48 Years of Research Bears Fruit

 

Finally after 48 years of research I was able to find and connect with my great-grandfather’s sister’s descendants. It has been eye opening and wonderful getting to know them, stories they have heard from their grandparents and old family photos they have graciously shared with me.

I previously wrote about finding Rachel “Rose” Steuer Schiff’s family members, November 2023. The shared photos showed that Rachel looked very much like her mother, Rasei “Rose” Keller Steuer. From the photo 1901 of Rachel, her daughters and her mother, you can see that her daughter Beatrice looks a lot like her mother.

 

Just about a week ago, January 2024, I was able to connect with Sadie/Sarah Steuer Schwartz’s great-great-grandson and through him I have been in touch with one of her great-granddaughters. I’m so excited! I have wanted to know my cousins from my own direct Steuer line since I first started my research on my grandpa Max Steuer and his family.

I was told a story by one of Sarah’s great-granddaughter that she heard from her mother. The story was that her mother’s grandmother, who came over to this country with her husband, who was teaching at Yale University.

Her grandmother was being tutored in English by a student at Yale and left her husband and went to live in Brooklyn with the student and that she had three children. The oldest one Max. She thought this was a story about her grandmother's mother, Sarah Steuer Schwartz. 

This story totally didn't fit with the information I had on her grandmother's parents. Louis Schwartz was a cap maker and their son, Max Steuer Schwartz, followed in his father's footsteps. I put on my Sherlock hat and went to work. This story was interesting, but I hadn't ever heard anything like it from anyone else in the family.

I discovered that the story was about my cousin's mother's paternal grandparents, Irving J. Secols's parents: Samuel Secol and Esther Feinstein Secol. Esther was still married when she had her third child, Milton Saxe Secol. The name Saxe is from her tutor, Moses Saxe, yet Sam was listed as his father on Social Security and death record, as wellas the obvious, his birth record. Moses and Esther married in March 1911 and they had a son, Edwin L. Saxe.

Another story was about driving to Providence, Rhode Island to visit relatives. She wasn't sure if they were Aunts and Uncles or grandparents' siblings. They were chicken farmers and they would collect eggs. I hope in time we can figure out who her mother remembered visiting in Rhode Island.

Louis and Sadie/Sarah (Steuer) Schwartz had five children: Max Steuer Schwartz, baby Schwartz, Lena "Lillian" Schwartz, Stella Schwartz and Fannie M. "Frances" Schwartz. Their youngest was born in Providence, Rhode Island. They lived in Rhode Island until 1914 or early 1915. Then the family lived in Brooklyn, New York.

Louis and Sadie's eldest, Max married Harriet Hoffman in Boston, Massachusetts, but they lived in Brooklyn, New York. Lillian, Lena as she was born, married Irving J. Secol, as mentioned above. Stella married Meyer Jacobs and Fannie married Emanuel "Manny" Weintraub.

Continuing to find out more on my new cousins and their families.

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.

 

Ilona Frankel Family Breakthrough

 

When I first learned about Ilona, I only knew that she was a cousin of Eva Steuer Halas and her mother was Eva’s aunt Borishka. I of course jump right in to search Eva’s Steuer uncles and their families.

I did find a Borbala Steuer, daughter of Nathan Steuer and Bella Jozefovits. So for while I thought I found Ilona Frankel’s mother, and kept on searching to find out Ilona’s maiden name and hopefully, who her father was.

Just two days ago I hit the jackpot! I found the actual marriage record for Ilona and Artur Frenkel. Sometime between Ilona and Artur’s arrival to the USA, there was a name change. Artur became Arthur and changed the spelling of his last name to Frankel. The marriage record has Ilona’s maiden name, Fröhlinger.

 

Now that I found her maiden name I was able to find Ilona’s birth record. Her birth record of course gave both of her parents’ names. Now I know her father was Móric Fröhlinger. Ilona and her one brother I found, Lajos Fröhlinger, both were born in Satoraljaujhely, Satoraljaujhely Jaras, Zemplen Megye, Hungary. I also found out Lajos married Róza Gebei on 15 Oct 1939 in Budapest and that Lajos perished in the Holocaust.

