MAX GUGGENHEIMER
The subject of this sketch was born in Bavaria, Germany, on May 19,
1842, the son of Sigmund and Clara Guggenheimer. His father died in
1844, aged 36 years. On June 13, 1888, his mother completed the 73d
year of her life. The Virginia branch of the Guggenheimer family settled
in this State in 1838. Max Guggenheimer landed in New York
City in August, 1856. He came at once to Lynchburg, arriving August
20th. His purpose in coming to America was to study thoroughly
here the English language, and his intention then was to return to
Germany in a year or two. He at once entered Mr. Reed's private
school, which he attended about eighteen months, keeping books for his
brother-in-law during this time, evenings. Leaving school then he
became clerk and bookkeeper for his brother-in-law, who was carrying
on a dry goods business in Lynchburg, and so continued until the war
began.
He then, at age of nineteen years, went into service in the Lynchburg
Home Guards, April 23, 1861, and was with this company until
discharged in the fall of 1862, on account of disability. He went to
Chattanooga, whence he returned in 1863, since which time he has remained
in Lynchburg. Immediately after the close of the war, he
entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Nathaniel Guggenheimer,
in a dry goods business established by the latter in 1842. The
brother-in-law being unfitted by sickness to transact business, Max became
its head, and Nathaniel dying on January 16, 1866, Max has
also been the head of the family since that date, the family consisting
of the widow of Nathaniel and her five children.
The business of which he is the head has been one of vast proportions
and constant increase since that date. The largest amount of sales of
the old firm was $40,000 in 1860; to-day it is known as the largest
wholesale house in the State. When the retail trade had reached a
business of $200,000 it was given up that the attention of the firm
might be given entirely to its growing wholesale trade, Mr. Guggenheimer
understanding, as far back as 1868, that Lynchburg was geographically
located to do a good and healthy distributing trade. In
1870 wholesale boots and shoes was added to the dry goods department.
In 1876, on account of the great extent of the dry goods
business, Mr. Guggenheimer retired from the shoe business, and with
special capital, started, in conjunction with two gentlemen from Baltimore,
the first exclusive wholesale shoe house in the city. He retired
from this firm in July, 1887, and in June, 1888, opened the second exclusive
wholesale shoe house. He had a younger brother who was a
short time in service during the late war, in a Lynchburg battery, and
Maurice Guggenheimer, his cousin, served through the war in the 2d
Virginia Artillery, dying in March, 1885. The wife of Mr. Guggenheimer,
Bertha V., daughter of M. Rosenbaum, was born in Richmond, Virginia,
in December, 1857. They were married by a Jewish Rabbi of
Baltimore, and have one daughter, Cecile Isabelle, born October 23,
1877. The father of Mrs. Guggenheimer was born in Wurtburg,
Bavaria, Germany, her mother in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Guggenheimer
was a member of the city council in 1879 and 1880, chairman
of its finance committee; resigned in February, 1881. He has been
president of the opera company; president of the Jewish Congregation;
director of the Lynchburg National Bank.
