Repository

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Title

S. Leo Ruslander Scrapbooks

Creator

Ruslander, S. Leo (Solomon Leo)

Collection Number

AIS.1991.18

Extent

3.75 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Date

1873-1969

Abstract

S. Leo Ruslander (1879-1976) was a tax lawyer in Pittsburgh who compiled thirteen scrapbooks containing letters, photographs, programs, invitations, and other ephemera relating to his life, especially his education, wedding, vacations, and the local and regional organizations to which he belonged.

Language

English .

Author

ASC Staff. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in June 2004.

Publisher

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Address

University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Solomon Leo Ruslander, known as Leo Ruslander, was born April 16, 1879 in Bradford, Pa. He attended public grade school in New York state and finished high school in 1896 as his class valedictorian. Ruslander attended pre-law classes at Pennsylvania State College from 1896 to 1898 and then attended Columbia Law School from 1898-1901. He worked as a law clerk and junior partner for A. Leo Weil from 1901-1919. During this time, he married Gertrude Hartwig (1882-1954). After working for A. Leo Weil, he switched to the tax law practice of Frank W. Main, C.P.A., and Main and Co. from 1919-1948. While at this firm, he wrote three publications about corporate taxes. In 1948 he formed the firm Ruslander, Ruslander and Lieber. Leo Ruslander died in Pittsburgh in 1976.

Additional biographical material can be found in his privately published 1965 autobiography, The Life and Times of S. Leo Ruslander: A Quasi-Autobiography.

Scope and Content Notes

The S. Leo Ruslander scrapbooks are a set of thirteen scrapbooks compiled by Ruslander. They contain letters, photographs, event programs and invitations, postcards, newspaper clippings and other ephemera that he collected. Many of the photographs and souvenirs show family vacations around the U.S. and abroad. There is also material relating to local and regional associations in which Ruslander was involved, including the Allegheny Round Table, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Pittsburgh, the Four Minute Men, the Hungry Club, the Irene Kaufmann Settlement, the Pittsburgh Association of Credit Men, Rodef Shalom Temple, the Vulcan Club, and the Westmoreland Country Club. A brief description of the contents of each scrapbook is listed at the item level.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Julian Ruslander in October 1991.

Preferred Citation

S. Leo Ruslander Scrapbooks, 1873-1969, AIS.1991.18, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Previous Citation

S. Leo Ruslander Scrapbooks, 1873-1969, AIS.1991.18, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Ruslander, S. Leo, Scrapbooks, 1873-1969, Archives of Industrial Society, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh

Processing Information

This collection was processed by James Lombardi in August 1994.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Amy Shaffer on June 9, 2004. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1476790

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

Corporate Names

• National Association of Credit Men (U.S.)
• New York World's Fair (1939-1940)
• Rodef Shalom Congregation (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Personal Names

• Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano) -- Inauguration, 1933
• Ruslander, S. Leo (Solomon Leo)

Family Names

• Ruslander family

Genres

• Family papers

Other Subjects

• Jews -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
• Lawyers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
• Ethnic groups
• Personal papers

Container List

Scrapbook, 1873-1946, bulk 1937-1946

Containers

box 1, volume 1

Scope and Content Notes

The material in this scrapbook consists of photographs, news clippings, and programs from a trip to the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York City, family vacations, and fishing trips to Canada. Material about S. Leo Ruslander's business life and a description, with photos, of the Ruslander family from 1870's-1910's is also present. There is information about Leo's mother Phoebe Jane Ruslander. Organizations represented in the volume include the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and Rodef Shalom Temple.

Scrapbook, 1874-1952, bulk 1930s

Containers

box 1, volume 2

Scope and Content Notes

This scrapbook has a typed text about daily activities, photographs, and items such as tickets, brochures, and menus, most of which are from Leo and Gertrude Ruslander's 1947 trip to Mexico to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Other topics represented include a 1949 cruise, a trip to Virginia in 1951, and a trip to Hawaii in 1952.

Scrapbook, 1912-1924, bulk 1913-1924

Containers

box 1, volume 3

Scope and Content Notes

The news clippings, photographs, and pamphlets concern the Columbia University Alumni Association and politics and law in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Dr. Marcel Hartwig figures prominently. Other organizations with material in the scrapbook include the National Association of Credit Men and the Four Minute Men.

Scrapbook, 1886-1946, bulk 1937-1941

Containers

box 1, volume 4

Scope and Content Notes

The fourth scrapbook contains photographs, news clippings, materials on law and accounting, programs, and score cards from golf outings at Westmoreland County Club. Topics covered include vacations to Ontario, Canada in 1913 and 1914 and events at the Irene Kaufmann Settlement. Individuals featured in the book are Gertrude Ruslander's father, Max Hartwig, Frederick Main, head of Main and Company, and Anna B. Heldman, prominent staff member at the Irene Kaufmann Settlement. Organizations represented in this volume include the Columbia University Alumni Club and the National Association of Credit Men.

