Calmenson, Jesse B., 1892-1952

Jesse B. Calmenson (1892-1952)

Jesse B. Calmenson was born on December 1, 1892 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Cain and Annie (Cohen) Calmenson. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree at the St. Paul College of Law in 1915 and remained there to practice law until his death. He married Bertha Sloan in 1918 and they had one daughter, Betty Anne.

Calmenson was a lawyer as well as a communal leader in St. Paul. An active member of the American Jewish Congress, Zionist Organization of America, and associate editor of the American Jewish World, he served as secretary to the campaign committee of all Zionists from 1914 until his death. The Calmenson family was synonymous with Zionism in St. Paul.

In terms of his legal public life, after receiving his law degree, he was admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, and the U.S. Board of Tax Appeals in 1924. A member of the Minnesota State, Ramsey County Bar Associations and the American Lawyers Guild, he was director of the Herbert Manufacturing Company and the Merchants Investment and Loan Corporation.

Calmenson was active in many local and national Jewish organizations. The president of the first chapter of the American Jewish Congress in St. Paul in 1916, he was appointed a member of the national advisory committee of the United Jewish Campaign in 1926 and became a legal advisor of the Department of Rural Credit of State of Minnesota in1932. Calmenson served as regional director of the United Palestine Appeal in Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota from 1925 to 1928. As a member of the board of trustees for the Jewish Home for the Aged of Northwest, as a president of the local branch of B'nai Brith, as a chairman of the St. Paul Zionist District, or as a president of the Jewish Educational Center Talmud Torah for eight years, as an associate editor for the St. Paul American Jewish World (1912-52), as the co-founder and vice-president of the local United Jewish Fund, or as chairman of the Bureau of Jewish Education, Calmenson contributed time and effort to Minnesota Jewish Community life.

An active joiner, Calmenson had many affiliations. Local organizations memberships included: the St. Paul Association of Civic and Commercial Affairs, the St. Paul Minnesota and American Bar Associations, and the St. Paul Zionist District. National Jewish organization activities include those of the American Jewish Committee, the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America, the Jewish Publication Society, the Joint Distribution Committee, the League of Nations Non-Partisan Association, the National Child Labor Committee, the National Conference of Jews and Christians, the Refugee Coordinating Council, United Palestine Appeal, Temple Aaron and Sons of Jacob, and the Zionist Organization of America. He was known for his Jewish community work as well as general community and civic participation, e.g., as an architect of the American Jewish Conference in its formative stage. The recipient of many honors for service to the Jewish community, he spoke well and was well respected.

Among Calmenson's private activities include his involvement with the Stameshkin family and the George Alexander Wilson Estate. He was also the vice-president and director of the Cosmopolitan State Bank in St. Paul. He cited his hobbies as amateur dramatics and gardening.

• 1892: Jesse B. Calmenson born in St. Paul, Minnesota
• 1912: Became associate editor for the American Jewish World in St. Paul
• 1915: Obtained his LLB degree
• 1915: Began practicing law
• 1916: Became president of the first chapter of the American Jewish Congress in St. Paul
• 1918: Married to Bertha Sloan
• 1921: Admitted to practice in U.S. Supreme Court
• 1924: Practiced before U.S. Board of Tax Appeals
• 1925 - 1928 : Regional director of the United Palestine Appeal in Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota
• 1926: Member of national advisory committee of the United Jewish Campaign
• 1932: Became legal advisor of the Department of Rural Credit of State of Minnesota
• 1939: Honored by members of local Jewish War Veterans as the Jewish "Man of the Year"
• 1940: Picked for 2nd annual certificate of honor awarded by the St. Paul post of the Jewish War Veterans
• 1952: Calmenson dies

From the guide to the Jesse B. Calmenson, papers, undated, 1903-1952, 1966, 1978-1979, 1981, 1995-1996, (American Jewish Historical Society)