MS 199 Gussie Levin Family Papers
We are only one manuscript collection away from 200! This collection is small, but includes documents from two generations of the same family — Gussie Levin and her daughters Gertrude and Nannette. All three women shared a dedication to Hadassah and education.
Gussie Levin Family Papers
n.d, 1915-1967
MS 199
Jewish Museum of Maryland
ACCESS AND PROVENANCE
The Gussie Levin Family Papers were donated to the Jewish Museum of Maryland by William Saxon, Jr. in 1994 as accession 1994.078. Jennifer Vess processed the collection in October 2011.
Access to the collection is unrestricted and is available to researchers at the Jewish Museum of Maryland. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the Jewish Museum of Maryland before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library’s usual procedures.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Augusta“Gussie” Schlichter (c.1868-1927) married Mordecai Levin (1865-1893) on May 19, 1889 at Chizuk Amuno,Lloyd StreetinBaltimore. Mordecai had immigrated to theUnited Statesfrom eitherGermanyorRussiaand was Louis H. Levin’s cousin. Mordecai helped found the Baltimore Talmud Torah. Gussie was an active member of Hadassah from the beginning of the organization. In later life she taught at theChizukAmunoCongregationSchool. Gussie and Mordecai had two daughters, Gertrude Levin Saxon (b. March 1890) and Nannette Levin (1891-1987).
Prior to her marriage Gertrude taught in theBaltimore City public school system. She married William Saxon, a lawyer, on February 24, 1915 at Chizuk Amuno. They had a daughter, Marjorie born c. 1916/1917 and a son William Saxon, Jr. born c. 1925. Gertrude was involved with Hadassah and in the 1930s served as the President of Seaboard Hadassah, Regional Unit. William Saxon, Jr. was a pilot during World War II.
Nannette graduated from Easter High School in 1907 and became a teacher in Baltimore City public schools. Eventually she served as the principal of Commodore John Rogers Elementary School. She retired in 1957. She also taught at Morgan State University, the Women’s Institute at Baltimore Hebrew College, and Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Nannette was involved with the board of Jewish Education and, like her mother and sister, with Hadassah.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Gussie Levin Family Papers contain documents related to Gussie S. Levin and her two daughters, Nannette Levin and Gertrude Levin Saxon. The collection is divided into four series.
Series I: Gussie Levin Papers contains correspondence and print materials related to Gussie Levin and her husband including memorials and Hadassah materials. The series is organized chronologically.
Series II: Gertrude Levin Saxon Papers contains clippings, correspondence, reports, speeches, programs, newsletters, etc. related to Gertrude Levin Saxon and her husband and family. Materials reference Hadassah, marriage and William Saxon, Jr.’s participation in World War II. The series is organized chronologically.
Series III: Nannette S. Levin Papers contains articles, speeches, programs, correspondence, etc. related to Nannette S. Levin’s involvement in Hadassah, education, Pi Lambda Theta, etc. The series is organized chronologically.
Series IV: Misc. Papers contains clippings, articles and essays that cannot be attributed to a particular family member. Subjects include, Henrietta Szold, Hadassah, etc.
See collections database for photographs and objects.
RELATED COLLECTIONS
MS 16 Levin family papers