A remembrance of Joseph R. Rosen:
When the American Dream and Providence collide with the life of an immigrant, inspiration is bound to follow.
Joseph Robert Rosen (1896-1965) came to America (from Russia) in 1898 as a child immigrant with his family, which included his parents and at least three siblings. With his family making Boston their home, he attended local schools as a boy, including the West End and Oliver Wendell Holmes schools. Eventually he went to the Boston High School of Commerce, where his career began to take flight.
After high school, he decided to pursue a career in penmanship. He ended up attending the Zanerian College of Penmanship in Columbus, Ohio, which set him up to be one of the best penmen in the country. His train fare getting to Columbus is a great story in and of itself that included philanthropist James Storrow. Soon after his time at Zanerian, he briefly attended the Chicago Arts Institute studying the arts and fine-tuning what would end up being his lifelong primary craft as a skilled engrosser.
After returning to Boston from his college pursuits, he enlisted (or was drafted) in the Naval Reserve toward the end of World War I and worked as an apprentice. He worked his way up to starting his own business in 1923, with Harvard University as his biggest client of his career, keeping them for half a century. His work in the engrossing business brought his crowning career achievements, especially honorary doctorates he made for the likes of Einstein, Churchill and presidents of the United States, to name a few.
What cannot be overstated is that Rosen was very involved with his community, especially the time he founded his business onward. He was a Freemason, Rotarian, veteran, American Legion member and magazine patriotic-art contributor, scholarship donor, baseball enthusiast and much more. His family, including his wife and two daughters, very much seemed to be the highlight of his life. He was also Jewish.
There is much to learn from an immigrant success story such as Rosen’s. One can only imagine what situations and conditions an immigrant may leave behind to come to America’s shores in search of a better life. Knowing what I know of my own family’s immigrant background, I find Rosen’s story to be heartening and reinforcing to the values we uphold. With the American Dream still alive, one can only hope it endures. May stories of Joseph Robert Rosen continue to inspire.
