ShalomNewYork.com

A Jewish family’s business survived the Civil War, but today’s economic crisis proved too muchLehman Brothers, the storied investment firm that filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, was no stranger to crisis. Early in its 158-year life, the firm was nearly crippled by the Civil War. But back then there was some cotton to cushion the fall.  Henry Lehman sailed to the United States from Bavaria in 1844, settling in Mobile, Alabama. Like so many other Jewish immigrants of the time, Lehman got his start peddling goods. After working through the rural areas of Alabama, he opened a dry goods store in Montgomery in 1845. He saved his money and brought over his two brothers—Emanuel in 1847 and Mayer in 1848—both of whom joined him in the Montgomery business that came to be known as Lehman Brothers.  more@NextBook