Tombstone Tuesday: Clara Rogel Eisenberg, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

Those who have been following this blog know that I have been using my Tombstone Tuesday posts to document gravestones I recorded at the three First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association (landsmanshaft) burial plots in Montefiore (2 plots) and Beth Moses (1 plot) Cemeteries in New York.[1] The fun (and useful part) of all this is reconstituting families via analysis of records. Clara Eisenberg's gravestone is a great example.

The inscription on this stone is difficult to see. The third line indicates she was 

Chaye bat Mosche

The English text says:

My Beloved

Mother

CLARA

EISENBERG

Died Oct. 16, 1916

Age 33 years

I did not realize until starting record collection and analysis for this post that I already had several of the available records about Clara. Her maiden name was Rogel and I had previously documented two of her brothers, Abraham Rogel and Samuel Rogel, in Tombstone Tuesday posts. I had also discussed Samuel here (and had mentioned Chaye/Clara in that post).

Montefiore Cemetery indexed this grave as Clara Isenberg. That is likely in error. Her marriage certificate, the 1915 New York State Census and her indexed death certificate all recorded her married surname as Eisenberg.[2] 

Chaje Rogel was born in Polonnoye to Mosche Rogel and "Beckie" (perhaps originally Rivka) Beitch. Polonnoye is a larger community about 10 miles northeast of Labun. She traveled to New York from Rotterdam with her brother, Schmiel (Samuel), via the S.S. Potsdam. They arrived on 10 January 1911.[3] In addition to Sam, Clara had at least two other brothers: Abraham Rogel and Nathan Rogol (note that they adopted two slightly different spellings for their official documents in the United States).[4]

Chaje became Clara and married Max Eisenberg on 6 August 1914 at City Hall. They lived at 8 Saint Mark's Place in Manhattan - the same building where her three brothers resided in 1910 and where she, her husband and her brother Samuel were enumerated in the 1915 New York State census.

She passed away on 14 October 1916. The 16 October date on the stone and in Montefiore Cemetery's index was likely the burial date.

There is conflicting information regarding Clara's year of birth.

Her gravestone indicates 33 (born about ca. 1883).  

Her indexed death certificate shows she was 32 at death (b. ca. 1884). 

She was, apparently, a few years older than her husband, Max. How much older is unknown. The 1915 New York State census recorded her age as 30. Max was recorded as 24.

Her marriage certificate indicated she was 25 (b. ca. 1888). Max was 23.

The S.S. Potsdam's passenger manifest showed her as 19 years old (b. ca. 1890). 

The text, "My beloved Mother," on the stone is interesting.  This would indicate that Clara had a child. I have located no documents indicating that she had a child. There is no child with Max and Clara in the 1915 census. Birth record indexes for New York City are currently available only through 1909. So, if she and Max had a child, its birth record would not be easy to locate. 

The other interesting aspect of that text is that no husband is indicated. Usually, if there were surviving children and a spouse, the text would say something like, "Our beloved wife and mother." I have not found a death record for Max. New York City divorce records are closed for, I believe, 100 years and have not been indexed.

It may be that she had a child from a prior marriage. The certificate for her marriage with Max Eisenberg indicated that this was a first marriage for each. Of course, that may have been in error. No other marriage certificate for Clara has been located.

Clara is the only Eisenberg/Isenberg in the First Lubiner plots.

Clara was interred in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York, block 89, gate 156W, line 3L, grave 2. 

Notes:
1. I am indebted to Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers for proposing the Tombstone Tuesday theme for blogging.
2. New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 20253 (6 August 1914), Max Eisenberg and Klara Rogel; Municipal Archives, New York City.
   1915 New York State census, New York County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, assembly district 3, election district 20, p. 37, Max and Clara Eisenberg family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 December 2016); citing New York State Archives, Albany.
   New York County, New York, death certificate no. 29488 (14 October 1916), Clara Eisenberg; index, "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 26 December 2016); citing Municipal Archives, New York City. I will acquire a copy of the original record in January, 2017.
3. Manifest, S.S. Potsdam, 10 January 1911, list 3 [stamped], line 27, Chaje Ragol, age 19; images, "New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 January 2015).
4. Graves for Nathan Rogol (d. 1955) and his wife Kate may be in New Montefiore Cemetery.

Threading the needle: Saul Wilson leaves Hudson, NY

Two take-aways from this post:

• Revisit expanding online databases for one's relatives, and
• don't underestimate how closely you may be able to track your quarry (!).

When I started working on my mother's father's family I recalled that my grandfather once said he'd lived for a time in Hudson, New York. Once I found my Wilson family in Hudson in the 1900 U.S. census, my next search was to determine when they moved to Hudson and when they left Hudson for the Bronx. 

I tracked the family via city directories and census records. Great grandfather Saul had come to the USA in 1891.[1] The rest of the family followed in 1897. I found them for the first time in Hudson in 1898.[2] I have not had luck finding Saul anywhere before that city directory entry.

1898 - 60 Chapel, Hudson
1899 - 19 Diamond, Hudson
1900 - 254 Diamond, Hudson (U.S. census)
1901 - 14 Union, Hudson
1902 - 14 Union, Hudson
1903 - 24 S. Front, Hudson
1904 - 351 Warren, Hudson (last entry of Saul Wilson in Hudson)
1905 - 196 S. Pearl, Albany (NY State census & directory)
1906 - Moved to New York City (listing in Albany directory)
1907 - No directory listing
1908 - No directory listing
1909 - 1408 5th av, New York City
1910 - 1408 5th av, New York City (U.S. census & directory)

My first surprise was finding my great grandparents Saul and Hoda Wilson in Albany in the 1905 New York State census. Apparently they had moved to Albany  before heading south to New York City. And I absolutely loved the entry in the 1906 Albany city directory: "Wilson Saul moved to New York city." Thank you.

I had determined that the Wilsons left Hudson sometime in 1904 or early 1905, before they were enumerated in the 1905 New York State census (record date of 1 June 1905).[3] I figured that was the best I would do. I haven't researched my great grandfather for several years. Silly me!

A few days ago I revisited the NYS Historic Newspapers website and found the pictured advertisement with a search in Columbia County newspapers.[4]

This ad for, essentially, a clearance sale at my great grandfather's store at 351 Warren Street, Hudson, was published in the local Columbia Weekly Republican on 23 March 1905. It announced that Saul was moving to 196 S. Pearl Street, Albany around 1 May 1905. He planned to clear his stock by mid-April.

So, I can pretty much identify a two week period during which my great grandfather and his family moved to Albany. And I know that by 1 June 1905, based upon the 1905 New York State Census, that my grandfather, his siblings and his parents were living at the Albany address.

In addition, I now have some notion about the types of goods my great grandfather sold in his store. Previously the only information I had, by way of city directory listings, was "clothing," and "ladies furnishings," and "dry goods." He sold hose, handkerchiefs, corsets, dresses, fabric, notions, and men's and boy's clothing, as well.

The price list provides amusing contrast with today's prices:
muslin nightgowns worth 75 cents, only 49 cents each! A 200 yard spool of thread was three cents. I just checked online, and Michael's currently sells 250 yard spools for $2.99. Here's a link to images of a period ladies Cravenette rain coat.

Wow! One search in a website I looked at previously and my research is rejuvenated! There are some cracks in the proverbial brick wall (I hate that term). Now, I think I may need to go back and try to find where Saul may have been before his family arrived in 1897 and figure out where the family was in New York City between 1906 and 1909.

Notes:
1. Manifest, S.S. Polaria, 23 November 1891, entry 196, Selig Wilenski, age 28; images, "New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2008), NARA microfilm publication M237, roll 579.
2. Manifest, S.S. Pisa, 1 June 1897, list 7, Hode Wilensky, age 33; images, "New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2008), NARA microfilm publication M237, roll 674.
3. 1905 New York State census, Albany County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, Albany, election district 1, page 20, Saul Wilson; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 November 2010); citing New York State Archives, Albany.
4. "Removal Sale," advertisement, The Columbia Weekly Republican, 23 March 1905, p. 7, col. 5; image, NYS Historic Newspapers (http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/ : accessed 13 December 2016).

Tombstone Tuesday: Sam Braverman, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

Sam Braverman was, as far as is known, the eldest son of Isidore Braverman. He was an immigrant and came to the United States in 1906.[1] His father Isidore and his uncle Jankel (who met Sam at the dock when Sam arrived in New York) lived together at 306 Cherry Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Here lies

Shlomo

son of Yitzchak Aisik ha-Levi

Died 29 Shevat 5695

May his soul be bound in the bonds of the living

BELOVED SON

AND BROTHER

SAM

BRAVERMAN

DIED FEB. 16, 1931

AGE 32 Y'RS

SON

Sam's name on his passenger manifest was Solomon. He identified himself as a tailor. Except for one record when he worked in a stand selling stationery (1915 New York State census), he worked as an operator in a shirt factory.

While Sam's death record indicates that his mother was the same woman (Ida) who fathered Isidore's other, much younger children, it is likely that Sam was from an earlier marriage.[2] In the 1910 census, Ida reported that the "number of years of present marriage" was 13. Sam was 23 years old at the time and the next oldest child in the family was Hyman, who was 12.

Sam never married and died young. How young is a question. This gravestone indicates he was 32 (born about 1899). His death certificate shows he was 47 (born about 1883). Other records place his birth in the mid 1880s.[3]
 

I have not located Sam's World War I Draft Registration or his location during the 1925 New York State census. From the other records located, the information on the gravestone inscription is clearly an outlier.

Sam had been in Greenpoint Hospital in Brooklyn since 19 January 1931, suffering from hypertension. He was buried on 17 February 1931 in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, NY, block 5, gate 567W, line 1R, grave 2.


Notes:

1. Manifest, S.S. St. Louis, 28 April 1906, stamped list 8, line 18, Salamon Braverman, age 18; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2011).
2. Kings County, death certificate no. 4702 (1931), Sam Braverman, 16 February 1931; Municipal Archives, New York City.
3. 1910 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 98, sheet 1B, dwelling 1, family 9, Sam Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1008.
   1915 New York State census, New York Co., NY, enumeration of inhabitants, Manhattan, assembly district 9, election district 9, page 72, Samuel Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 January 2015); New York State Archives, Albany.
   1920 U.S. census, New York Co., NY, pop. sched., Manhattan, E.D. 481, sheet 12A, dwell. 18, fam. 267, Samuel Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1195.
   1930 U.S. census, Kings Co., NY, pop. sched., Brooklyn, E.D. 14-1211, sheet 5B, dwell. 116, fam. 117, Sam Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 November 2010); NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1492.

Tombstone Tuesday: Esther Braverman, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

Esther Braverman, daughter of Isidore and Ida Braverman, was born in the Russian Empire about 1904. She died young. The shape of her gravestone is symbolic of her youth - a tree trunk without limbs.
 

Here lies

Ester Malka

daughter of Aizik ha-Levi

Died 8 Nisan 5685

ESTHER

BRAVERMAN

DIED APR. 2,

1925

 

AGE 20 Y'RS

 

DEAR

DAUGHTER

 
I wish I had taken a closeup of the porcelain image of Esther on her gravestone when I visited the cemetery, but, alas, I did not.

The passenger manifest that documented Esther's voyage from Rotterdam to New York aboard the S.S. Statendam (along with her mother and siblings) in 1906 at age 2, indicated that she and her family had been living in Polonne (aka, Polonnoye, a larger community 10 miles NE of Labun).[1] We do not know where she was born.

Like so many eastern European Jewish immigrants in the early part of the 1900s, Esther and her family started their lives in New York City's Lower East Side. Their passenger manifest and associated detention record indicated that the family went to (husband and father) Isidore Braverman's home at 306 Cherry Street.

In the 1910 census enumeration, the Bravermans were living at 429 Cherry Street. Esther was seven years old and attended school.[2]

In 1915, Esther and her family lived at 252 East 3rd Street in Manhattan.[3] Esther was 12 and a student. 

By the 1920 census enumeration in January of 1920, Esther had quit school and was working as a packer in a notions house.[4] She and her family lived in a tenement at 221 East 3rd Street in Manhattan.

Esther died on 1 April 1925 of chronic endocarditis and nephritis.[5] She also suffered from a pulmonary infarction. The doctor had been treating her for about three weeks. She died at the family apartment in the tenement at 416 Hinsdale Street, Brooklyn.

Esther had been working as a clerk in an office. Her death certificate indicated that she'd been born on 15 March 1903 and was 21 years old. Her gravestone indicates an age at death of 20.

Esther Braverman was buried the next day, 2 April 1925, in one of the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plots in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York: block 89, gate 156N, line 3L, grave 4.

Notes:
1. Manifest, S.S. Statendam, 29 May 1906, stamped list 57, line 5, Ester Braverman, age 2; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2011).
2. 1910 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 98, sheets 1A-1B, dwelling 1, family 9, Esther Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1008.
3. 1915 New York State census, New York County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, Manhattan, assembly district 9, election district 9, Esther Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 January 2015); citing New York State Archives, Albany. 
4. 1920 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 481, sheet 12A, dwelling 18, family 267, Esther Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1195.
5. Kings County, New York, death certificate no. 6953 (1925), Esther Braverman, 1 April 1925; Municipal Archives, New York City. 

Tombstone Tuesday: Isidore and Ida Braverman, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

Isidore Braverman and Ida braverman are a bit of a mystery. Based on information in passenger manifests, I know they lived in Polonne (about ten miles NE of Labun/Lubin) before immigration, but I have not, thus far, determined their town of birth (I like to do that to assure myself that they were, indeed, Lubiners interred in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association burial plots).
 

