We think this is Grandpa Harry on his bar mitzvah day.
Help!
I know basically nothing about one set of my paternal great grandparents. My grandfather, Harry Rosenberg… Hersh Zvi ben Avraham, was the son of Abraham and Sarah Rosenberg. His father, Abraham, abandoned the family when my grandfather was about 13 or 14. Grandpa was borned in 1888 or 1889. So in 1901 or 1902, his father left and ended up in the Seattle, Washington, area. He came back to the east coast around September 1941, because he showed up at my Dad’s bar mitzvah. I know that he had a second wife, or a woman that he lived with on the West Coast. He supposedly became quite wealthy. Who knows?
Grandpa was born in New York, the oldest of six children: Harry, “Hady” (Harriet), Jacob, Muriel and two maiden sister. (I am thinking one of my great grandparent’s parents had an H sound in their name, since both my grandfather and his oldest sister were Harry and Harriet.)
After Grandpa traveled to the west coast to find his father, he returned to New York to help support his sibling. He was a tailor. And through his work, all five of his siblings went to college Grandpa never did. He found out much later that his mother had lied to him for many years. She had been getting money from her husband, but never told my grandfather, and so kept him working for the family. (See blog post below: “The Sad Scandal That Forever Scarred My Grandpa Harry )
Grandpa married my grandmother, Esther Goldman, on February 26, 1922. He died February 29, 1984.
I know that Jacob got married and had a son named, Betram, and a daughter, Delilah. Delilah was around the same age as my Aunt, so born around 1931. I know because my Aunt would go to their house for piano lessons once a week. They lived in New York City at least until the 1940s. But supposedly he was an important lawyer and moved to England at some point and never came back to the USA.
Standing: Great Uncle Lenny, Great Aunt Hady, Grandpa Harry, Grandma Esther. Seating are my great grandmother and great aunt from my Grandma’s side.
Haddie married Lenny. I knew them when I was a child. They lived to the end of their lives in Sullivan County, New York, in the Monticello area. (See blog post below: The Littlest Gambler: Learning about Horse Races in The Catskills.)
The two maiden sisters, and Muriel, I never knew. But Muriel also married and had sons. But that is all I know. The only story I know is that my grandmother asked them if they had any names they wanted when my aunt and uncle were born. Hence my Uncle’s middle name was Prime, and my Aunt’s middle name was Gwendolyn. Grandma did not offer when my Dad was born.
I know my great grandfather’s original last name was “Grau.” He was one of three to five brothers who came to the USA at different times. We believe they all took different names.
I know nothing else. I do not even know my great grandmother’s maiden name. I don’t know when she was born or when she died. I do not know when my great grandparents’ married. But I know it had to be on or before 1888. I do not know when they moved to the USA. We have no known photos of my great grandparents.
I am hoping one of the wonderful researchers from Tracing the Tribe can help me.
I would appreciate it. My Grandpa Harry’s family is the missing link in my research.
https://zicharonot.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/the-sad-scandal-that-forever-scarred-my-grandpa-harry/
zicharonot 
I left some documents and comments on Facebook. Hope something helps! Like I said, I’d start with the most recent people you have information for and work backwards.
Thank you! I do appreciate it!!!
Let me know what you learn. The more facts you gather, the more you can find.
True!
I will
Abraham Rosenberg
in the 1900 United States Federal Census
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Name: Abraham Rosenberg
Age: 35
Birth Date: 1865
Birthplace: Russia
Home in 1900: Manhattan, New York, New York
Street: Sheriff Street
House Number: 9
Sheet Number: 26A
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 40
Family Number: 468
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1890
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Marriage Year: 1883
Years Married: 17
Father’s Birthplace: Russia
Mother’s Birthplace: Russia
Years in US: 10
Naturalization: Na
Occupation: Ladies Tailor
Months not employed: 5
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Can Speak English: No
House Owned or Rented: R
Farm or House: H
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Rosenberg 35
Sarah Rosenberg 33
Hannah Rosenberg 14
Mauril Rosenberg 12
Harry Rosenberg 10
Lillie Rosenberg 8
George Rosenberg 5
Stella Rosenberg 3
Murry Rosenberg 1
Wow there are children I don’t know about! Hedy must be Hannah. It Harriet! But where is Jacob. Could he be George! Thank you!!
