First STEUER DNA Match Confirmed Family Connection

 For the first time, I have been able to connect a Steuer DNA match with one of my Steuer branches!

My cousin Michael sent me information on his newest DNA match. His newest DNA match is a Steuer via his maternal side. His mother, Clara Steuer Kord, was the daughter of Desidero/Desider (David) Steuer and Lenke/Lanke Vamos (Ileana Weisz-Vamos).

 

Lenke’s family changed their name from Weisz to Vamos, as many other families. She was born about 1885, Fersig Syatmar Hungary. During WWII she was able to get to Paris. About 1949/1950 she went to Canada and lived with her sister Rose for a while. She crossed the Canadian border at the Buffalo, New York Border Crossing. Her arrival contact was her daughter Clara. Lenke then went to Ohio to live with her daughter Clara and family.

 

Desidero/Desider “David” Steuer was a Literature Professor at a gymnasium in Budapest, as far as we know. He is a mystery to their family because before the war, he and Lenke separated and officially divorced on her border crossing from Canada. I am 99.9% sure he is the second son of Rabbi Abraham Steuer and Sari (Sarlota) Mandelbaum. I have his name as Deszo from my telephone conversations with Eva Steuer Halas. She told me he perished in a concentration camp, but wasn’t sure which one.

 

It was when I learned that Clara “Klarika”, who was born in Budapest, but married in Satu Mare (Crisana-Maramures / Romania) came to light, a light bulb went off for me  . I immediately wrote her son and asked if he recognized the name Eva and George Halas. The reply I got back was "Wow! Eva was Clara's cousin."

I then asked if theyheard about Eva Steuer Halas' grandfather, Rabbi Abraham Steuer. I did have an idea who "David" was in relation to Eva's family, but wanted to know more before coming to a conclusion.

I was sent a copy of Clara Steuer and Joseph Katz's (later Kord) marriage record. A witness listed on their marriage record was Dr. Eugene Steuer. Dr. Eugene Steuer was born Izrael, his Hungarian name was Jeno. It so happens that he was a physician and during his military service, 1915-1918, he was the Head Field Doctor in Albania, Italy. He later perished in 1943 at Auschwitz, along with his wife Margit Friedmann Steuer and daughter Etelka Eszter Steuer.

Dr. Eugene Steuer was one of Eva Steuer Halas' paternal uncles. This makes me even more convinced that "David" was in fact Rabbi Abraham Steuer’s second oldest son, known to me from Eva as Dezso. Up until now I only knew that Dezso Steuer was born 30 Nov 1875, Szatmar, Okorito, Szatmar, Hungary and that he perished in a concentration camp. Eva didn’t remember at the time I spoke with her (on the phone), his profession and I didn’t think about asking about his wife or children.

I then got a couple of photos, one of Eva and George Halas and another of Eva, her daughter Monica, Clara’s daughter Mariana and another relative Fran. Since these photos came from Clara’s daughter, it is one more link between Clara and Eva.

Clara and Joseph first immigrated in 1939 with their son Victor to Canada. Her maternal uncle Ernest Vamos lived in San Francisco, California, who was their sponsor to the United States. Clara and Joseph settled in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Their daughter was born there and both Clara and Joseph were naturalized in Ohio.

 

It’s unfortunate that the cousins are no longer with us, especially since I have found many other cousins via birth records. There were other Steuer cousins living in Toronto that I wished I could have connected Eva with. There still is one living cousin in Calgary who is a descendant of Rabbi Abraham Steuer’s brother, Salamon Steuer.

Still looking for more information on David/Dezso Steuer and "Aunt Borishka."

Kushner Cousins Identified

 

I never thought I would find any of my Kushner cousins, especially since I know that Herman Kushner, even though he married, had no children of his own. His wife did have a child by her first marriage. I also have known for years that Nate Kushner had one daughter, Honey. Grandma told me about her niece Honey herself, but I have yet been unable to find out if she ever married. I have been in touch with Nettie’s family members and was in touch with one of Celia’s daughters for a while.

 

Great-grandpa Jacob had four brothers who lived passed childhood. His brother Abe, whose photo with his wife was always on grandma’s dresser while I was growing up, only had one child: Edwin I Kushner. Edwin was a Flight Officer and had received awards and decorations. The National Jewish Welfare Board first had Edwin as missing, and then declared dead. Edwin died just 3 weeks before WWII ended.

Edwin I Kushner, front

As for Jacob’s brother Samuel, I’m not sure if I actually found the correct records for him. Grandma wasn’t sure about his wife’s name, but thought it may have been Leah. I don’t know if Joseph had any children or not. I did however know that George married Lena Bloom and that they had two daughters: Nettie and Rose. I also know that Nettie married and had two daughters and their last name was Butler. This is because George, Lena and Rose moved from New York to Atlanta and lived with Nettie and her daughters after she became a widow. I knew, according to the 1940 census, that Nettie was a widow and her daughters were 6 and 10 years old.

 

Just a few days ago I discovered that someone has Nettie, her two daughters and David Butler in his family tree. I contacted him and come to find out, he lives in my old stomping ground! He also has more information on Nettie - she had another husband and information her two daughters and their families! I was so excited, I stayed up until 4:30 AM looking at all of his information on my newly discovered cousins. Thank you California!