Finding aid for the Abe M. Luntz Papers, Series II


Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: Luntz, Abe M.
Title: Abe M. Luntz Papers, Series II
Dates: 1916-1987
Extent: 0.20 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract: Abe M. Luntz (1893-1981) was born in Akron, Ohio, on March 6, 1893 of Polish Jewish immigrant parents, Samuel and Rebecca Wolf Luntz. He and his family moved to Canton, Ohio, when he was around 6 years old. He attended public schools in Canton, was very active in sports, and graduated from Canton's Central High School in 1913. After graduation, he went to work for his father's company, the Canton Iron and Metal Company. With his brother Darwin, he founded the Luntz Iron and Steel Company in 1916 due to the growing need for scrap with the onset of World War I. He held several positions in the Luntz Iron and Steel Company before becoming president in 1951. The company became one of the United States' premiere scrap and steel brokerage firms and expanded into Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky. Abe Luntz married Fanny Teplansky on October 10, 1916. They had five children, Robert, Richard, William, Theodore, and Joan. The family moved to Cleveland in 1939 for business purposes as well as for more varied religious, musical, and educational opportunities. All of his sons joined in the family business. Luntz was also known for his benevolence to a wide variety of civic, cultural, medical, and religious groups and causes both in Canton and Cleveland. He was president of The Temple in University Circle from 1950-1960. He was active with the YMCA, the Boy Scouts, the Montefiore Home, the Singing Angels, and the Jewish Welfare Fund, among others. He was also a board member of many organizations including Mount Sinai Hospital, the Community Chest, United Appeal, Jewish Community Federation, and the Art Museum. He was especially involved with the National Conference of Christians and Jews (NCCJ), a human rights organization promoting peace, tolerance, and social justice (now known as the National Conference for Community and Justice). He held both local and national offices and won its highest award, the National Human Relations Award, in 1957. He died on February 24, 1981. The collection consists of brochures, certificates, correspondence, a deed, an invitation, legislation, lists, magazine articles, maps, a memoir, newsletters, newspaper articles, notes, obituaries, press releases, programs, reports, speech texts, and a will.
MS Number MS 5082
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

Biography of Abe M. Luntz

Abe M. Luntz (1893 1981) held several positions in the Luntz Iron and Steel Company (Canton, Ohio), before becoming chief executive officer. He also served as president of The Temple (Tifereth Israel, Cleveland, Ohio) from 1950 1960, and donated his time and money to a wide variety of civic, cultural, medical, religious, and benevolent groups in Canton and Cleveland.

Abe M. Luntz was born in Akron, Ohio, of Polish Jewish immigrant parents. Raised in Canton, Ohio, he joined his father's scrap metal business after graduating from high school. Over the years the business expanded into a multi state corporation. In 1916 he married Fanny Teplansky (1895 1987) and in 1940 the Luntzes moved to Cleveland, Ohio.

Abe M. Luntz (1893-1981) was born in Akron, Ohio, on March 6, 1893 of Polish Jewish immigrant parents, Samuel and Rebecca Wolf Luntz. He and his family moved to Canton, Ohio, when he was around 6 years old. He attended public schools in Canton, was very active in sports, and graduated from Canton's Central High School in 1913. After graduation, he went to work for his father's company, the Canton Iron and Metal Company. With his brother Darwin, he founded the Luntz Iron and Steel Company in 1916 due to the growing need for scrap with the onset of World War I. He held several positions in the Luntz Iron and Steel Company before becoming president in 1951. The company became one of the United States' premiere scrap and steel brokerage firms and expanded into Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Abe Luntz married Fanny Teplansky on October 10, 1916. They had five children, Robert, Richard, William, Theodore, and Joan. The family moved to Cleveland in 1939 for business purposes as well as for more varied religious, musical, and educational opportunities. All of his sons joined in the family business.

Luntz was also known for his benevolence to a wide variety of civic, cultural, medical, and religious groups and causes both in Canton and Cleveland. He was president of The Temple in University Circle from 1950-1960. He was active with the YMCA, the Boy Scouts, the Montefiore Home, the Singing Angels, and the Jewish Welfare Fund, among others. He was also a board member of many organizations including Mount Sinai Hospital, the Community Chest, United Appeal, Jewish Community Federation, and the Art Museum. He was especially involved with the National Conference of Christians and Jews (NCCJ), a human rights organization promoting peace, tolerance, and social justice (now known as the National Conference for Community and Justice). He held both local and national offices and won its highest award, the National Human Relations Award, in 1957. He died on February 24, 1981.


Scope and Content

The Abe M. Luntz Papers, Series II, 1916-1987 and undated, consist of brochures, certificates, correspondence, a deed, an invitation, legislation, lists, magazine articles, maps, a memoir, newsletters, newspaper articles, notes, obituaries, press releases, programs, reports, speech texts, and a will.

This collection is of value to researchers studying the Luntz family, especially Abe and Fanny and their business and philanthropic contributions to the Cleveland, Ohio, community. Those interested in the philanthropic and civic involvement in business and community leaders in Northeast Ohio in the twentieth century will also find this collection useful. More specifically, those interested in the social justice movement in the United States will find the material regarding the National Council of Christians and Jews of value. Anyone interested in the development of the scrap metal industry and the steel industry in the United States, and more specifically Northeast Ohio, will also find this collection of note. Researchers interested in Soviet Jewish emigration will want to consult Mr. Luntz's correspondence with various government officials in regard to this subject as he played a minor role in the passage of the Jackson-Vanik amendment in 1974.


Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 4548 Abe M. Luntz Papers; MS 5084 Theodore M. Luntz Papers; and PG 559 Abe M. Luntz Family Photographs.

Separated Material

All photographs in this collection were removed to PG 559 Abe M. Luntz Family Photographs.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Charities -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Jewish businesspeople -- Ohio -- Canton.
Jewish businesspeople -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Jews -- Ohio -- Canton.
Jews -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Jews, Soviet -- Emigration and immigration.
Luntz Iron and Steel Company (Canton, Ohio).
Luntz, Abe M., 1893-1981.
Luntz, Fanny.
National Conference of Christians and Jews.
Scrap metal industry -- Ohio -- Canton.
Steel industry and trade -- Ohio -- Canton.
Synagogues -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Temple-Tifereth Israel (Cleveland, Ohio).

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5082 Abe M. Luntz Papers, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of Idarose Luntz in 2001.

Processing Information

Processed by Hannah Kemp-Severence in 2011.

Detailed Description of The Collection

Abe M. Luntz Papers, Series II 1916-1987 undated

Box Folder
1 1 Awards and honors 1966-1980
1 1 Business documents ca. 1957-1975 undated
1 1 Legal documents 1972-1987
1 1 Memorials, obituaries, and tributes 1960-1982
1 2 National Conference of Christians and Jews 1956-1980
1 2 Personal documents, correspondence 1966-1981
1 2 Personal documents, magazine and newspaper articles 1916-1981 undated
1 3 Personal documents, miscellaneous 1943-1981 undated
1 3 Soviet emigration correspondence and related documents 1973-1975