Esterson & Ukrainian Family Lists

 

Since there finally some Ukrainian records online, I was hoping to find my paternal grandpa’s birth record and possibly his parents’ marriage record and/or birth records. Unfortunately, no such luck.

 

There were Ukrainian Family lists (revision lists, similar to a modern day census). I did find an 1897 list for my paternal great-grandparents, 1862 and 1875 lists for my paternal great-great-grandfather! These family lists not only show their ages, but also their fathers’ names. These Family Lists had their Yiddish names, which were the names they used in Berdichev.

 

These Ukrainian Family Lists spelled our family name as Esterzon. My great-grandfather, whom we knew as Simon and Hebrew name Shlomo, was Shlioma Zelman (also spelled Shlema Zalman); His full Hebrew name was Shlomo Zalman ben Yaakov Dov. In 1897, Shlioma Zelman was listed as Head of Household, son of Yankel Ber and 28 years old. He and his family lived in Berdichev, Berdichev Uyzed, Kiyev Gubernyia, Ukraine. His wife was Elka bat Avrum Mordko and she was listed as 30 years old. They had two sons: Yankel Ber, 2 years old and Motus, 1 year old and a house maid living with them. This confirms my grandpa’s year of birth as 1896, which was on his passenger list of 1898.

 

I found an 1850, 1862 and 1875 Family Registers for my great-great-grandfather Yankel Ber (also known as Yaakov Dov). The 1875 register listed his father as Zelman which lead me to the 1850 list. This 1850 list was a true treasure! Not only did it confirm my great-great grandparents’ names and years of birth, but allowed me to go back one more generation!

 

My great-great grandfather’s parents were Zelman ben Leyb Berko and Esther Ginda bat Leyb. This 1850 list, 25 Oct 1850, has them living in Berdichev, Berdichevskiy, Kiyevskaya, Ukraine. It also shows that my great-great grandfather Yankel Ber had a sister, Nekha. She was three years younger than him, born in 1835.

 

Yankel Ber was the only one listed on the 1862 register. He was listed as 30 years old and Head of Household. The 1875 Family Register for Yankel Ber only lists him as Head of Household, age 43 and two sons. This makes me believe that his wife, Rachel Bracha Buchalter Esterzon, passed away previously, which coincides with the date of death I have for her, 1895. Yoseyf was listed as Ios, 10 years old and Shlioma Zelman, 7 years old. I don’t know why Esther Esterzon (Margosin) was in 1875. She married Yoseph Margosin in 1885 and their daughter Rebecca was born 15 Jul 1886 in Berdichev.

Now I need to be patient and hope more Ukrainian records will be uploaded. I would like to find out more about Nekha Esterzon, as well as Leyb Berko and his wife Esther Ginda bat Leyb.

 

I did find an 1858 Family Register for Elyukim Margosin (24 yrs), Yoseph’s father, before he had children. His father, Yankel Ajzyk, was dead and Elyukim was the Head of Household. Living with Elyukim was his wife, Rukhlya bat Ios (18 yrs), his mother Khana bat Abram (41 yrs) and his two sisters: Dvojra (19 yrs) and Fejga (11 yrs).

 

Third Cousin From My Immediate Steuer Family Found!

 

Thanks to finding the name of Joseph Steuer, whom I believed to be my great-grandfather’s brother on a family tree done by someone who’s name I didn’t recognize. I wrote and asked him a few questions. He answered back stating this was his wife’s family and referred me to her older sister.

 

It has been wonderful corresponding with this Marschark cousin. She and her 3 siblings are my third cousins. Our mothers, Carol Helen Steuer Esterson and Miriam Beatrice Schiff Marschark were second cousins.

