The partners at Fritz & Perelberg were Jacob Fritz (1864?-1940) and Morris Perelberg (1872?-1939). The partnership was short-lived (approximately 1898 to 1903), although both men were involved in the iron business for many years.

The original address of Fritz & Perelberg in 1898 was at 264 East Broadway, represented on this foundry mark at 2793 Frederick Douglass Blvd. The New York City telephone directory listed Fritz & Perelberg at 74 Monroe St. a year later in 1899.

Jacob Fritz's naturalization petition filed 26 June 1895 stated that he was born 7 March 1864, that his former nationality was Russian, and that he arrived at the port of New York 15 May 1887. Subsequent U. S. Census reports indicate a different birth date. For instance, in 1900 he was recorded (in June 1900) as age 38 born January 1861. In 1910 he was 48 years old, then 58 in 1920 and probably 68 in 1930. He was recorded as only 60 years old in 1930, but he had a young wife, Jennie, age 53. Maybe he didn't want her to know he was 15 years her senior...

Morris Perelberg's naturalization petition filed 5 August 1899 stated that he was born 15 Sept. 1872, that his former nationality was Russian, and that he arrived at the port of New York 15 March 1888. His entry in the 1900 U. S. Census recorded his birth as May 1869, age 31. In 1910 he was 40 years old. Then in the 1920 census he was 46 years old, a widower. In 1930 he was 59 and lived on Boston Road in the Bronx with his son, Abraham, daughter, Esther, and a grandchild.

Jacob Fritz first appeared in New York city directories in 1891 in business with Frank Goldstein as blacksmiths located at 21 Chrystie St. downtown on the East Side. This business was described as "fixtures" in Trow's city directories of 1893 and 1894. In 1895 Fritz, Goldstein & Co. became "Fritz, Goldstein & Masor, iron" at 61 Rutgers St.

Masor was Barnet Masor (1868-1940). More on Barnet Masor can be found on the B. Masor & Co. page.

Jacob Fritz had two sons who went into the iron and steel business, Irving Fritz (1894-1956) and Morris Fritz (1897-d. after 1963). Irving Fritz formed I. Fritz & Co. around 1916, and they were in business until at least 1928. Irving Fritz registered for the World War I draft in 1917 when he declared his occupation as "Self, Scrap Iron Merchant, 223-225 E. 98th St." Morris Fritz registered a year later, when he said that he was employed at I. Fritz & Co., 223 E. 98th St., NYC. In the early 1930s Irving and Morris Fritz were involved with the Fritz Steel Corp. which stayed in business until around 1971. In the final New York city directory, Polk, 1933-34, Fritz Steel Corp. was composed of Irving Fritz, pres., Morris Fritz, sec., and Jacob Fritz, treas. For approximately 40 years this company was located at 540 Barry St., the Bronx. This address is just around the corner from 1175 Leggett Ave., where Daniel Masor's Victor Iron Supply was located. (More on this company can be found on the B. Masor & Co. page.)

Copyright (c) 2010 Walter Grutchfield