Jean Stein
Jean Melanie Levy was born in Dallas to Henry Tate Levy and Amanda Hexter Levy. Her father was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and after his mother, Jeanette Teich, died when he and his brother were babies, he was raised by his great-uncle Ed Teich and Ed's sister, Rose Teich Spencer. Her mother was born in Victoria, Texas, into the Levi family descended from Abraham Levi, who was prominent there and had six children. Jean's maternal grandfather was Jules K. Hexter, whose brother Victor Hexter also settled in Dallas. Through these lines she was connected to a wide network of Texas Jewish families including the Hexters, Teichs, Levis, and related House, Haas, Moses, and Hirsch families.
Jean lived in Dallas her entire life. Born on Lindenway Street in South Dallas, she lived first in a cottage and then a two-story house before her family moved into hotels, including the Park Hotel (later the Ambassador) and the Oriental Hotel downtown, where she had the 1918 flu during the epidemic. When she was six the family bought a house in East Dallas, where they lived for many years before moving away in the 1940s. She attended Lipscomb School and then Hockaday, which was then located on Greenville Avenue, and she personally knew Miss Hockaday, whom she described as the perfect schoolmaster.
Jean's father served as general manager of Titche-Goettinger when he married her mother, later went into the middy blouse manufacturing business with her uncle Jules Hexter, served as executive secretary of the Dallas Community Chest for seventeen years, and finished his career in automobile finance. Jean recalled her great-uncle Ed Teich, whom the family called Ned or Uncle Ed, as a great storyteller whose jokes friends like Zelner Eldridge had numbered. She married Lewis Stein, who was from Indiana, and remained in Dallas. Her sister, May, married into the Teich family, further intertwining the family connections that Jean traced in rich detail throughout her interview.
Full Transcript
This is Monday, February the 13th, 1995. This is Rose Biederman of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society. I'm speaking with May... I'm sorry. Jean Stein in her home at 6007 Stephanie in Dallas. And Jean, I want to ask you first of all your full name. Well, my maiden name was Jean Melanie Levy, and that's fine. Okay. Could I ask you your father's name, Henry Tate Levy, and your mother's name, Amanda Hexter Levy. Amanda Hexter Levy, okay. Okay, now I would like to ask you who Amanda's parents were. What were their names? Well, Jules K. Hexter was her father, and her mother's name was Melanie Levi. And what Levi family is that?
Well, Melanie's father was Abraham Levi. He was prominent in Victoria, Texas and had six children. I don't need my top on that. When did they, I'm wondering, when did they leave Victoria and come to Dallas? Nineteen eight or nine. Okay. And did Abraham Levi come to Dallas? No, I don't think so, no. Alright. So it would be his children? Well, Bill and his family. His wife was Melanie Levi and they came. Okay. And some of the Levi family came And your father parents name Well his mother name was Jeanette Teich Okay. And his father's name was Ben Levy. Alright. So you're related to the Teich of the famous Teich Gettinger Company of Dallas.
Sure am. And how are you related to Ed Teich? He was my father's uncle, but he and his sister raised my father and his brother because my father's mother died when they were babies. And where was this? Was this in Dallas? Uh-huh. Oh. Well, my father was born here in Dallas. Your father was born in Dallas. And what else can you tell me about Mr. Titech, Ed Titech? Did he ever marry? No, he was engaged to be married, but he died before they got married. Oh really? Uh-huh. Here in Dallas? Was that in Dallas? No, I think it was here in Louisiana at that time.
Okay. What did she die of? Do you know? No, I don't. Okay. Her name was Beekman. Oh, really? Mm-hmm. You know that kind of thing? Isn't a Sanger Mary Evelyn Beekman? Did what? A Sanger? Oh, yes. Was that the same family? The same family. Oh, how interesting. Well, now you got the Sangers into it. Well, but they're not directly related. No, they're not related. Well, that's, you know, that's very tragic because Mr. Gettinscher also had a tragic time with, he lost his wife and baby daughter I believe. Yeah, that's right. And so Mr. Teich lost his fiancée and he never married. Never married. And his sister, Rose Teich Spencer, eventually married.
