Circa 1880 this building was built for the Michael family to conduct their dry goods business from.
The Michael family represents one of the two most prominent families in the dry goods business in Louisiana, the other family was the Walds. Elias Michael and his bride Nettie Jacobs were married in 1849 in Kolmar, Prussia and immigrated to the United States in 1856. They settled in Quincy where they lived until 1867 when they came to Louisiana. Their first store was composed of one room but grew to be one of the most complete dry goods stores in Northeast Missouri.1 The Michael family continued to run their dry goods business until approximately 1929 when they sold out to J.C. Penney Co.2
Samuel Micheal was the only Michael sibling to marry. He married Hattie Wolfstein in June of 1886 and they lived and worked in Detroit and Columbia before returning to Louisiana where he joined the firm of Michael Bros. 3 No children were born of their union thus, no descendants remained after the Michael siblings passed on. They made their family home at 118 South Eighth Street.
1 Louisiana Press Journal. 1912. “Full of Years and Honors Mrs. Nettie Michael Sleeps,” Dec 17.
2 Louisiana Press Journal. 1933. “Passing of Max M. Michael This Morning,” January 10.
3 Louisiana Press Journal. 1923. “One of Louisiana’s Oldest Merchants Passes Away,” March 23.