography Index