Leopold Marks | |
---|---|
Member of the
Mississippi House of Representatives from the Quitman County district | |
In office January 1884 – January 1888 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Labau, Prussia | February 7, 1851
Died | 1910 | (aged 58–59)
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 7 |
Leopold Marks (February 7, 1851 – 1910) was a Prussian-born Jewish- American Democratic politician, farmer, and merchant. Marks was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in the 1884 and 1886 sessions. The city of Marks, Mississippi, is named after him. [1] [2]
Leopold Marks was born on February 7, 1851, in the city of Labau, West Prussia, Prussia. [3] [4] He was the son of I. Marks, who was a merchant and planter. [3] Marks was Jewish. [1] [2] [4] Leopold attended the grammar and high schools in his home country. [3] At the age of 17, Marks fled Prussia to escape compulsory army service and landed in New York City in the United States. [3] When he arrived in the US, Marks owned only 18 cents and did not know the English language. [3] In New York, Marks worked until he had a pack of jewelry, which he peddled all the way to Friar Point, Mississippi. [3] Then, Marks bought forest and riverbank land in the present location of Marks, Mississippi. [3] He then opened a store there, which became very large. [3]
Marks helped create Quitman County, Mississippi, in 1877. [3] He served as its first representative to the Mississippi House of Representatives, from 1884 to 1888. [3] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Marks died in 1910. [4]
Marks married his first wife, Pauline, in 1875. [3] They had 5 sons, whose names were Sam M., Henry H., Marcus L., Maurice I., and Robert F. [3] Pauline died in 1900 and Marks was re-married to Sadie Whitehead. [3] They had two children, named Edwin and Lucille. [3]