The first of the Lazarus family came to the U.S. in the mid-1890s. Harry Lazorwitz left Galicia, which is located in East Central Europe, for the similar reasons many other immigrants came to the U.S., to escape poverty and discrimination. He came in at Ellis Island and from there went to Glens Falls, N.Y. where he had an uncle who was working as a peddler. They soon had enough money to open up their own store. Harry then met his future wife Stella Wolk at a synagogue in Burlington, Vt. Her father was one of the first people in Vermont to teach Hebrew. When they decided to leave New York they went to Vergennes to visit some family members and when they arrived at Middlebury were impressed with the town. In 1911 they opened up the Middlebury Supply Company. Harry and Stella has four children: Stanton, Frieda, Eugene, and Herbert. Stan Lazarus took over his father's store in 1946, and in 1950 renamed it Lazarus Department Store. Their other son Eugene also went into the sales business. He opened up the United 5 to $1 Store in Middlebury, in 1939.
From the description of Lazarus business records, 1934-1964. (Sheldon Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 732074713