Carol H Steuer, Feb 1948                                                           Miriam Beatrice Schiff, Aug 1946                                                                       

My newfound cousin’s maternal great-grandmother was Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff. My maternal great-grandfather was William Steuer. Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff and William Steuer were siblings. I was send a photo which had “Grandma” written on it, as well as Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff, her eldest, Bessie Margaret “Beezy” Schiff and her youngest, Sarah Schiff. Both girls went by other names. Bessie was also known as Beatrice and appeared on census reports as Bess and Betsey. Sarah was known as Sadie, Sally, Suzy and later on went by Sue V. I recognized the woman sitting. She is Rose Keller Steuer, Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff’s mother.

 

1901

Back: Bessie Schiff & “Rose” Steuer Schiff

Front: Sarah Schiff & her grandma Rose Keller Steuer

You can see that Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff looks very much like her mother Rose Keller Steuer. Her face is a bit rounder and her nose is a bit wider, bit it’s her overall look.

 

Rose’s Yiddish name was Rasei. Rose Keller Steuer lived both with her daughter Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff (1905, 217½ Seventh Street, Manhattan Borough, New York City, New York) and her son William Steuer, 1910 until her death 04 Feb 1914. She died at home, 246 Rivington Street, New York City, New York. Rose Keller Steuer was not shown as living with Rachel nor William on the 1900 census and not living with her other daughter Sarah Steuer Schwartz. I don’t know where Rose Keller Steuer lived in 1900 or where she lived from the time the family immigrated to New York.

 

Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff was also known as Regee (on her son Jacob’s death record, 19 Jun 1900, cert #20024), Regina (1905 Census) and Rosie (on her son Sam’s death record).

 

Front: Sammy, Rose, Sadie, Marcus and Henry

Back: Bessie and Nathan

 

            Bessie – Beatrice Schiff                                                Dr. Nathan Schiff

Standing: Raymond and Miriam Beatrice

Sitting: Jessie and Henry Schiff

Sarah – Suzy Schiff

I look forward to getting to know my newfound cousin better and hopefully see more old family photos, hear family stories and maybe even be able to finally find out more about Joseph Steuer and his descendants.

 

My Cantor-Kaufman Family

 After many years of not giving up, I was contacted by a cousin from great-grandma Sarah Kaufman’s family. The only cousins I have connected with have all come from great-grandma Sarah’s brother Samuel’s line. Samuel and his family moved to Fall River, Massachusetts about 6 months after their third child, Moshe Kapil Kaufman, was born.

 

I was given a lot of information from Cousin Ruth (Gamson, z”l) many, many years ago via regular letters. She had told me that Beverly Gamson Melanson had the family recipes, but didn’t know where they ended up after her death. I still haven’t found out where the recipes ended up.

 

The cousin that contacted me is the granddaughter of Dora Kaufman Garonsky. She had asked me about her father’s side of the family, which I have tried to get her more information - I did already have information on his family, but I still haven’t been able to answer her question as to why they changed the family name from Shapiro to Superior.

 

Since we have been communicating, I have gotten some family photos of her family. Wedding photos are always great, a start of a new union and the year is known and when there are group wedding photos, you get to see the extended family. I got two photos of Estelle Garonsky Superior, one was take after their marriage, so it is both Estelle and Richard.

 

I also got a nice photo of Estelle’s brother, Jordan Garonsky, later known as JayGaron, who was the literary agent for John Grisham. I previously only had a photo from the newspaper.

 

I was given a bit more information on Estelle, Richard and Dora. The best thing for me was getting Dora’s cookie recipe. I did know she kept a kosher home and this recipe had interesting liquid in this recipe, which keeps these cookies parve – cherry juice! The recipe seems to be a nice twist on a sugar cookie with cinnamon and sugar, along with cut cherries on cookie tops. I hope I will be up to being in the kitchen and baking soon so I can try this recipe!

I am still hoping I can find descendants of Max Kaufman Cantor. I only know he had a daughter named Gertrude Cantor. Max changed his surname back to the family’s original surname of Cantor after he immigrated to New York. My mom told me that she remembered that Cantor cousins visited them in Florida, but she didn’t remember their names or how exactly they were cousins. I was able to tell her the relationship to the Cantor family, but still haven’t found out who visited her and her family. I also still looking for descendants of Rose Kaufman Forman. I do know their other sister, Fanny Kaufman Cooperman never had any children.

