Max Bellman, 1901-1978

Mordecai (Max) Bellman was the one of twins with Benjamin, the seventh and eighth children of David Girsh (Hersh) Bellman and his wife Raytzel Markson. Benjamin died sometime during WWI according to his older brother Lamar.

Max, age 20, emigrated in 1921 with his 55-year-old mother Raytzel, bound for the home of Raytzel's son-in-law Eli P. Krupp in El Paso. Max became a merchant both in El Paso, Texas and La Mesa, new Mexico.

In 1925 Max married Bessie Pauline Levenson, daughter of the late Sam Levenson and Jocheved Rogalsky Levenson who had emigrated in 1920. By 1930 the couple lived in La Mesa with their son Samuel, Bessie's brother Moe Levenson, and Bessie's mother Jocheved. Max and Moe ran a general store in La Mesa.

During the 1930s Max and his family moved to El Paso and managed the Bellman Mercantile store, while Bessie, an indefatigable hostess, appeared often in the society pages of the El Paso Herald arranging family parties for events such as engagements, bar mitzvahs, and other celebrations.

Bessie is pictured with her mother and siblings above, from left: Anna Levenson Tarlowe, Sol Levenson, Jocheved Rogalsky Levenson, Moe Levenson, Bessie Levenson Bellman, and Moe Levenson.

Max and Bessie lived in El Paso and saw their two children marry and establish lives of their own. Max doed in 1978, Bessie in 1988.