Abraham Wishnefsky was born on October 31, 1905, in Paterson, New Jersey. His parents were Joseph and Mathilda Phillips Wishnefsky. Abraham had an older brother, Jacob.
His father, Joseph, is listed in the 1905 Paterson, New Jersey, City Directory under Plumbers and Gas Fitters. [1]
His father had a store that sold plumbing supplies, tin roofing, second-hand and new stoves and more. Matilda visited the store with her 2 sons. We are not sure who the girl is as she is not in the 1910 Census [2].
Matilda was the daughter of Yona (John) David Phillips. She was born in Poland circa 1878. Joseph was the son of Yacov Wishnefsky. Joseph emigrated to the United States circa 1892. At this time, we do not know if he was married or met Matilda in the United States.
Here is a young Abe, but is he with parents or grandparents?
Abe, Matilda, Joseph, Jacob
Abe filed his draft card in 1940. At that time he was still living with his mother. [3]
His parents, circa 1942
His father passed away in January of 1943 and is buried in the Silk City Benevolent Assiciation Cemetery, Woodland Park, New Jersey. [4]
He enlisted in July of 1943 at age 38. [5] He was one of the oldest men enlisting and serving. Before enlisting he worked as a plumber’s assistant.
From pictures that he sent home, we know he was stationed in Italy.
From his discharge papers, we learn that while in the Army, he was assigned to the 1116 Engineering Forestry Company and he was an Antitank Gunner. He was discharged on October 2, 1945.
Abe and his parents
He applied for a marriage license to Helen Kirsch, also from Paterson, in 1946. [6]
Also, in 1946, he filed an application to formally change his name from Wishnefsky to Warren. [7]
In 1950, he and Helen were living with Helen’s mother in Paterson. [8]
He and Helen had moved to a one-bedroom, second floor apartment at 29 Linwood Ave. in East Paterson (Elmwood), New Jersey. [9]
In March of 1957, he reported to the police that two hubcaps had been stolen off of his car which was parked in front of his apartment.
His mother, Matilda, died in 1960. She is buried with her husband in the Silk City Benevolent Assiciation Cemetery, Woodland Park, New Jersey. [10].
Her obituary was published in The News on August, 27, 1960 on page 19 and was put online by Newspapers.com. From her obituary, we learn that she was a member of Paterson’s Workmen’s Circle #13
Three of the things that Helen and Abe inherited from Matilda were a 1909 miniature prayer book, a hand-painted tea set from Japan, and a mantel clock.
Helen and Abe enjoyed dressing up and going out. Abe was a very good dancer. Here they are at some occassion but we don’t know who the other people are.
Abe’s brother, Jacob, died in 1975. He had also changed his name to Warren.
Jacob is buried in Congregation B’nai Israel Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. [11]
As Helen and Abe got older, living in a second floor apartment became more difficult. They had to lug groceries up the stairs and they had to carry their laundry up and down the stairs to get to a laundromat
.
We suggested they move up to Cheshire and they agreed to come. They moved into Cheshire Hillside Village to a two bedroom apartment with their own washer and dryer inside.
Abe died in Hospice in Branford, CT, on October 12, 2000. He is buried in Cheshire Hillside Cemetery in the Temple Beth David Section. [12] His obituary was written and delivered by Rabbi Eric Silver.
Blogs About Abe
Sources
- [1] 1905 Paterson, NJ, City Directory -New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, NJ, USA; State Census of New Jersey, 1905; Reference Number: L-06; Film Number: 37 Source information Title New Jersey, U.S., State Census, 1905 AuthorAncestry.com Note New Jersey State Archive, Trenton, NJ, USA.PublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc.Publisher date 2017
- [2] 1910 Federal Census for Joseph Wishnefsky and family – Year: 1910; Census Place: Paterson Ward 10, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: T624_907; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 0149; FHL microfilm: 1374920 Source information Title1910 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com Publisher Ancestry.com Operations Inc Publisher date 2006
- [3] Abe Warren’s draft card – the National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for New Jersey, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 717 Source information Title U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 AuthorAncestry.com PublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher date2011
- [4] FindAGrave.com for Joseph Wishnefsky
- [5] Abe Warren’s Enlistment Record – National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number Source information Title U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Author Ancestry.com PublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc.Publisher date 2005
- [6] Marriage Index for Helen and Abe – New Jersey State Archives; Trenton, New Jersey; Marriage Indexes; Index Type: Bride; Year Range: 1946; Surname Range: A – K Source information Title New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Index, 1901-2016AuthorAncestry.comNoteMarriage Indexes. New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.PublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc.Publisher date2016
- [7] Name Change Application – The News, (Paterson, New Jersey) April 23, 1946, Tuesday, Page 21, hosted online by Newspapers.com
- [8] 1950 Federal Census for Abe and Helen – National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: 653; Page: 17 of 26; Enumeration District: 32-114 Source informationTitle1950 United States Federal CensusAuthorAncestry.comNoteDepartment of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. iPopulation Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950/i. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC. piPopulation Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950/i. NAID: a href=”https://catalog.archives.gov/id/43290879″ target=”_blank”43290879/a. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, Record Group 29. National Archives at Washington, DC., Washington, DC./pPublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc.Publisher date2022
- [9] Hubcap Theft Reported – The Morning Call(Paterson, New Jersey) Monday, March 4, 1957, Page 16, hosted online by Newspapers.com
- [10] FindAGrave.com for Matilda Wishnefsky
- [11] FindAGrave.com for Jacob Warren
- [12] FindAGrave.com for Abe Warren
Note: Photos, army documents, and death certificates of Matilda and Joseph Wishnefsky are from my private family collection and can be used with permission only.