Finding Aid to the Bransten and Rothmann Family papers

Presley Hubschmitt

The Bancroft Library

August 2023

The Bancroft Library

University of California

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000

bancref@library.berkeley.edu

URL: https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/visit/bancroft

Contributing Institution: The Bancroft Library

Title: Bransten and Rothmann Family papers

Creator: Rothmann, Frances Bransten, 1914-1984

Creator: Rothmann, John F.

Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 2010/960

Physical Description: 15 linear feet (10 cartons, 2 boxes, 1 oversize box, 2 oversize folders, 1 volume)

Date (inclusive): 1926-1987

Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Language of Material: English .

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research with the exception of Volume 1. Volume 1 is restricted until 2041.

Accruals

No future additions are expected.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The

Bransten and Rothmann Family papers

were transferred to The Bancroft Library from the Judah L. Magnes Museum in 2010.

Alternate Forms Available

There are no alternative forms of this collection.

Biographical / Historical

Frances Bransten Rothmann was born in 1914 to Edward Brandenstein (b. 1870-d. 1948) and Florine (Haas) Brandenstein (b. 1881-d. 1973). Brandenstein was later changed to Bransten. Edward worked for his brother's company, MJB Coffee Company and Florine was the daughter of William Haas, a prominent businessman in San Francisco. Frances grew up in San Francisco and attended Scripps College and Barnard College. While in New York she met and went on to marry Hans Rothmann, a physician originally from Germany, in 1938. They had three children, William, Susan, and John. Their son, John F. Rothmann donated this collection to the Magnes Museum. He is a radio host on KGO in San Francisco and is a lecturer on American politics.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to audio-visual materials may be restricted due to technical limitations.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item],

Bransten and Rothmann Family papers , BANC MSS 2010/886,The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Processing Information

Processed by Presley Hubschmitt in 2023 with funding from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation.

Related Collections

Edward and Cathryn Bransten family papers and photographs, 1880-1980, BANC MSS 2010/615; Alice Bransten Block papers, 1910-1990, BANC MSS 2010/498

Scope and Contents

This collection primarily consists of writings, correspondence, and family photographs of the Bransten and Rothmann families. These include the writings and correspondence of Frances Bransten Rothmann and correspondence of her son, John Rothmann. There are also materials related to MJB Coffee Company, family trees, and materials related to the Haas-Lilienthal house and the Bransten house in San Francisco.

Conditions Governing Use

Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Jews -- California -- San Francisco -- Social life and customs

Jews--California--San Francisco

Jews -- California -- San Francisco -- History

Jewish women--California--San Francisco

Jewish women authors

Authors, American--Correspondence

Diaries.

Family papers

Scrapbooks.

Personal correspondence.

Poetry.

Bransten, Edward.

Bransten, Florine Haas, 1881-1973

M.J.B. Coffee Company

Personal papers Series 1.

Physical Description: Cartons 1-5; Carton 6, folders 1-2; Carton 10; Volume 1; Oversize box 1; Oversize folders 1A-2B

Scope and Contents

Series 1 consists of family history, family trees, correspondence, Frances Bransten Rothmann's diaries and writings, and MJB Coffee Company materials. Volume 1: The Week Ahead - C. F. Menninger Memorial Hospital Newsletter, 1971 is restricted until 2041.

carton 1, folder 1-5

Family history materials undated

carton 1, folder 6

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Personal documents undated

carton 1, folder 7

Family documents undated

carton 1, folder 8

Obituaries undated

carton 1, folder 9

Hans Rothmann - Medical career materials undated

carton 1, folder 10-15

Haas-Lilienthal, Bransten House materials undated

carton 1, folder 16

Haas Brothers materials undated

carton 1, folder 17

MJB materials undated

carton 1, folder 18

Levi's - Articles and clippings undated

carton 1, folder 19

Hans Rothmann correspondence 1960-1966

carton 1, folder 20-21

Correspondence between Frances Bransten Rothmann and William Bransten 1927-1940

carton 1, folder 22-23

Correspondence between Frances Bransten Rothmann and Family 1920s-1940s

carton 2, folder 1

Correspondence from Edward Bransten to Frances Bransten Rothmann 1932-1940

carton 2, folder 2-3

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Correspondence undated

carton 2, folder 4-6

Postcards to Frances and Hans Rothmann undated

carton 2, folder 7-9

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Memoir undated

carton 2, folder 10-14

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Writings undated

carton 2, folder 15

"Haas Sisters of Franklin Street" - Drafts undated

carton 2, folder 16

"Haas Sisters of Franklin Street" - Correspondence undated

carton 2, folder 17

"Haas Sisters of Franklin Street" - Event posters and invitations 1979-1980

carton 2, folder 18

"Haas Sisters of Franklin Street" - Clippings about the book undated

carton 2, folder 19

"Haas Sisters of Franklin Street" - Signing photographs undated

carton 2, folder 20

Writings and correspondence with James "Jim" Gerstley undated

carton 2, folder 21

Frances Bransten Rothmann's writings on her father, Edward Bransten undated

carton 2, folder 22

Writings about Hanna and Alfred Fromm undated

carton 2, folder 23-24

Frances Bransten Rothmann - College papers 1930s

carton 3, folder 1

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Childhood writings undated

carton 3, folder 2

Frances Bransten Rothmann - School notes undated

carton 3, folder 3-9

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Poetry Writings undated

carton 3, folder 10

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Party planning notebooks undated

