259. The History of 222 West Cervantes Street 1902

Louis Friedman was born in Hungary in 1859, immigrated to the United States in 1882, and received his naturalization two years later. His brother Alexander, came over in 1886 and received his own naturalization in 1892. In the meantime, Louis met and married Rebecca Falk, the daughter of German immigrants, in Lauderdale County, Alabama on August 1, 1887. Once again his brother Alex followed suit by marrying Rebecca's sister, Sadie Falk in 1895. Together, the brothers arrived in Pensacola sometime before 1893 and opened the Friedman Brothers Dry Goods & Notions Store at 101 South Palafox Street. During this period, both men boarded at the Merchant's Hotel on the corner of Palafox and Government Street. Business was good and by 1902, Louis and Rebecca were able to build a fine home at 222 West Cervantes Street. Sometime before 1907, Alex split off with his brother-in-law William Martin Falk and they opened a business on South Palafox Street called the Falk & Friedman Company. They dealt in millinery, ladies foundations, and retail dry goods. Around the same time, Louis was managing the L. Friedman Department Store at 115 South Palafox Street with Isidora Friedman as well as his involvement in the Friedman Dry goods Company. In 1920, Louis and Rebecca remodeled their home where they managed to raise their five children to adulthood.

Sometime around 1940, the now retired elderly couple sold their huge home and rented a smaller, newer house for $40 per month at 1502 North Baylen Street with their son-in-law and daughter Gertrude. The new owner of 222 West Cervantes was Johnson Hiram Coberly who purchased the home from the Friedman's for approximately $5,000. Coberly was from Orlando and a commission agent for a local refining company. Together with his wife Lorena Constance Chapman they raised and prospered with their four children. His son, David Spencer Coberly would graduate from the Pensacola High Class of 1941 and fought during WWII with the US Navy. But alas, the old Cervantes home changed hands many times since then and is now the home of the Ward & Barnes Law firm.

Louis would pass away in 1943 and was buried in the Jewish cemetery, Beth-El where he was joined by Rebecca in 1958. Their children were all successful and four were college graduates. Jacob W. "Jub" (PHS Class of 1920) became an electrical engineer while his two brothers Harry F. and Clarence F. became medical doctors. Alvin J. went on to become a bookkeeper in Pensacola while his sister married a postman with the US Post Office. The second owner of the Cervantes Street home, Johnson Coberly, passed away in 1967 and was buried in Deland, Florida.