Guide to the Caplan Liff Family Papers, 1908-2001
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Caplan-Liff Family Papers,
- Creator
- Caplan Liff Family
- Collection Number
- MSS 541
- Extent
- 0.5 linear feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1908-2001
- Abstract
- Solomon Baer Caplan and his wife Frances Brenner were Jewish immigrants who moved from Eastern Europe to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the late 1890s. Caplan established a business as a wholesaler of shoe findings and leather. The family consisted of nine children, six daughters and three sons. Betty Caplan, a daughter, married Bernard Liff, an architect from Pittsburgh in 1938.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- Generous support for this project was from the PNC Charitable Trusts- J. Samuel and Rose Y. Cox Foundation and the Giant Eagle Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Solomon Baer Caplan was a Jewish immigrant and father of Betty Caplan Liff. He was born in Riga, Lativa around 1878 and immigrated to Pittsburgh in the late 1890s. Soon after his immigrating to the United States, his wife, Frances Brenner Caplan, and their two children, Ida and Sayde, immigrated as well.
In 1901, Solomon Baer Caplan established a business named SC Leathers, located at 819 Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh that sold shoe findings and leather. During the time, there were many wholesalers, mostly Jewish who had businesses on Fifth Avenue. Later he manufactured belts and safety articles for the steel mills. The family lived in the upstairs apartment above the store. As business prospered and the family grew, the Caplans moved to a large house in Oakland at 35 Niagara Street and then to 5634 Northumberland Street in Squirrel Hill. They had six daughters and three sons; Ida, Sayde, Anne, Samuel, Sarah, Cyril, Betty, Hyman, and Eleanor.
The Caplan family was not immune to the effects of the Depression and during that time lost many of their possessions, including their home on Northumberland Street. In an attempt to start over, Solomon Baer Calpan was encouraged by a good friend to join him in California. This endeavour was not fruitful, and he returned to Pittsburgh and the wholesale business. After Solomon's death in 1943, his sons took over and then eventually sold the business.
Betty Caplan Liff is the daughter of Solomon and Frances Caplan. She attended Taylor Allderdice High School and, in 1938, eloped and married architect Bernard Liff. Betty Caplan Liff was involved in the Jewish community and served as chairman of the National Council of Jewish Women from 1950 to 1951.
Bernard Liff was a Pittsburgh native, born to Rebecca Green Liff and William Liff. In 1935, he graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology with a degree in architecture. Soon after, he founded the architecture and engineering firm of Liff, Justh, and Chetlin. His career as an architect spanned over forty years and left a mark on the city of Pittsburgh, designing Carnegie branch libraries, synagogues, theatres, schools, commercial establishments and residents.
His notable designs include Temple Sinai, located in Squirrel Hill, Gemilas Chesed Synagogue, located in White Oak, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation, located in downtown Pittsburgh, the loading platform for the Racer rollercoaster at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School on the North Side of Pittsburgh.
During his long career, Bernard Liff was also involved in community affairs. For over twenty years, he served as chairman of the city's Board of Standards and Appeals and the Code Review Board. He is also widely credited for modernizing the city of Pittsburgh's building codes, ensuring that office employees and residents alike worked and lived in safety.
In 1987, Bernard Liff was named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects' College of Fellows. City Council of Pittsburgh declared "Bernard Liff Day" in 1995 for all of his contributions to the city anr architecture. He died on March 8, 2008 at the age of 94.
Scope and Content Notes
The Caplan Liff family papers are housed in one archival box. The folders are arranged by family. The first nine folders include materials from the Caplan family and arranged in alphabetical order. The remaining six folders contain materials from the Liff family and also arranged in alphabetical order.
Caplan Family
Victor David Brenner was Frances Brenner Caplan's cousin. He was a Jewish immigrant and sculptor who created the fountain in the Mary Schenley Park in Pittsburgh. He was also the creator of the Lincoln penny. The collection contains newspaper articles about his life and career.
