Our Aklahoma Heritage: Jewish jeweler who was born in Arkansas one of 1514 who died in the 1912Titanic sinking
- Dennis McCaslin
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
In the river town of Helena, nestled along the Mississippi Delta in Phillips County, the story of Ervin G. Lewy begins.
In the quiet river town of Helena, nestled along the Mississippi Delta, the story of Ervin G. Lewy begins.
Born on November 28, 1881, Lewy was the son of Benno Lewy and Bertha Marcus, Prussian Jewish immigrants who settled in Arkansas during the post-Reconstruction era. Benno, a jeweler by trade, passed down his craft to his children, including Ervin, who would later become a prominent figure in Chicago’s jewelry scene.
By the turn of the century, the Lewy family had relocated to Chicago, where Ervin lived with his sister Frieda Oppenheimer. There, he helped transform the family business into Lewy Brothers Jewelers, a respected firm located at State and Adams Streets.
Ervin served as treasurer, while his brother Marks was secretary. Their company catered to the city’s elite, offering diamonds, watches, and optical goods, and even operated a manufacturing arms.
Ervin’s dedication to the business was evident. At just 16, he began working as a jewelry salesman under his father’s guidance. By 1912, he was entrusted with a high-stakes diamond purchasing trip to Amsterdam--a testament to his reputation and expertise.
Despite his success, Ervin remained unmarried, living a bachelor’s life focused on family and business. His last known address was 5628 South Park Avenue in Chicago.
In January 1912, Ervin departed for Europe to acquire diamonds for the firm. After a disappointing start in Amsterdam, he extended his stay and booked passage aboard the RMS Titanic for his return.
“I’ll be here about a week yet to see if I can’t do better,” he wrote in a letter home. “Can’t catch the Rotterdam as I expected but will probably sail on the Titanic from Cherbourg the 10th”.
He boarded the Titanic as a first-class passenger, ticket number 17612, paying nearly £28. From the ship, he sent a telegram to his brother Jay, assuring him he was en route. It was the last message the family would receive.
Ervin Lewy perished in the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. His body was never recovered. Yet his legacy endures--not only in maritime records but in family memory.
A sapphire cameo he purchased in Paris and mailed to his mother arrived after his death, later set into a ring that became a cherished heirloom.
Though his name is rarely mentioned in Titanic lore, Lewy’s story bridges continents and cultures, connecting Helena’s riverbanks to the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
It’s a tale of migration, ambition, and tragedy--one that deserves recognition not just as a footnote in Titanic history, but as a chapter in Arkansas’s own narrative.
