Tombstone Tuesday: Samuel and Rose Cantor, Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York

Back in November 2016 I researched and documented Zalman and Rachel Rochman, immigrants from Labun whose graves are in one of the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plots in Montefiore Cemetery. At the time, I was able to locate records for their two sons, Charles Rochman and Aaron Rockman. I was not, however, able to find any records for their two daughters, Ronia and Mindla, who had immigrated with their mother.[1]

Well, I've located Ronia. In the United States, she became Rose Rochman and married Sam Kanchich, who became Sam Cantor.

CANTOR

Ronia daughter of Zalman

ROSE

BELOVED WIFE

MOTHER

GRANDMOTHER

JAN. 5,1903

DEC. 25, 1981

Yisrael son of Moshe Zav

SAMUEL

BELOVED HUSBAND

FATHER

GRANDFATHER

SEPT. 30, 1899

JAN. 20, 1978

TOGETHER IN LIFE, TOGETHER IN DEATH

The key to determining Rose Cantor's maiden name was linking her death records in the "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," database on Ancestry and her gravestone. The database included her birth (although identified as 1904, not 1903) and death date and her father's surname.[2] And, of course, her gravestone indicated that her father's name was Zalman. Further research and census and naturalization records confirmed earlier evidence.

Nineteen year old Ronia Rojchmann arrived in New York Harbor on the S.S. Mount Carroll on 1 November 1921 with her mother, Ruchla (Rachel), and her siblings, Szika (Charles), Aron (Aaron), and Mindla. Ruchla, her husband Zalman, and all the children were born in Labun.

Srul Kancrik (Samuel Cantor) arrived in New York on 22 February 1921.[3] He'd been born in and resided in what appears to have been Sudilkov [typed as "Serdylkow" on his manifest]. Sudilkov is 24 kilometers northeast of Labun. So, it is possible that he and Ronia knew each other before emigration.

The couple married on 31 May 1925 in Brooklyn.[4] By June of that year they lived in an apartment at 417 Hinsdale in Brooklyn.[5] Sam was a shoemaker.

Their first child Saul Cantor was born 20 February 1926 (he died 4 February 2004).[6] In 1930, the family lived at 158 Boerum Street, Brooklyn. Sam was an operator at a ladies shoe factory.[7] Their daughter Mildred Cantor was born in 1930.[8]

In 1940, the Cantors were at 442 Logan Street in Brooklyn and Sam had his own business running a grocery store.[9] Grandfather, Solomon (Zalman) Rochman lived with them. I had not located Rochman previously in the 1940 census. Seeking the Cantors allowed me to find him.

Sam Cantor's Social Security Death Index record indicates his last residence was in Brooklyn in 1978.[10] Rose, however, died almost three years later in Orange County, California.

Rose's and Samuel's graves are located in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in block 89, gate 156N, line 1L, grave 3 and 4, Montefiore Cemetery.

Notes:
1. Manifest, S.S. Mount Carroll, 1 November 1921, p. 18, lines 1-5, Ruchla (age 46 [?]), Szika (11), Aron (9), Ronia (19), and Mindla (17) Rojchmann; images, "New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 April 2011).
2. "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 September 1916), entry for Rose Cantor, 25 December 1981; citing California Department of Health Services, Sacramento. 
3. Manifest, S.S. Aquitania, 22 February 1921, list 15, line 6, Srul Kancrik, age 20; images, "New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 July 2017). 
4. Kings County, New York, marriage certificate no. 8252 (1925), Saul Kanchich and Rose Rackman; Municipal Archives, New York City; index, "NYC Brides Record Index," Italian Genealogy Group (http://www.italiangen.org : accessed 16 July 2017), search on sounds like "Rose Rockman." [original record will be ordered]
   Sam Cantor Petition for Naturalization (1933), naturalization file 188237, Eastern District of New York; images, "New York, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1940," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 July 2017). 
5. 1925 New York State census, Kings County, New York, enumeration of inhabitants, Brooklyn, assembly district 2, election district 47, p. 46, Sam and Rose Cantor; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 July 2017); citing New York State Archives, Albany. 
6. Sam Cantor Petition for Naturalization (1933), naturalization file 188237, Eastern District of New York.
7. 1930 U.S. Census, Kings Co., NY, pop. sched., Brooklyn, E.D. 24-170, p. 2A, dwelling 72, family 237, Samuel and Rose Cantor family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 December 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1517.
8. Sam Cantor Petition for Naturalization (1933), naturalization file 188237, Eastern District of New York.
9. 1940 U.S. Census, Kings Co., NY, pop. sched., Brooklyn, E.D. 24-2664, p. 13A, household 251, Samuel and Rose Cantor family [indexed as Carter]; ; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 July 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 2617.
10. "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014," index, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 September 2016); entry for Samuel Cantor, SSN 124-24-4001, January 1978.
11. "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 September 1916), entry for Rose Cantor, 25 December 1981.