I am also hoping I can get more family recipes. Pesac is around the corner and I always think about family recipes. I have an Esterson matzah ball recipe and I also have my great-aunt Babs’ Passover Rolls recipe.

Sherlock's Unsolved Mystery - The Esterson Mystery

by Michal Esterson

There is still a mystery on my paternal side of the family. One Pesach I was with my grandfather’s cousin, Jerry, in Jerusalem and he told a true story just before his youngest grandson was to go and open the door for Eliahu. This story was about one Pesach Seder at his paternal grandfather’s house (Baltimore, Maryland), Joseph Esterson (27 Nov 1864-26 Apr 1942). Joseph’s fourth born son (b. 1895) was sent to open the door to the home during the family Pesach Seder, in order to allow the prophet Elijah to enter. When called upon to return to the Seder table, he did not respond, and when someone went to the door to investigate, he was found to have disappeared. He was never heard from again. It is thought that he was about 3-4 years old at the time. No one remembers his name or whatever happened to him. It was possible he was kidnapped, or possibly wondered away.

Family photo taken after their son went missing. Rebecca and Joseph are sitting.


I sure would like to find out what really happened and what his name was.  I'm still looking for Joseph's 1900 census report - maybe there I can find this son's name.  Joseph emigrated to Baltimore on 01 Feb 1891.  By 1892 he had earned enough money to bring over his wife Rebecca, and their first two children Jacob and Albert.  He enjoyed studying talmud and tanach in the Shaarei Zion Synagogue, in which he was a member for many years. He was a tailor and retailer.


Joseph's younger brother Shlomo (Simon) emgirated alone too and went directly to live with him in 1896.  Shlomo operated his pants shop on the first floor of their three story row house (as subcontractor to a clothing manufacturer). His workers were people brought over from Europe, taught the work for a living (housing, food, & clothing) until ready to go out on their own.  His shop on Hanover Street was a slightly larger shop.


Shlomo and his family lived through the Baltimore Fire of 1904.  Raged over a large part of the city, within blocks of where they lived.  People were moved through the night by horse-drawn vehicles, by the Davidson Transfer Company.  His wife, Elke, departed Bremen, German on 14 Jul 1898.  She and her children also went directly to her brother-in-law Joseph's house to join her husband there.  She made the button-holes of the pants at their pant shop.  She was ill from February-May 1920.  She died around November 1932.


More on Shlomo and Elke's family later.

I’m the Sherlock Holmes of the Family

by Michal Esterson

I’m a modern day Sherlock Holmes digging up information on my extended family. I’m still trying to find the missing pieces of my large family jigsaw puzzle.

My quest for information started 37 years ago with a high school science project about genes. We needed to do a chart of our ancestors with their height, complexion, eye and hair colors. For some unknown reason I was drawn to Sephardic foods, music and customs, never knowing why. It so happens that one branch of my maternal grandfather's family named their children after living relatives, as a lot of the Sephardim - definitely not like the Ashkenazim. I know his family was from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but where did they come from before the 1800's? I'm still adding branches and new leaves.

About 11 years ago, here in Israel, I did find out from a distant cousin living in Jerusalem that my maternal great-great-grandfather's family was originally from Spain. They left Spain and went to Lithuania via Germany. I'm still searching for more information. Yankl and Risha Cantor and their family lived in Meretz (Meretch) and Sirai Lithuania. Yankl gave his sons different last names (KAUFMAN, GODROV and STRAZH) to keep them from being conscripted into the Red Army. It’s known that they had 3 sons; no one seems to know if Yankl and Risha had any daughters. Yankl and his son Nissan owned a lot of land in the north of Lithuania and were farmers until the end of WWII.  Under the Czar, no Jews were allowed to own land (Lithuania Poland Russia).