Jesse B. Calmenson, papers

Jesse B. Calmenson (1892-1952)

Jesse B. Calmenson was born on December 1, 1892 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Cain and Annie (Cohen) Calmenson. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree at the St. Paul College of Law in 1915, and remained there to practice law until his death. He married Bertha Sloan in 1918 and they had one daughter, Betty Anne.

Calmenson was a lawyer as well as a communal leader in St. Paul. An active member of the American Jewish Congress, Zionist Organization of America, and associate editor of the American Jewish World, he served as secretary to the campaign committee of all Zionists from 1914 until his death; the Calmenson family was synonymous with Zionism in St. Paul.

In terms of his legal public life, after receiving his law degree, he was admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, and the U.S. Board of Tax Appeals in 1924. A member of the Minnesota State, Ramsey County Bar Associations and the American Lawyers Guild, he was director of the Herbert Manufacturing Company and the Merchants Investment and Loan Corporation.

Calmenson was active in many local and national Jewish organizations. The president of the first chapter of the American Jewish Congress in St. Paul in 1916, he was appointed as a member of the national advisory committee of the United Jewish Campaign in 1926, and became a legal advisor to the Department of Rural Credit of State of Minnesota in 1932.

His service to the Jewish community of St. Paul includes such positions as: Regional Director of the United Palestine Appeal in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota; a member of the Board of Trustees for the Jewish Home for the Aged of Northwest; President of the local branch of B'nai Brith; Chairman of the St. Paul Zionist District; President of the Jewish Educational Center Talmud Torah; Associate Editor of the St. Paul American Jewish World (1912-52); co-founder and vice-president of the local United Jewish Fund; and Chairman of the Bureau of Jewish Education.

Further affiliations include: the St. Paul Association of Civic and Commercial Affairs, the St. Paul Minnesota and American Bar Associations; the St. Paul Zionist District; the American Jewish Committee; the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America (HIAS); the Jewish Publication Society; the Joint Distribution Committee; the League of Nations Non-Partisan Association; the National Child Labor Committee; the National Conference of Jews and Christians; the Refugee Coordinating Council; the United Palestine Appeal; Temple Aaron and Sons of Jacob; and the Zionist Organization of America.

He was known for his Jewish community work, as well as for his general community and civic participation.

Calmenson's private activities documented in this collection include: his involvement with the Stameshkin family and the George Alexander Wilson Estate; his services as Vice-President and Director of the Cosmopolitan State Bank in St. Paul; his interest in amateur dramatics; and his interest in and gardening.

1892

Jesse B. Calmenson born in St. Paul, Minnesota

1912

Became associate editor for the American Jewish World in St. Paul

1915

Obtained his LLB degree

1915

Began practicing law

1916

Became president of the first chapter of the American Jewish Congress in St. Paul

1918

Married to Bertha Sloan

1921

Admitted to practice in U.S. Supreme Court

1924

Practiced before U.S. Board of Tax Appeals

1925-1928

Regional director of the United Palestine Appeal in Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota

1926

Member of national advisory committee of the United Jewish Campaign

1932

Became legal advisor of the Department of Rural Credit of State of Minnesota

1939

Honored by members of local Jewish War Veterans as the Jewish "Man of the Year"

1940

Picked for 2^nd annual certificate of honor awarded by the St. Paul post of the Jewish War Veterans

1952

Calmenson dies