Ben Gerson was a businessman who operated a crockery and glassware store in the Brent Building.
On January 8, 1909, creditors C. Kahn, Harry Kahn and the McDavid-Hyer Company filed a petition via the law firm of Blount & Blount & Carter asking to declare Gerson an involuntary bankrupt for $10,120 in debt that he had allegedly written the previous day he would be unable to pay.