The history of the Bausch family in Rochester begins with John Jacob Bausch, a Jewish immigrant from Germany who opened an optical retail shop here in 1853. His friend and fellow German Henry Lomb invested his savings and became Bausch's partner in 1855. Thus Bausch & Lomb was born. Bausch's sons Edward and William joined the growing company in 1875 and served for almost seventy years each.
The Bausch Family Papers consist of two items. The first is a photograph album compiled in Ulm, Germany in 1938 to commemorate events in the life (1847-1938) of William and Edward's paternal aunt. She appears in a snapshot with the caption "lieber Besuch v. Rochester."
The second item is a pocket book ("Merkbüchlein für Geburtstage") dated 1925 in which birthdays were noted.
The Bausch Family Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.
The Bausch Family Papers were purchased in 2007 using the
In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.
[Item title, item date], Bausch Family Papers, D.413, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Jacob Bausch's autobiography,