Scrapbook, 1925-1959

Containers

box 2, volume 5

Scope and Content Notes

The material in this volume consists of photographs, cards, news clippings, personal correspondence, and tax information such as articles and pamphlets. There is material about the death of Gertrude Hertwig Ruslander in 1954, Ruslander's trip to Israel and Europe in 1955, and Ruslander's 80th birthday in 1959. The scrapbook also contains a WWII military recognition letter for Ruslander's son Solomon's death in September 1944. Phoebe Jane Ruslander (Ruslander's mother), Rabbi Selwyn D. Ruslander (Ruslander's son), and Frank Wilbur Main (Leo's longtime friend and business associate) are also represented in this volume. Organizations found in this book include the Irene Kaufmann Settlement, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, Rodef Shalom Temple, and the Westmoreland County Club.

Scrapbook, 1901-1911

Containers

box 2, volume 6

Scope and Content Notes

The material in this book consists of news clippings, programs, and personal correspondence about Ruslander's graduation from Olean High School in Olean, New York, his pre-law studies at Pennsylvania State College, and Law School at Columbia University. It includes an article describing S. Leo Ruslander as valedictorian of his high school class, a commencement program, and his valedictorian address.

Scrapbook, 1901-1959, bulk 1951-1959

Containers

box 2, volume 7

Scope and Content Notes

This scrapbook offers a wide variety of miscellaneous topics. The material consists of news clippings, photographs, and various items on tax information. The 40th anniversary of the Irene Kaufmann Settlement in 1935 and the Leo and Gertrude Ruslanders' 25th wedding anniversary are mentioned. Organizations represented are the Irene Kaufmann Settlement, the Hungry Club, the Pittsburgh-Greensburg Airport, the Ruslander Club, Rodef Shalom Temple, the Westmoreland Country Club, and the Allegheny Round Table.

Scrapbook, 1901-1912

Containers

box 2, volume 8

Scope and Content Notes

This scrapbook contains news clippings, photographs, postcards, and personal correspondence about the engagement and marriage of Leonard and Gertrude Ruslander, and their vacations to Maryland in 1908, New York in 1909 and 1910, and Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1911. Institutions and organizations mentioned in the volume include the Pittsburgh Club of Phi Sigma Kappa, the Vulcan Club, the Pittsburgh Association of Credit Men, and the Irene Kaufmann Settlement. This scrapbook also contains a diary kept by S. Leo Ruslander in 1897 and a 1906 poster for the Vulcan Club's Grand Collosal Circus and Menagerie.

Scrapbook, 1968-1969

Containers

box 3, volume 9

Scope and Content Notes

The last scrapbook contains personal correspondence, photographs, news clippings, telegrams, and birthday cards from Ruslander's 90th birthday. Organizations and institutions represented are the Berkman, Ruslander, Pohl, Lieber and Engel law firm and the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh.

Scrapbook, 1926-1927, bulk 1926

Containers

box 3, volume 10

Scope and Content Notes

The material in this scrapbook consists chiefly of brochures, photographs, and various types of memorabilia from a 1926 vacation to the southwestern United States. Individuals represented include Lee J. Ruslander, Julian Ruslander, Richard Kessel, Martha Kessel, and Dr. Marcel Hartwig (known as "grandpa doctor" in the photographs).

Scrapbook, 1878-1933

Containers

box 3, volume 11

Scope and Content Notes

The news clippings, photographs, and pamphlets concern the Columbia University Alumni Association and politics and law in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Dr. Marcel Hartwig figures prominently. Other organizations with material in the scrapbook include the National Association of Credit Men and the Four Minute Men.

Scrapbook, 1888-1907, bulk 1907

Containers

box 3, volume 12

Scope and Content Notes

This volume contains photographs, telegrams, news clippings, and memorabilia from the Leo and Gertrude Ruslander's wedding and honeymoon, and lists of the wedding gifts they received. A unique item is a "Psalm of Life" sent by Leo to Gertrude in 1888, when he was only 9 years old.

Scrapbook, 1959-1964

Containers

box 3, volume 13

Scope and Content Notes

This volume consists of postcards, brochures, photographs, and news clippings about Ruslander's trip around the world in 1959, recognition for his many years of service of the Irene Kaufmann Settlement, and a trip to the West Indies and South America in 1961. Julian Ruslander and Pat Jane Ruslander figure in this volume, as do the Irene Kaufmann Settlement and the law firm Ruslander, Ruslander, and Lieber.