Solomon Baer Caplan was the father of Betty Caplan Liff. The collection contains documents and papers pertaining to his purchase of property after his immigration to Pittsburgh and copies of his naturalization papers.
Morris Freed was the husband of Anne Caplan, one of Betty Caplan Liff's sisters. The collection contains the publication entitled "An Introduction to the Old Testament," written by Freed, an attorney.
Alvin Leff (previously Abraham Lefkofsky) was the husband of Sarah Louise Caplan, Betty Caplan Liff's older sister. Alvin Leff was the son of Benjamin Lefkofsky, founder of BL Cream Company. The collection contains documentation about Alvin Leff's education and military service during World War II.
Betty Caplan Liff is the daughter of Solomon Baer Caplan and Frances Brenner Caplan and wife of Bernard Liff. The collection contains documents about her commencement and subsequent Taylor Allderdice High School reunions, a family history the she wrote, her involvement in the National Council for Jewish Women and tenure as chair of the National Council of Jewish Women, and newspaper clippings and publications that mention or relate to her.
Liff Family
Bernard Liff was an architect and husband of Betty Caplan Liff. These folders house articles and publications pertaining to his architectural career, building dedications, publications, and correcpondence.
Nathan Liff was an uncle of Bernard Liff. A boxer, he was inducted in the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The collection includes documentation about the ceremony and articles about Nathan's contributions to both athletics and the Jewish community.
Arrangement
- The Caplan Liff family papers are housed in one archival box. The folders are arranged by family. The first nine folders include materials from the Caplan family and arranged in alphabetical order. The remaining six folders contain materials from the Liff family and also arranged in alphabetical order.
Conditions Governing Access
No Restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Bernard Liff and his wife Betty Caplan Liff on February 22, 2001.
Preferred Citation
Caplan Liff Family Papers, 1908-2001, MSS#541, Rauh Jewish Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Theresa E. Rea on August 31, 2009.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
An additional collection at the Rauh Jewish Archives related to Fifth Avenue is the Fifth Avenue Oral History Project including both oral histories and transcriptions.
Separated Materials
One folder of photographs and digital reprints of photographs have been separated from the collection and named MSQ#541.
One oversize document containing an education certificate has been separated from the collection and named MSO#541.
Subjects
- B.L. Cream Company.
- James E. Rogers School.
- Peabody High School.
- Pittsburgh School of Accounting.
- University of Pittsburgh.
- National Council of Jewish Women.
- SC Leathers.
- Taylor Allderdice High School.
- Carnegie Institute of Technology.
- Liff, Justh, and Chetlin.
- Temple Sinai.
- Gemilas Chesed Synagogue.
- Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School.
- Board of Standards and Appeals.
- Code Review Board.
- American Institute of Architects' College of Fellows.
- Caplan Family.
- Liff Family.
- Caplan, Solomon Baer, c. 1878-1943.
- Caplan, Frances Brenner, c. 1880-1938.
- Brenner, Victor David, 1891-1924.
- Freed, Morris, ?-1967.
- Leff, Alvin, 1907-1972.
- Leff, Sarah Louise Caplan.
- Lefkofsky, Abraham, 1907-1972.
- Liff, Rebecca Green, ?-1969.
- Liff, William, ?-1974.
- Liff, Bernard, c. 1914-2008.
- Liff, Betty Caplan, c. 1914-
- Liff, Nathan, c. 1903-2000.
- Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Kennywood Park, West Mifflin (Pa.)
- North Side, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- White Oak (Pa.)
- Downtown, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Niagara Street, Oakland, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Northumberland Street, Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Schenely Park, Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Jews--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- United States Military--Army Infantry--World War II
- Jewish business--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jewish Organizations--Women--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Synagogues--Western Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jewish artists--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Jewish Sculptors--Immigrant--History
- Lincoln penny--Design--United States Mint--History
- Jewish athletics--Boxing--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Education--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh