Tombstone Tuesday: Louis and Bessie Feltzin, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

So far, I have not been able to discern exactly why Louis and Bessie Feltzin associated with the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association. Their graves are in one of the landsmanshaft's plots in Montefiore Cemetery. I have determined Louis' town of origin (which is nowhere near Lubin), but I have been unable to determine Bessie's - except that she was born in the Russian Empire.

Here lies

Yehudah Leib

son of Yeshiah

Died 5 Nisan 5708

May his soul be bound in the bonds of the living

DEVOTED HUSBAND

AND DEAR FATHER

LOUIS

DIED APRIL 14, 1948

AGED 68 YEARS

Leib Felszyn was born to Shia (short for Yeshiah) and Rachel Felszyn. His Social Security record indicates he was born 15 January 1879.[1]

He emigrated in 1913, leaving his first wife, Ester, and children behind in Borshchagovka (today, Borshchahivka, Ukraine).[2] The community is about 150 kilometers SW of Kiev. Like many immigrants who left their families behind just prior to the start of World War I, Leib's family could not join him until the early 1920s. 

By that time, Ester had, likely, passed away and Leib's children Josef and Chave Feltzin made the trip without their mother in 1921.[3] Upon arrival in the United States, Chave took the name Evelyn.

Later that year, Louis married Bessie (or Beckie) Salman who was also widowed.[4] 

Here lies

Basye daughter of Mordechai

Died the fifth day of Passover 5717

May her soul be bound in the bonds of the living

BELOVED AUNT

BESSIE FELTZIN

DIED APRIL 20, 1957

AGED 85 YEARS 

 
Bessie's first name on records in the United States is variously Bessie or Beckie (short for Rebecca). Joseph Feltzin, Louis' son from his first marriage to Ester, reported his "mother" as Reva Polischluk on his marriage certificate.[5] On his "California, Death Index" record on Ancestry his mother's maiden name is listed as "Polashuk."[6] Reva or Rivka is the equivalent of Rebecca. So, possibly, Polischluk was Bessie's maiden name. 

In 1920, before his family arrived, Louis worked as a blacksmith at a wagon works and lived with his nephew Irving Feltzin and Irving's family at 404 25th Street in Manhattan.[7]

Louis and Beckie were at 221 E. 3rd Street, New York, New York during the June 1925 New York State census. Louis was still a blacksmith and his 17-year old daughter Evelyn was working as a doll maker.[8]

By 1930, both Louis' children were married and living elsewhere. Louis and Beckie/Bessie lived at 257 E. 2nd Street, New York, New York. Louis had moved from a dying industry to one with a future: he worked as a mechanic in the motion picture industry.[9]

While Louis naturalized in 1928, Bessie, if she became a citizen at all, did not do so until after the April 1940 U.S. census enumeration.[10] In 1940 the couple lived at 108-10 E. 2nd Street in Manhattan. Louis worked as a laborer for the highway department.

Detail from Louis Feltzin and Beckie Salman marriage certificate

I have not located any indexed naturalization file for Beckie/Bessie. I have not determined from where or when she immigrated and I have not located information regarding who her first husband may have been. Her marriage certificate with Louis reports both her surname and maiden name as Salman.

Her father's name is not discernable, but it is definitely not Mordechai, on Louis and Beckie's marriage certificate. Beckie's mother, on the marriage certificate, is Sarah.  

Joseph Feltzin married Jennie Shmit in Manhattan on 24 April 1923.[11] If his California death index record is correct, he later changed his surname to Felton.

Evelyn married Samuel Appel on 27 March 1927 in Manhattan. Evelyn (sometimes called Eva) reported that her mother's name had been Esther Borden.[12]

Both Louis' and Bessie's grave are located in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot at block 89, gate 156N in Montefiore Cemetery. Louis' grave is in line 7R, grave 2. Bessie's is in line 12L, grave 3.

Notes:

1. "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," index, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 November 2016; entry for Louis Feltzin, claim date 19 September 1947.
2. Manifest, S.S. Montezuma, 9 October 1913, list 5, line 15, Leib Felszyn, age 35; images, "U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1825-1960," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 March 2015).

3. Manifest, S.S. Samland, 17 March 1921, list 18, lines 6-7, Josef Feltin, age 15, and Chave Feltin, age 9; images, "Pennsylvania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1800-1962," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2017).

4. New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 22842 (1921), Louis Feltzin and Beckie Salman, 21 August 1921; Municipal Archives, New York City.
5. New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 15577 (1923), Joseph Feltzin and Jennie Shmit, 24 April 1923; Municipal Archives, New York City. 
6. "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," index, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 June 2017); entry for Joseph Felton, 27 April 1991, Los Angeles, California; citing California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
7. 1920 U.S. Census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 870, sheet 3A, dwelling 13, family 63, Louis Feltzin; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 March 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1206.
8. 1925 New York State Census, New York County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, Manhattan, assembly district 6, election district 9, p. 8, entries 38-40, Louis and Beckie Felzden family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 June 2017); New York State Archives, Albany.
9. 1930 U.S. Census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 31-172, sheet 7B, dwelling 29, family 215, Louis and Beckie Feltzin; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 March 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1551.
10. 1940 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 31-704, sheet 2B, household 65, Louis and Bessie Feltzin; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 2640.
11. New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 15577, Joseph Feltzin and Jennie Shmit, 24 April 1923; Municipal Archives, New York City.
12. New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 8449, Sam Appel and Evelyn Feltzin, 24 March 1927; Municipal Archives, New York City.