Her family did not want her to marry this man. Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer, they were dead set against it. But she did marry him, finally, and he died within a couple of years. Is that right And so she had a child No no children Oh she had no children Okay So they raised They raised my father and his brothers Uh Was your father born in Dallas Yes Oh Oh no, wait a minute, no you're asking, he was born in Fort Gibson, Mississippi, that's wrong with me. Okay. Fort Gibson, Mississippi. Uh-huh. Now you told me that you were born in Dallas? Yes. And your mother? My mother was born in Victoria.
In Victoria, okay. Okay. I'm going to go back a little bit further. I don't know if I can. Jules Hexter? My grandfather. Your grandfather was a brother to Victor Hexter, is that right? Right. Yes. And where did, where were they born? Baltimore. They were born in Baltimore. Was it just the two brothers in that family? No, there was another brother, George Huxley, and then there was a sister, Francis. Was there another sister? I don't think so, but they were. Why did they come? I know Victor and Jules came to Dallas. George didn't. No, he lived in Memphis. He lived in Memphis. Do you know why they came to Dallas?
Well, I told you why Jules came to Dallas. Why? From Victoria. Because there was... But why did he come to Texas? Oh, because... And he went to Steele in Virginia, University of Virginia. And up there he met one of the Levi's boys. And he persuaded Jew to come to Victoria and go on business with him. Oh. And that's how he got there. And what about- I don't know about victory. And you don't know about victory? No. Okay. It's always interesting why people come either to Texas or Dallas. Now, would you tell me the story of how your, how Ed Teich, or why he came to Dallas?
I don exactly know I got it somewhere but they were living in Louisiana and I don remember just why it came to Dallas I probably got it in my records somewhere Okay. Do you know anything about his early life here, how he started Ty Schettinger? No, and I probably got that in my records too. You know, in the obituaries and all that, you know, we always tell all that. Can you tell me anything about Mr. Teich? You said you called him Ned. Yes. His real name was Edward, and the family always referred to him as Ned. Do you know any stories about him or? Well, the biggest story I know about him is all the stories that he told.
He was a big storyteller, you know, jokes and that kind of thing. And he would tell them over and over. And did you ever know Zelner Eldridge? Well, Zelner was a favorite of Uncle Mad's. And Zelner used to number the stories. And when Uncle Eddie would start to tell one, my sister and I would get the giggles. And one of us would say, that's number six. Do you remember any of those stories? No. Oh my, too bad you didn't have a tape recorder there. He died fifty years ago. Well, I had read that Mr. Gettinger was the jokester. Yeah, he was too. He was also.
In a different way. In a different way. We always liked him, Uncle Mac. We called him Uncle Mac. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Where did Ed Teich live when he was alive in Dallas? On Gaston Avenue. On Gaston Avenue. Uh-huh. And he lived with his sister. Yes. On Gaston Avenue, near Colette, between Colette and Fifties. Uh-huh, uh-huh. And in addition to having one of the great department stores, he was very prominent in Dallas. There's still in Plymouth. Uh-huh. And interested in all civic affairs. Did he feel that that would help Dallas or he was just inclined to? I don't know about that. You know there's a school here, main blind.
Right, right. There's also a Victor Hector student. That's right. Yes. Can you tell me anything else about your family because this is a very large family. Which family are you speaking of? Well, let's start with your own family. Levy. Now this is L-E-V-Y. Yes. Don't know much about the Levy's. Don't know much about them at all. My father's father, Ben Levy, remarried after his wife died, like I said, when the The two boys were babies. He remarried and they lived in Port Gibson. And he had two more sons and a daughter. What kind of business did he have there? Was he a merchant or do you know?