 

I also have uncovered Ilona’s paternal aunts and uncles, as well as her paternal grandmother’s maiden name. Ilona’s paternal grandparents were Ignácz (Chajen Izsak) Frölhinger and Pepi/Peppi Kronovicz. Ignácz and Pepi’s children are Moses Wolf, Eszti, Hani and Móric. Moses Wolf was illegitimate and the youngest son of Ignácz is Bernat Berl and his mother is listed as Betti Kronovicz.

 

Arthur and Ilona emigrated on 10 Feb 1940. Their final destination was to go to Sam Gerik, 606 Muller, St. Clairton, Pennsylvania. Ilona and Arthur left Pittsburgh between 1942 and 1945 and settled in Cleveland. They had two daughters in Cleveland. Ilona and Arthur retired in Hollywood, Boward County, Florida, where Arthur died on 15 Dec 1986. Ilona died 14 Mar 1999 in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida.

 

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."

Answers held in a 21 Sep 1958 letter

I remembered getting a copy of a letter that spoke about the STEUER family lore. I decided to read it again and dissect it. Since I keep want to go backwards and find out more on our ancestors, I wanted more clarity in where to look.

There is a letter from Minnie & Barney Steuer, dated 21 Sep1958, to Kermit & Henrietta states that the STEUER name doesn't go back more than three generations. It does state that Bernhardt, Aaron and Julius were brothers and about 6 brothers stayed behind in Hungary as as they knew. The descendants of those brothers had either been lost track of or were murdered in the holocaust.

Pg 1 of Barney Steuer's letter to Kermit, 1958

This letter continues to state that the father of these brothers was not STEUER but Yudkovitch (Judkowitz, Judkiewicz (Hungarian spelling), Judkovics). The story came from Max David Steuer, known as "Pop" to his family, the son of Bernhardt. The story was one of Bernhardt's brothers was bethrothed to a young lady whose last name was STEUER. She was an only child and her father, anxious to have the family name perpetuated asked the prospective son-in-law (whom is still unknown at this time) to take the name of Steuer when he married his daughter.

This brother did take on the name STEUER and the, gradually, one by one the other brothers did the same. The only one who didn’t do it was Bernhardt who came to the USA as Judkowitz, not Steuer, so said by Barney. I do have Hungarian birth records for six of Bernhardt’s children, all born in Bihar Megye, Hungary and some had the last name of Judkiewicz and Mary and Max were born as Steuer.

Some birth records for Bernhardt (Berl) & Fanny's children

The brother I have as not changing his name was Hersk Judkiewicz. His grandson, Josef/Joseph Judkovic was born in Csebinye, Zemplen Megye, Hungary and arrived in New York on 11 February 1898 at the age of 17. He had been told by his father, Abraham Judkiewicz, never to change his name. Marc Judkowitz is a known DNA match to Arthur and Michael, Bernhardt’s great-grandsons and to one of Julius Steuer’s (Cleveland branch) great-great-grandson.

Josef Judkovic Passenger Record

Bernhardt and Fanny may have emigrated under the name of Yudkatitch/Judkiewicz/Judkowitz or someother spelling for the name. The story Max Steuer told, after his father Bernhardt arrived in New York and being introduced as Mr. Steuer, he found the conflict of names embarrassing and then took the name of Steuer as well. Max went on to state that the family was Hungarian and mentioned they were from Grossvardein (the German name for Nagyvarad) and Homona (where the famous Max D Steuer was from).

I have often wondered why Max referred to the place he was born as Grossvardein instead of Nagyvarad if the family had always been Hungarian. The letter from Barney continues to state that the place where Max was born was at one time part of Bohemia, hence could be the reason for the German name. Bernhardt’s brother Aaron was a vintor in Bohemia before he and his family emigrated to New York (before Bernhardt emigrated).

Nagyvarad (Grossvardein) are known today as Oradea, Romania. In Hebrew and Yiddish texts the German name was used. It’s known that Jews in Nagyvarad were immigrants from Bohemia and Moravia. These Jews adopted the Hungarian language and culture earlier than other Jewish communities in Hungary.

 

Nagyvarad, Hungary

I haven’t been able to find any Bohemian records. I do have some theories as to other family members because of their spouses family names are names that others in the extended Steuer family married into, so this tends to lead to the general areas they were from. Still missing other brothers, so there still are large puzzle pieces missing. Maybe one of these days I will find more records and be able to go back a few more generations.