For more years than I care to share, I have been searching for answers to my paternal grandfather’s many family mysteries. My grandfather did not want to talk about his family. My grandmother, his wife, was the one who told me the little bit she knew, with a caveat,
“when you marry, check out the family, because you marry them as well.” ( See links to blogs below.)
Before I go into details, I have to thank Evan Wolfson, my, I think, fourth cousin on my father’s side, for his help!! He had sent me a copy of my great grandparent’s marriage license and said he was doing research at the Family History Center run by the Mormon Church. On a serious whim, I asked if he could help with my mystery. Over two days he sent me record after record. I am forever grateful for his help in working on my mystery!!!
What we all thought we knew and what I know now:
Grandpa Harry was born in 1888 or 1889. No he was not. He was actually born in April 20, 1890, in New York. I know this from his registration papers for the military in 1914, where he claimed he was, (and I wrote from what he wrote) “the mostly supporter of my father and mother.” He was an operator and cutter in his own business, as a pants maker, at 90 Attorney Street in New York.
By the way, his brother Jacob also filled out his registration card for military service then. But since he was employed as a stenographer at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he did not go, as he was working in ‘home support.’
Grandpa was the oldest of six children. No he was not. He had an older brother, Samuel, who was born in Russia and came to the USA as an toddler. He also had an older sister, Celia, who was born in the USA, but died when she was about 24 years old of pneumonia and pulmonary edema. She worked making shirt waists and was single when she died. She is buried in Montiefiore Cemetery in New York. We will have to find her one day.
Standing: Great Uncle Lenny, Great Aunt Hady, Grandpa Harry, Grandma Esther. Seating are my great grandmother and great aunt from my Grandma’s side.
He was the oldest of the other children. Grandpa Harry, born 1890; Jacob, born about two years later; Bertha, five years younger, and never married; Edith (Yetta), born 1898 and also never married; Hatti/Hady who was born in 1901 and married to Lenny Greenberg; and finally, Minnie/Miriam/Muriel, who married and had two children.
The other item I now know is that his mother gave birth to 12 children, of which 8 survived. There is a child who was born in 1904 named Rosie. But no other listings of her.
The story we all heard was that when Grandpa was in his early teens, his father abandoned the family and went to Seattle. And Grandpa then became the provider for the family, and also traveled to Seattle to find his father. Probably, maybe for a while, then went back? Not quite sure. Here’s what I know. Grandpa did go to Seattle, we have the photos and the story. But it was not that early. Did he find his father? I am not sure. Did his father come back for a bit? Well he was in New York at least till 1915, so who knows what was happening. Perhaps he became ill as he was no longer working then.
I did go to Seattle and did research at the library. I did find a Abraham Rosenberg there in 1906 who was a tailor, but I could not find the same man again. I also now know that my great grandparents were still having children in 1901 and 1903. Hattie was born in 1901 and Minnie/Muriel was born about 1903. And the child born in 1904.
I also know that when my grandfather registered for the military in 1914, he listed the sole support of his mother and father and siblings as the reason he could not serve. I had heard for years that my grandfather supported all his siblings, many of whom went to college on his dime, while he was just a tailor.
I know they were living together at least until 1915 because they are on a census together. But by 1920 Sarah is the head of her household, and Abraham is gone. I wonder if he had gone to Seattle in 1905 after his last child was born, but then came back after my grandfather found him. Grandpa would have been 16 in 1906. So that is possible. Then after they got divorced, he left again? I am only thinking this, I have no proof. The only fact I know for sure, is that my father always said the only time he met his grandfather we when he showed up the day of his bar mitzvah in September 1941. He had vague memories of his grandmother. But then she died when he was 8.
The only photo I have of my great grandma. Thanks to my cousin.
My other mystery was knowing nothing about my great grandmother Sarah. Well I now know her maiden name was Ritt/Writt. I first saw this last name on my grandparents’ marriage license. They married on February 25, 1922. Grandpa was 30 and Grandma was 23.
But her certificate of death gave much more. Her parents were Hirsh Ritt, who was born in Poland and Flora, also from Poland. Hirsh makes sense as that is my grandfather’s Yiddish name. Flora is unusual. It also states that Sarah was born in France, which was the first time for that announcement. In other places she is listed as was born in Russia or Germany. Still the woman of mystery.
When she died at age 68, on January 28, 1936, she was divorced and suffered from carcinoma of the pancreas. She was only sick for one month and seven days and died at the Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn on 555 Prospect Place.
My Grandfather was the one who provided the information about his mother.
Thus some mysteries are solved. And others now stand out. What do the divorce papers say? I still cannot find those. What happened to Samuel? And Muriel? And where and when did Abraham go to Seattle or did him? And where did he live after he and Sarah got divorced? I had heard he was with another woman?
I knew Hady/Hattie and her husband, Lenny (see blog below.). Edith and Bertha, I never met, but I knew of them as the two maiden sisters. They went to college, but never married. However they gave my uncle the middle name, Prim; and my aunt the middle name, Gwendolyn.
As for Jacob. That will be another blog. Previously, I had found some information about him, and my cousin Evan was able to find a bit more during his research.
Once again, thank you Evan for helping me with my mystery! And a thanksto Tracing the Tribe Group, where I first encountered my cousin.
https://zicharonot.com/2015/06/14/the-sad-scandal-that-forever-scarred-my-grandpa-harry/
https://zicharonot.com/2018/11/16/epiphany-excitement-discovery-disappointment-hope/
https://zicharonot.com/2015/02/18/the-littlest-gambler-learning-about-horse-races-in-the-catskills/
zicharonot 
It’s amazing what you can find if you start digging. Good luck in your continued search. One question—how could your grandfather and his brother Harry both have been born in 1890 unless they were twins?
I must have typed something wrong. My grandfather is a Harry. His brother was Jacob. I will check. Thanks.
Ok. I think I fixed the confusion.
I will go re-read!
Ah, makes sense now! I must have missed that his name was Harry!
No you did not. I added a first reference, then a second time. Of course I knew he was Harry, but never actually said Grandpa Harry. Thank you!
OK, thanks! I hate when I read too fast and miss things! 🙂