I don't even know. What about your father's brother? Did he come to, or did he come to, well he was here in Dallas then. No, my father's brother lived in Kansas City. Well, he was in World War I. He was a captain. And after the war he moved to Kansas City. And he married Marguerite Lowenstein from Memphis and he was in the automobile business dealership selling nice cars and in 1923 he was at a new year's party out of the country club when they came out there was snow all over the ground everything there was a stall car that they couldn't get started so he was helping and and he helped him push this car and he had a heart attack and died.
Oh my goodness. Did your father serve in World War I? No. And what business was your father in? Well he was general manager of tights getting here when he married my mother Oh oh And your mother name And then later he was in other things Your mother name Amanda Hector Hector Hector. So your father was involved with the, with tight kittens? He was at that time. And then later he was in the midi blouse manufacturing business with my mother's brother. Oh, really? Really? And then uh... With your mother's brother? Yeah, Jules Huckster. Well, I didn't know that. And then uh, later he was in uh, well he was executive secretary of the Dallas Community Test for seventeen years.
Oh really? Uh huh. And then after that he was in the automobile finance business. That was his career. Why did Mr. Titech and Mr. Gettinger decide to sell Titech Gettinger? I don't know. I've never heard anybody say it. You don't know? Okay. Because I believe they sold in the late 20's. Oh, I don't think it was that far back. You don't think it was that far back? I don't know when it was, but I don't recall it being that far back. Okay. When did Mr. Tite die? In the 40s. In the 40s. You want to think back here? I'm going to look it up. Well, that's okay.
And Mr. Gettinser, did he outlive Mr. Tite? Do you remember? I think so. I'm not sure. Okay. We've talked a little bit about your immediate family, and we've talked a little bit about bit about the Hexter family. Is there anything else about the Hexter family? Well, let's see. You know about that little too. How did, how did, do you know how Mr. Victor Hexter met his wife? No, no I don't. Well, she came to Dallas. Evidently they met in Dallas. But I don't know. I don know either They were married when I met them I don really know Her name was Worth Island Now on the family tree I noticed the family house H Two F's.
Two F's, okay. And how are they related? One of my grandmother's sisters married a house. One of your grandmother's sisters. And your grandmother was? was? Melanie Levi. Okay. Abraham Levi's daughter. Okay. And another sister married a H. H.A.S. and lived in Chicago. They lived in Chicago. And the H.A.F. family lived? In San Antonio? In San Antonio. Trying to cover all of them. And she had another sister who married them. No, no it wasn't another sister. The same one that married the house. Yeah. But like I said, there were six children. Any others that would be, that came to Dallas or would be involved in who?
Oh yes, her brother Jucho Levi was Marie Levi's grandfather. Right. And then there was a Charles Levi. Oh yes, now that was a brother? That was one of her brothers. And his children were, Menoray married J.B. Moses. You talked with Bernhardt. Oh really? Yes. Oh I didn't know how the relationship was. And Menoray was one of his children and Esther was another one. And she married a hearse. Now it's all coming together. Any more children? Oh yeah Charles Levi None of that I asked and Charles And Charles married Hortense Pandris Pandris Pandris. B-A-N-D-R-E-S. Now, is that a family that's connected with Hortense? Hortense's mother was Dirtree Pandris.
So that's the same family. Same family. Everyone's connected. Yeah, there's a bunch of us. They're all, you know, like third cousins. We know each other, but we don't really see each other much. Now the Hurst, let me get back to Hurst. A daughter... I got to leave her pretty soon. I got to leave her no later than a quarter of five. A daughter of Charles Levine married a Hurst. Is that right? Yes. Now, there was a Hurst. Mrs. E. M. Cahn was a Hurst. Her maiden name was Hurst. I think it was, but I don't know how to say it's related. Now is that the same family?
