Coming to America at the age of nineteen years, Jacob Hershman accepted a position at a salary of four dollars per week. From that humble start he has steadily worked his way upward and is now controlling extensive and profitable interests as the secretary of the Connecticut Wrecking Company, of which he was the organizer. He was born in Minsk, Russia, December 25, 1885, a son of Yohel and Miriam (Alderman) Hershman, who are also natives of Russia. The father engaged in the manufacturing of turpentine and later took up the occupation of farming. He brought his family to America in 1905 and settled in New Haven, where he still resides, being now retired from active business. In the family were seven children: Hyman, who is still in Russia; Bertha, also in Russia; Mrs. Samuel Silverman, a resident of New Haven, Connecticut; and Mrs. Esther Godfrid, Harry, Isadore and Jacob, all of whom make their home in New Haven.

     Of this family Jacob Hershman was the fifth in order of birth. He attended school in Russia during the period of his youth and when nineteen years of age came alone to the new world, making his way at once to New Haven. He secured employment at a salary of four dollars per week and at the end of a year was earning eighteen dollars per week, such being the industry and reliability which he displayed. He carefully saved his earnings and at the end of that time started in business on his own account. Three years later, or in 1908, he organized the Connecticut Wrecking Company, which soon afterward had one hundred thousand running feet of lumber on hand. From the initial point, however, the business has steadily grown and developed until at this date one million feet of lumber is carried in stock, besides all kinds of building materials. Moreover, Mr. Hershman has established a similar plant in Philadelphia, which has proven an unqualified success. The Connecticut Wrecking Company was incorporated in 1912, with M. A. Alderman as president, Jacob Hershman as secretary, Samuel Winnick as vice president and Charles Merberg as treasurer and director.

     On the 14th of September, 1906, Mr. Hershman was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Winnick, of New Haven, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Winnick of this city, and they have become parents of five children: Dorothy, who was born in New Haven in 1907 and is now attending school; Lester, whose birth occurred in New Haven in 1909 and who is also attending school; Edna, who was born in 1911 and is also in school; Elsie, whose natal year was 1913; and Emanuel, who was born in New Haven in 1915.

     In politics Mr. Hershman maintains an independent course, voting according to the exigencies of the case and the dictates of his judgment. He is a member of the Independent Order of B’nai Abraham and also of the Wilner Association of New Haven. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he found the opportunities which he sought -- opportunities which induced him to leave his native land and seek a country where advancement was more quickly secured, unhampered by caste or class. Step by step he has worked his way upward and is now at the head of profitable business undertakings which are indicative of his ability, enterprise and keen discrimination.