The Landes cousin who may or may not have existed

One of the first mysteries I encountered when first starting my research into my family history has still not been solved. Maybe you can help by looking at the facts and sharing your thoughts, interpreting the incomplete documentation, or seeing if you find something I’ve missed.

Yeruslavitz family history

The Yeruslavitz family migrated from Romania to Canada and to various locations throughout the United States.

Catching up with the Sturmwalds

Years ago I struggled with conflicting information about second great grandmother, Eliza Sturmwald Lustig, and the name of her mother. On Eliza’s death certificate, her mother is listed as Charlotte Newmann. On her marriage certificate, the name of Eliza’s mother appears to be Janetta Shyck. After some time thinking about it, with no other information […]

Berman family history

The Berman family emigrated from Odessa, destined for the United States, at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Fan Hayes Yeruslavitz Brooks

I met with a distant relative today and discovered more information about Fanny Hayes Yeruslavitz, my first cousin three times removed. New photos, too.

Landes immigration map

This map shows the important locations — residences and ports — for my Landes ancestors through my second great grandfather.

Obituary for Moses Landes, 1926

The Canadian Jewish Review, with a “society” section that was the social media of its day, published a death notice for my second great grandfather.

Landes family history

Moses Landes married Bertha “Brauna” Yaruslavitz in Iași, Romania in 1875, and by the turn of the century the entire Landes family had immigrated to North America by way of England.

The Landes immigration to Canada

Immigration records newly available online point to more information about my second great grandparents’ arrival in North America.

Updated spellings after new information

Talking to a cousin provided some clarity around my second great grandmother’s maiden name — Kashowitz, not Rashowitz or Rochaurtz. I’ve also standardized the spelling of another popular surname throughout the tree.

The two marriages of Fannie Landes

Fannie Landes first married Albert Paltiel, then married Adolph Goldenberg after Albert died. The two marriage certificates expand the family tree but don’t definitively answer questions about Fannie’s mother, Bertha.

Bertha Jereslawitz Landes’s death certificate

The latest of three death certificates I’ve received in the mail is the least conclusive, yet I am inclined to consider some of the facts accurate enough to include this death certificate for Bertha Landes.

Is this the real Joseph Lustig?

Just like I had difficulty reconciling Eliza Strumwald Lustig’s death certificates with the facts I considered to be true, I now have the same concerns about this death certificate for Joseph Lustig.

The Lepianskis in Lithuania

Just days ago I had little information about my great grandmother. Now, I know about her entire family in Lithuania.

Reach out to relatives to reconnect and discuss family history

I spoke with my great aunt (or grand aunt — the terminology can be confusing — my mother’s mother’s sister) over the phone a few days ago, and by asking a few specific questions I was able to correct some errors and fill some holes in the family tree.

Who are the Neckameyers?

When I began my research, I didn’t know my maternal grandfather’s mother’s name. Now I know more about her family.

Naturalization: Moses Landes

On Fold3, I discovered naturalization papers for my second great grandfather which otherwise would need to have been ordered from the National Archives.

Marriage certificate: Wolf Neckameyer and Rose Goldfarb

The marriage certificate of Samuel Berman and Anna Neckameyer gave me the name of Anna’s parents: Wolf Neckameyer and Rebecca Rochaurtz. By the time Wolf is living in the United States with his daughter Anna (and possibly with other children — that’s a different discussion), Rebecca had passed away and he had remarried. I ordered […]

Samuel Berman’s migration to America from Odessa

Using tools on Fold3, I discovered Samuel Berman’s (my great grandfather’s) naturalization papers. Samuel declared his intention to become a citizen in 1912, and in 1916 completed his Petition for Naturalization, was informed of his approval, and signed the Oath of Allegiance. I hadn’t come across these documents in any other searches so far, including […]