Max Heller

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Max Heller

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

A great man has somewhere been described as one who is so shortsighted that he cannot see the obstacles which lie between him and his goal. Whether this be true of Max HELLER or not, certain it is that he has conquered all obstacles that have impeded his path to success and now ranks as one of the leading business men of Dover and Morris county, New Jersey. He is president of the L. Lehman Company, director in the Dover Trust Company, secretary and treasurer of the Morris County Reality Company, and is interested with J. J. Friedman & Company, manufacturers of automobile garments.

A native son of New Jersey, Max HELLER was born in the city of Newark, in July, 1873. He is a son of the late Gustave and Rosa (LEVY) HELLER. The father immigrated from Germany to America in the year 1835 and settled at Newark, where he gained prominence as a successful merchant. He died when the subject of this review was a mere child and the mother died two years later.

Max HELLER has two brothers
Emil and
Joseph.

Bereft of his parents at a very tender age, Max HELLER was early thrown upon his resources to gain a livelihood and to make a place for himself in the world. He managed to glean a fair education in the common schools of Newark and after beginning to work he attended the Preparatory Evening School in Newark.. His first employment was with the Leser Lehman Company in Newark, in the grocery department. This company has stores throughout the State of New Jersey and an excellent opportunity was afforded Mr. HELLER for advancement. That he eagerly took to his opportunities will be seen in the following lines. His first job was that of clerk, but in due time he became manager of the branch store at Dover. When Mr. LEHMAN died in 1911, Mr. HELLER had been his partner in business for fifteen years. After Mr. LEHMAN’s demise he purchased the latter’s share in the company and became sole owner of all the stores in Morris and Sussex counties. The L. Lehman & Company was incorporated under the laws of this State with a capital stock of $100,000. Mr. HELLER owns the building in which his store at Dover is located, and in this establishment there is employed nearly fifty people. Successful branch stores are conducted at Newton, Boonton, and Rockaway, New Jersey.

Mr. HELLER is financing a new theatre in Dover which is at this writing in course of erection. The exterior plan of this building shows a most artistic front and reflects excellent taste on the part of the promoter. The HELLER home was built after the bungalow type, situated in the most residential part of the town – Morris street and Byram avenue, and is listed with Dover’s finest residences.

Mr. HELLER is undemonstrative, he is unemotional, and like most men of this type, he does things. "Let us not deceive ourselves" is a favorite phrase of his when discussing important questions with his managers. This very phrase characterizes one side of the man very pointedly. He is a "rock bottom" enthusiast, wants facts with figures, eliminates all guess work in business so completely that any day he can place his fingers on a certain page and show what percentage of profit his various departments are making. He is a most ardent advocate of office system, and has such an unusual grasp of financial matters that the term "brilliant" can be very properly applied. He plays at play time, he works at work time, and these two never conflict. Practicality is his "middle name," as the boys say, therefore he is the kind of man that calls "a spade a spade." He speaks from the shoulder, looking right at you with a pair of honest eyes, and telling you squarely his opinion of the thing, in very plain and very good English. Mr. HELLER’s high character has not only gained for him the respect of fellow citizens, but it has been the factor in building up a splendid business. Where character is, confidence is.

Few men are blest with a more amiable woman for a life companion and a true, loving, devoted friend than is shown in the home of Mr. and Mrs. HELLER. Beautiful indeed are her qualities – a woman of fine literary and musical tastes and an ideal mother, possessing the rare quality of inspiring her children with admirable, old-fashion, juvenile, characteristic politeness.

Like many other successful business men, Mr. HELLER’s education was confined to a grammar school course, so that the "higher" grade study was received from hard work - the kind of school that men often have to stick to, and where the learning won’t rub off.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).