BIOS: COHEN Brothers, Somerset, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 233-235 COHEN Brothers. This notice treats of the firm of Cohen Brothers, of Somerset, Pennsylvania, where they are the proprietors of the leading department store in men's, women's and children's wearing apparel. The eldest brother, Morris Cohen, a native of Warsaw, Russia, came to the United States with his parents when three years of age, in 1873. In 1894 he came to Somerset county, engaging in business at Scalp Level, conducting a general store. Soon thereafter he became the pioneer merchant at Windber, putting in the first stock of goods in that place. He was there long before the railroad was completed or the coal interests developed. His goods were freighted by teams from Johnston, [sic] then the nearest railway station. In a short time he had branch stores located at Berlin, Meyersdale and Salisbury. After a successful business career of about five years at these points he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law at Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where a large store was operated. The business of the now well known firm of Cohens was established at Somerset first by the enterprise and business genius of the younger brother, Fred Cohen, who came to the borough in 1900 and rented, for a single month, a one-story frame store building on the site of their present magnificent department store on South Main Cross street. The store was twenty-five by sixty-three feet, in which was placed a very small stock of men's furnishings and clothing. At first he did not meet with the hearty co-operation of the public, who were unjustly prejudicial, but by his manly conduct and superior methods of doing a legitimate business, with plenty of judicious advertising, he soon forged his way to the front ranks and built up an excellent trade. In 1901 the older brother, who had already invested in this business, came on and became an active partner with him, and in 1904 Charles C. Shafer erected the fine, modern-constructed business house they now occupy. It is three stories high and is finished and furnished throughout with all that present- day art and mechanical ingenuity can produce. In size the building is forty- three by sixty-three feet and has fourteen-foot ceilings surfaced with beautifully designed metallic sheetings. The rooms are brilliantly lighted by sixteen incandescent lights and a special feature of the lower salesroom is the spacious show windows. The arrangement of these window displays was a new departure in the borough of Somerset and are still superior to any others and speak eloquently of the genius of decorating displayed by I. Cohen, a younger brother, who has charge of this department. This, the most commanding business house of the place, was leased to Cohen Brothers for a term of ten years, with optional rights thereafter. The several departments occupy the first and second floors, while the third is sub-leased to the Young Men's Christian Association. One can scarcely name an article of men's ladies' or children's wearing apparel not to be found in this stock, which is superbly kept and sold to a large patronage by from six to ten salesmen. Their trade extends over a radius of about twenty-five miles. They have won the implicit confidence of all classes by keeping faith with the people and always carrying out to the letter their motto of refunding the purchase price for any article that for any cause may not prove satisfactory to the customer. By a system of sensible, practical and ever attractive advertising the name Cohen has been indeliby stamped on the entire trading community and has come to be a true magnet to purchasers. Morris Cohen was born in Warsaw, Russia, February 8, 1870, son of Aaron Cohen and wife. He was married at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1898, to Ida Levinson, daughter of Israel and Anna Levinson. By their union three sons were born: Aaron, December 17, 1898; Abram, August 1, 1900; Fred, July 17, 1902. Morris Cohen is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias at Salisbury, Pennsylvania, the Royal Arcanum at Windber and the Modern Woodmen of America at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Fred Cohen was born at Newark, New Jersey, February 14, 1879. He attended the common schools of Wilmington, Delaware, until he was about eleven years old, but by perseverance and keen observation has come to be a well-informed man. His business career commenced when less than thirteen years of age, when he served faithfully as an errand boy in Philadelphia. He next entered the great soap house of that city which manufactures the celebrated Fels Naptha brand of soap. He was soon promoted to clerk for one of the proprietors and finally became a salesman and advertiser in the introduction of this commodity, traveling from the coast of Maine to Illinois and through the southern states. He commenced at three dollars a week and left the road at $1,500 per year and all expenses. Fred Cohen is an honored member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Somerset, is past grand of Lodge No. 438 and an active member of the degree team. He is also connected with the Royal Arcanum Lodge, No. 985, and is present regent of the council. Being a keen business man, he naturally found a membership in the Modern Woodmen of the World for the protection it gives in the way of life insurance beneficiaries. He married, September 17, 1899, at Newark, New Jersey, Lydis Corniss, who was graduated as a trained nurse in a training school. Her parents were Gerson and Frances Corniss. To them have been born Elmer, June 28, 1900, and Dora, June 5, 1905. The last named was the first girl born in the Cohen family for three generations.