I guess so, but they would be in the house too. Okay, yeah. That wouldn't be a direct relation to you. Mm-mm. Okay. Now, trying to get all the aspects of the family. You'll never. I know. Who have I left out? I know there's another. We've got Levi. Any other Levi family in Dallas? Well, there was a Leo Levi. He married a monthly family. I mean, no. Yeah, he married a monthly family. And, um, were there any others? How is that? I know Maurice, there was supposed to be a Munzenheimer in her family. Was that her grandmother? Maurice's father and Miss Leo Levi were brothers. All right.
I have a family. There's a picture of four generations that Marie gave me. And on the picture is Godshaw. Which one? The present Godshaw Levi. Oh, okay. Is he a junior or a second or he's just Godshaw? No. He's just Godshaw Levi. His grandfather was Godshaw. Right. Alright, so he's a baby on the picture. And then there's his mother. Delano. Delano, Levi. That's two. And there's a Munzenheimer on there. And I thought that was a grandmother. No. How would that be related to Delano? Am I pronouncing that right? Yeah. Was that her mother? No. I think there was a connection there, and I can't think what it is.
But it was her mother. Delano's mother. Delano's mother's-delano was a hearse. Half hearse, but hearse. H-I-R-S-H. S-H. That was her name. And it seems to me she was related to the Munchenheimers, but I can't remember. Well, maybe it was her mother that was a Munchenheim. But this Leo Levi who is Marie uncle married a Munchesheimer And there was a Floretta Levi Who is that? She's the one that married a Munchesheimer. She married Lawrence Munchesheimer. Did they live in Dallas? Yes. And they had a daughter, Florence. He lived in Atlanta. He was married three times I think. He designed clothes and everything. Oh really? Uh huh.
I believe our family is pretty good. Uh huh. Now I think I'm missing somebody. For some part of it. Could be. I'm thoroughly confused, as you can tell. Well, who wouldn't be? I'm confused myself, as you can tell. Because you seem to be related to so many people. I know, that's why I'm confused. It's just amazing. Now, you have a sister, May. And was it just you and your sister? Yep, just the two of them. Okay. And you were both born in Dallas? Yes. And then of course she married a Tych. And she married a Tych which complicates things Now how is he related Well they had the same great but different great They married twice.
Oh, I see. I think that's right. Well, I didn't ask you, you said you were born in Dallas, and have you lived here all your life? Always. Is that right? And you went to school here? Yes. Where did you live when you were a child? What part of town? Well, I was born on Linway Street in South Dallas. You were? Mm-hmm. Where on Linway Street? Close to Colonial? I think it was close to Holmes. Okay. I was born in a cottage and then we moved into a two-story house on one way. Uh-huh. And I don't know exactly how old I was when we left there.
It must have been three or four. And we went to the Park Hotel, which became the ambassador. Oh, okay. I've never heard that term. Park, okay. Park, okay. And we lived there a while. And then we moved to the Oriental Hotel in downtown Dallas. Uh-huh. And finally we moved to a place out on Cole Avenue. Do you remember how you liked living in a hotel It was okay I was a young know I had the 1918 flu epidemic while we were living at the Oriental And then when I was six I went, I bought a house in East Dallas. And we lived there for many years.
Moved away in the forties, I think. And where did you go to grade school? Lipscomb. Did you? And did you go to Woodrow High School? No, I went to Hockaday. Oh, okay. And that was when Hockaday was located? On Greenville. On Greenville Avenue. Did you know Miss Hockaday? Oh, sure. Really? Yeah. What kind of a person was she? She was the perfect schoolmaster. She really was. And she ran a great school, still everybody Yeah. And you married Mr. Lewis Stein in Dallas? Yes. Did you meet him in Dallas? Well, yes. Is he a native Dallasite? No, he's from Indiana. He's what? From Indiana. I see, okay.
But you stayed in Dallas after you were married. So you've always lived in Dallas. Always. Well that's wonderful. I'm going to have to. Okay, okay. I have to make you stop on the phone.