There are times I truly love Facebook. When I posted my last article about my husband’s grandparents, I tagged all his many cousins to see if someone knew something I could not find. And yes, they did. I am especially thankful to the two Esther/Ester who are namesakes of their grandmother.
One Esther let me know why Leon came to the United States. Leon came to the USA through Canada to be the town doctor in Lone Star, Kansas, near Leavenworth.
Why there, I do not know. But that is where my husband’s Kansas roots began. I have researched the town and now know that it was located south of Lawrence. Which is really not close to Leavenworth, about 47 miles. It looks like it was quite a small community, which had a post office from 1875 until 1953.
Thank you to my husband’s cousin for sending me this!
But then the second Ester commented that she had their English or civil marriage license! It states that they were actually married in the Register Office on July 17, 1903. Esther’s father Abraham and a man named, Is. Zaidner, were the witnesses. They had a civil marriage several weeks before their Jewish wedding ceremony, which was held in August.
While Leon is listed the correct age and as a medical student on the document; Esther is listed as an 18-year-old spinster. WAIT! 18! The misinformation she provided is even larger. That is even older than the family legend states. We were told she said she was 16 when she got married. But we know in fact she was not quite 14.
I am beginning to wonder if Leon knew exactly how old the girl he fell in love with was when he first met her. They met when she hurt her arm, and Leon stitched it. The healing touch won her heart! And the stories I have heard is that he was immediately smitten.
From the marriage license we also learn that Leon’s father, Aron, was a solicitor. That makes sense, the family legend says that Leon had both a law degree and a medical degree! Quite an educated man for the beginning of the 20 Century. (Cousin update: Leon’s father, Benjamin Aharon Matassaru was a lawyer and a mayor in Romania. In fact, he was the first Jewish mayor of the city of Dorohoi). Esther’s father, Abraham, was a greengrocer.
I now also know the address of their first home in Whitechapel, London.
As for Aunt Jean and her birthday, it seems she continued to make herself three years younger throughout her life. Although born in 1907, she told everyone that she was born in 1910. When she passed away, her birth year was noted at 1908, making her 100 years old when she passed. But we now know in reality she was 101! Several cousins commented on this, included one of her grandchildren. (Another update, Jean’s daughter is happily still alive. She said that her mom wanted her dad to think she was younger perhaps because they were the same age. Thanks to Jean’s granddaughter for finding out!)
Thank you all for your help in making this history as complete as possible. If there is anything else out there about Esther and Leon’s marriage, I am glad to continue to update so that we have a full and factual history.
https://zicharonot.com/2019/04/06/more-family-legends-confirmed/
https://zicharonot.com/2019/04/04/the-great-alie-street-synagogue-my-husbands-family-london-ties/
https://zicharonot.com/2019/01/11/cemetery-records-impacts-family-stories/
zicharonot 
I am so glad Esther had the British marriage record—it saved you all that time and bother with ordering it.
My ancestors lived in Whitechapel also. We are doing a walking tour there next month while in England!
We are going to London a year from May. I want to go as well. Take photos!
I will! We hired a tour guide to do a Jewish walking tour of that area. If it works out well, I will send you her contact info.
Great. I would love that!!!