Here lies

Aisik son of Shlomo ha-Levi

Died 12 Sivan 5693

May his soul be bound in the bonds of the living

BELOVED HUSBAND

AND DEAR FATHER

ISIDORE

BRAVERMAN

DIED JUNE 6, 1933

AGE 75 YEARS

----------

FATHER

----------

Like so many immigrants from eastern Europe, Isidore's actual age is a bit fuzzy. On the passenger manifest of his arrival on the S.S. Statendam on 14 January 1904, he was reportedly 35 (born about 1869).[1] This gravestone suggests he was born about 1858. His death certificate indicates he was 70 when he died (born about 1863).[2]

Census enumerations add to the conflicts:

1910 U.S. census - about 1864 [3]
1915 NY State census - 1875 [4]
1920 U.S. census - 1860 [5]
1925 NY State census - 1864 [6]
1930 U.S. census - 1844 [7]

1844 seems like an outlier. And 1864 (the mode of the distribution) seems comforting. But, since no one has yet found vital records for Labun or Polonne, we are likely never to know exactly when he was born. 

The 1910 census provides some good information regarding Isidore's and  Ida's relationship. It shows that this was Isidore's 3rd marriage and Ida's first. They had been married for 13 years.
 

Here lies

Chaye daughter of Yosef ha-Kohen

Died 24 Shevat 5724

May her soul be bound in the bonds of the living

BELOVED MOTHER

AND GRANDMOTHER

IDA

BRAVERMAN

DIED FEB. 7, 1964

AGE 95 YEARS

----------

MOTHER

----------

This makes quite a bit of sense considering their children's span of ages shown in the 1910 census: Sam was the eldest child at 23 and Herman was the next oldest at 12. So, Sam was a child from one of Isidore's earlier marriages. 

Ida and her children (Kalman, Dwoire and Ester) arrived in New York City on 29 May 1906 aboard the S.S. Statendam.[8] 

In New York City, the children living with Isidore and Ida were:

Samuel, born about 1885 in Russian Empire

Herman/Hyman, b. ca 1899 in Russian Empire

Dora, b. ca. 1901 in Russian Empire

Ester, b. ca 1902 in Russian Empire

Eva/Evelyn, b. 1907 in New York City

Bessie/Betty, b. ca. 1910 in New York City 

Samuel and Esther both died young and never married. They are buried in this First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in this cemetery (and will be discussed in future posts). Eva likely married Benjamin Adler in 1931 (I have yet to acquire their marriage certificate).

On his passenger manifest Eisek/Isidore said he was a tailor. In New York City he worked sorting rags.

Isidore never became a citizen. I have noted an indexed record for someone named Ida Braverman who naturalized in 1942. I have ordered that record to determine if that is this Ida and if she identifies a birth location. I will update the post when I get the record from NARA - Northeast Region. In addition, I am pursuing further information regarding a possible marriage for Dora. If I can confirm who she married, I may be able to find naturalization information for her, as well.

It seems likely that after Isidore's death, Ida went to live with her daughter Eva Adler in Brooklyn.[9] 

Ida's gravestone indicates she was 95 at death (born about 1869). This may be a bit of an over-estimation. Earlier records seem to cluster her birth year about the mid-1870s.

Both Isidore's and Ida's graves are located in one of the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plots in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York. They are both in block 89, gate 156N. Isidore is buried in line 1R, grave 1 and Ida is in line 9L, grave 4.

Notes: 

1. Manifest, S.S. Statendam, 14 January 1904, stamped list B, line 22, Eisek Braverman, age 35; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2011).
2. Kings County, New York, death certificate no. 12297 (1933), Isidore Braverman, 6 June 1933; Municipal Archives, New York City. 
3. 1910 U.S. Census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 98, sheet 1A and 1B, dwelling 1, family 9, Isidor and Ida Braverman family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1008.
4. 1915 New York State Census, New York County, New York enumeration of inhabitants, Manhattan, assembly district 6, election district 9, page 71, entries 44-50, Isidor and Ida Braverman family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 January 2015); citing New York State Archives, Albany.
5. 1920 U.S. Census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 481, sheet 12A, dwelling 18, family 267, Isidore and Ida Braverman family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1195.
6. 1925 New York State Census, Kings County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, Brooklyn, assembly district 2, election district 47, page 36, entries 22-26, Isy and Ida Braverman family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 December 2016); citing New York State Archives, Albany.
7. 1930 U.S. Census, Kings County, New York, population schedule, Brooklyn, enumeration district 24-1211, sheet 5B, dwelling 46, family 117, Isidore and Ida Braverman family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 November 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1492.
8. Manifest, S.S. Statendam, 29 May 1906, stamped list 57, line 2, Chaje Braverman, age 30; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2011).
9. 1940 U.S. Census, Kings County, New York, population schedule, Brooklyn, enumeration district 24-100, sheet 1B, household 19, Ida Braverman; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 December 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 2549.