carton 3, folder 11

Lowell High School yearbook 1910

carton 3, folder 12

The Sarah Dix Hamlin School yearbooks 1931-1932

carton 3, folder 13

Scripps College yearbooks 1933

carton 3, folder 14

Scripps College yearbooks 1934-1935

carton 3, folder 15-18

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Fan Mail 1979-1983

carton 3, folder 19

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Hadassah undated

carton 3, folder 20

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries 1926, 1932

carton 3, folder 21

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries 1930-1931

carton 4, folder 1

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries 1934-1935

carton 4, folder 2

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries 1941-1942

carton 4, folder 3

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries 1966-1967

carton 4, folder 4

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries undated

carton 4, folder 5

Frances Bransten Rothmann - Diaries undated

carton 4, folder 6-18

John and Ellen Rothmann - Correspondence undated

carton 4, folder 19

MJB sale materials (bound) 1985

carton 5, folder 1

Liquidating Trust Agreement - Wescan, Inc. 1986-1987

carton 5, folder 2-4

MJB Sale of stock to Nestle 1985

carton 5, folder 5

Proposed Sale of Wescan, Inc. 1986

carton 5, folder 6

Flora Arstein Materials undated

carton 5, folder 7-21

Clippings undated

carton 6, folder 1-2

Miscellany undated

carton 10

Scrapbook 1960s-1980s

oversize_box 1

Scrapbook 1980

oversize_folder 1A

The Pony Express: Stories of Pioneers and Old Trails (Original and copies) 1951 December

oversize_folder 1A

Frances Rothmann - Able Mariner certificate 1981

oversize_folder 1A

Unidentified artwork undated

oversize_folder 2B

Family trees undated

volume 1

The Week Ahead - C. F. Menninger Memorial Hospital Newsletter 1971

Conditions Governing Access

These newsletters are restricted until 2041.

Photographs Series 2.

Physical Description: Carton 6, folders 3-15; Cartons 7-10

Scope and Contents

Series 2 family photographs of the Bransten, Rothmann, and Haas families. The majority of photographs are in photograph albums.

carton 6, folder 3-4

Family Photographs - Candids undated

carton 6, folder 5-6

Family Photographs - Portraits undated

carton 6, folder 7

Property photographs undated

carton 6, folder 8

Family portraits in embroidered frame undated

carton 6, folder 9

Negatives undated

carton 6, folder 10

miscellaneous photographs undated

carton 6, folder 11

Photograph album 1973

carton 6, folder 12

Photograph album 1967-1969

carton 6, folder 13

Photograph album 1965-1966

carton 6, folder 14

Photograph album 1971-1973

carton 6, folder 15

Photograph album 1979

carton 7

Photograph album 1977-1978

carton 7

Photograph album 1978-1979

carton 7

Photograph album 1982-1983

carton 7

Photograph album 1983

carton 7

Photograph album 1983-1984

carton 8

Photograph album 1981

carton 8

Photograph album - Indonesia Trip 1979

carton 8

Photograph album - France trip 1975

carton 8

Photograph album - Greek Islands, Turkey, and Israel Trip undated

carton 9

Photograph album 1975-1977

carton 9

Photograph album 1979-1980

carton 9

Photograph album 1980-1981

carton 9

Photograph album 1982

carton 10

Photograph album 1977-1978

carton 10

Photograph album 1981-1982

carton 10

Photograph album 1973, 1975

Audiovisual materials Series 3.

Physical Description: Boxes 1-2

Scope and Contents

Series 3 includes family home videos on 16mm reels from the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s. It also includes unidentified reels, phonograph discs, and VHS videocassete from a Dianne Feinstein party.

box 1

Family home movie reels 1930s-1950s

Physical Description: 23 film_reels16mm

box 2

Unidentified reel undated

Physical Description: 1 film_reel16mm

box 2

Unidentified reel undated

Physical Description: 1 sound tape reels

box 2

Feinstein 1000 - House party video 1990 October

Physical Description: 1 videocassette (VHS)

phonodisc 799.1

Unidentified sound disc with note from Frances to her parents 1933

Physical Description: 1 sound disc5 in.

phonodisc 799.2

Season's Greetings from the M.J.B. Demitasse Revue undated

Physical Description: 1 sound disc5 in.