Sarah Rosenberg
in the 1900 United States Federal Census
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Age: 33
Birth Date: Apr 1867
Birthplace: Russia
Home in 1900: Manhattan, New York, New York
Street: Sheriff Street
House Number: 9
Sheet Number: 26A
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 40
Family Number: 468
Race: White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year: 1892
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name: Abraham Rosenberg
Marriage Year: 1883
Years Married: 17
Father’s Birthplace: Russia
Mother’s Birthplace: Russia
Mother: number of living children: 7
Mother: How many children: 7
Years in US: 8
Can Read: No
Can Write: No
Can Speak English: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Rosenberg 35
Sarah Rosenberg 33
Hannah Rosenberg 14
Mauril Rosenberg 12
Harry Rosenberg 10
Lillie Rosenberg 8
George Rosenberg 5
Stella Rosenberg 3
Murry Rosenberg 1
(1905 — but Abraham is suddenly older)
Sarah Rosenberg
in the New York, State Census, 1905
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Birth Year: abt 1867
Birth Place: Russia
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Race: White
Residence Year: 1905
Residence: Manhattan, New York, New York, USA
Relationship to Head: Wife
Assembly District: 16
Election District: 14
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Rosenberg 45
Sarah Rosenberg 38
Hannah Rosenberg 19
Mamie Rosenberg 17
Harry Rosenberg 15
Lillie Rosenberg 14
Geoge Rosenberg 11
Stella Rosenberg 8
Moris Rosenberg 6
Ruth Rosenberg 3
Mammie Rosenberg 32
Max Rosenberg 35
Sarah Rosenberg
in the 1920 United States Federal Census
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Age: 53
Birth Year: abt 1867
Birthplace: Russia
Home in 1920: Bronx Assembly District 3, Bronx, New York
Street: East 161 Street
Residence Date: 1920
Race: White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year: 1891
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name: Abraham Rosenberg
Father’s Birthplace: Russia
Mother’s Birthplace: Russia
Native Tongue: Russian
Able to Speak English: Yes
Naturalization Status: Alien
Able to Read: No
Able to Write: No
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Rosenberg 60
Sarah Rosenberg 53
Hannah Rosenberg 28
George Rosenberg 26
Stella Rosenberg 22
Murray Rosenberg 20
Ruth Rosenberg 16
Beatrice Rosenberg 23
Mamie Rabinowitz 27
Max Rabinowitz 32
Alfred Rabinowitz 3
Shirley Rabinowitz 2
Sarah Rosenberg
in the New York, State Census, 1925
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Birth Date: abt 1867
Birth Place: Russia
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Residence Place: New York, Bronx
Relationship: Wife
Color or Race: White
Number of Years in US: 32
Assembly District: 03
House Number: 860
Line Number: 04
Page Number: 41
Household Members:
Name Age
A Rosenberg 68
Sarah Rosenberg 58
Sara Rosenberg
in the 1930 United States Federal Census
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Name: Sara Rosenberg
Birth Year: abt 1867
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Homemaker?: Yes
Home in 1930: Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA
Map of Home: View Map
Ward of City: Part of Tract 918
Block: K
House Number: 685
Dwelling Number: 20
Family Number: 241
Age at First Marriage: 20
Attended School: No
Able to Read and Write: No
Father’s Birthplace: Russia
Mother’s Birthplace: Russia
Language Spoken: Yiddish
Immigration Year: 1921
Naturalization: Alien
Able to Speak English: No
Occupation: Janitor
Industry: Apartment house
Class of Worker: Unpaid worker, member of the family
Employment: Yes
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Rosenberg 70
Sara Rosenberg 63
Alexander Samuels 45
Sarah Rosenberg
in the New York, New York, Death Index, 1862-1948
New York, New York, Death Index, 1862-1948 No Image
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Age: 71
Birth Year: abt 1867
Death Date: 14 Apr 1938
Death Place: Kings, New York, USA
Certificate Number: 8148
Sarah Rosenberg
in the New York, New York, Death Index, 1862-1948
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Name: Sarah Rosenberg
Age: 68
Birth Year: abt 1868
Death Date: 28 Jan 1936
Death Place: Kings, New York, USA
Certificate Number: 2401
I haven’t found grave sites for of the Sarah Rosenberg who died in January 1936 or the one who died in April 1938. Here are some others (I think most, if not all, can be eliminated from your search.) https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSfn=Sara&GSmn=&GSln=Rosenberg&GSbyrel=before&GSby=1872&GSdyrel=before&GSdy=1970&GScntry=4&GSst=36&GSgrid=&df=all&GSob=n
Wow. You did such wonderful work. Now I have to figure out who everyone is. There is an extra boy. And it shows Abraham with her. And I know he left. Thank you so much!