After leaving Bavaria, Lazarus Straus sold merchandise across several states while searching for a home for his family. In 1854, he, his wife, and four children settled in a comfortable house one block from this site. An expert merchant and a learned man, he quickly became closely involved with the progress of Talbotton. From this humble beginning, Lazarus Straus and his sons, Isidor, Nathan, and Oscar, rose to the pinnacle of success in the business, political, and civic affairs of the nation.